Passing Blame

Punk was sat on the couch in the living room late into the evening, AJ curled into him fast asleep. She hadn't been sleeping on a regular pattern over the past week since her mother had been arrested. Mostly she'd find comfort on the couch laying into him and fall asleep without trying.

He did his best not to move, not wanting to disturb her as he flicked through the TV channels, his head lifting when he heard a light knock at the door.

He looked down and noticed AJ still fast asleep. He gently moved her, watching her eyes open with disturbance.

"It's ok. It's just the door." Punk said quietly as she sat back on the couch.

"Is Matteo ok?" She asked, looking at the monitor on the coffee table. Every time she woke from any kind of sleep or nap, she always assumed her son needed her.

"He's fine." Punk assured her, standing up from the couch and making his way out to the doorway whilst AJ rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

Punk opened up the door, noticing the detective who was dealing with the case standing in a grey suit.

"Are you April's husband?" He clarified.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Yeah, Phil Brooks." Punk extended his hand out.

"Detective John Porter." He shook Punk's hand. He'd only spoken with April over the past week and hadn't properly introduced himself.

"Come in." Punk nodded as John walked into the house, "Can I get you a coffee?"

"Oh, no. I won't trouble you at this time of night. I do apologise for showing up this late." He said.

"It's no trouble." Punk nodded.

"Has she spoken?" AJ asked from the living room doorway as Punk and the detective turned to look at her.

"Hi, April." John nodded, making his way into the living room as Punk followed, "She's spoken." He confirmed.

"Why don't you sit down." Punk placed his hand on AJ's arm. She still seemed half asleep.

"Yeah, let's sit." John agreed, taking a seat opposite as AJ sat on the couch beside Punk.

"What did she say?" AJ asked, "She killed it, didn't she? My brother or sister." She nodded.

"Sister." John nodded to her, "I got the results back from forensic late last night. It was a girl. Estimated around three or four weeks old." He said as AJ looked at him blankly. It was so hard for her to imagine. To think about what it would have been like to grow up with a little sister.

"Did she say why?" AJ asked desperately, "I mean… I know there couldn't be an excuse in the world for it but-"

"She insists she didn't do anything." John said, "She said it was your father who did it." He nodded.

"My dad?" AJ questioned.

"That's what she said. She was very forthcoming in telling us what kind of person he was. Very forthcoming in telling us that his upper status as a doctor granted him the power to clear record of this baby… make it like she was never even born." John nodded.

"I don't… I can't imagine my dad doing that." AJ shook her head, "He was mean and… distant but I know he did love me." She nodded to herself, turning to Punk for confirmation, but she knew he could only go by what she was saying.

"The sad part is that we can't find out what happened to her… how she died. This didn't happen yesterday, as you already know. Your mother contributed that your father killed her but she didn't mention how or why." John said.

"But she knew all this time. So she's just as bad." AJ shook her head, "And I don't believe her. I don't. I think she did it and she knows she can blame my dad cause he's not here." AJ said as John nodded.

"Which is what we think too, for the record." John agreed, "I know you were super young at the time but… do you remember anything about how your dad acted with the baby?"

"My dad worked every day, morning noon and night." AJ said, "He was barely even there."

"What about your mom? Is there anything specific you can recall with her and the baby?" John asked, "Or even when she was pregnant?"

"No. I… I don't remember much besides my mom was always holding her. She probably didn't let me go near her." AJ predicted, "And then the baby was gone and… I guess I asked where she was and that's when my mom started… hurting me." AJ looked down as Punk placed his hand on her leg.

"Didn't your mom have friends? Didn't people around your parents start to question where the hell this baby was?" John asked.

"She was four years old." Punk butted in.

"They didn't really have friends, I guess." AJ added, placing her hand over her husband's to calm him, "And my dad was a surgeon, and for the eighteen years I knew him he didn't bring his family life into work. I mean he had affairs. He probably never told anyone he had a family." AJ shook her head as John nodded.

"Do you think your mom would be capable of doing this? The mom you know and grew up with?" John asked.

"Yes." AJ said immediately. Years ago she would have probably said no. Years ago when the years of abuse had worked on her, burning her brain into silence. Now she could see clear.

"Did she ever threaten your life?" John asked.

"Not that I can remember." AJ said.

"When did the abuse stop?" John asked.

"I went over this a few days ago." AJ sighed tiredly.

"I know, I'm sorry." John nodded, "I'm just trying to… figure this woman out."

"Not possible." Punk added quietly.

"Probably when I was seventeen I think. Then my dad died. She didn't do it again after that. At least not physically." AJ said.

"What was the abuse like in the later years? As a teen?" John asked.

"Uh… she was pretty hostile. Barely let me have friends. She would shave my legs for me for some reason. She used to say it was too dangerous for me to do on my own." AJ shook her head, "She would put me on juice fasts. Made me lose a bunch of weight. So much that I lost my period and a lot of hair." AJ nodded.

"So it was more psychological then?" John nodded.

"Yeah I guess. She was always a wrist grabber, though." AJ nodded to herself, "I already went over all of this with someone else." She said tiredly.

"I know, and I'm sorry I have to rattle on about it again." John nodded sincerely.

"Let's say it was her dad." Punk inserted, "Her mom still knew about it which gives you the right to arrest her and put her in prison. I think." He nodded.

"It does. She will go to prison. No doubt about it." John assured as AJ felt her shoulders loosen for the first time in the week, "But I don't know about you guys, I'd like to try my hardest to get the truth." He said, "For you, April." He nodded to her as AJ looked across at him.

"And I appreciate that." AJ nodded to him, "But I just want her gone. She did what she did." She shook her head tiredly as John nodded, sensing her conversation meter was running out.

"It's late so I'll get going." He stood up, "I'll be in touch over the coming days."

"How do we get rid of the reporters and stuff outside the house?" She asked, rubbing her forehead, "They're there morning until night."

"I'll take care of that for you." John nodded, "I can see myself out." He assured them both before leaving the living room and heading out of the house.

"She's going away. No matter what bullshit story she tells." Punk turned to her.

"I'm just thinking about all the times she pretended to care about me… like when I was about to marry Jason… she really did feel like a mom." She nodded to him, "Like she was proud of me and loved me. You know, the way a mom should." She said.

"Why was she so hung up on Jason?" Punk scoffed.

"Cause she knew that she could interfere with our relationship. He would let her." AJ nodded, "Whereas with you-"

"Yeah, not a chance." Punk agreed as she smiled.

"Where the hell would I be if I never met you?" AJ shook her head.

"You mean if I never threw a tray of drinks down your back?" He asked as she smiled fondly.

"I'm glad you did." She nodded, "I wish I saw the writing on the wall sooner."

"You can't blame yourself. She put you through a lot as a kid. It'd be instinct for you to shove it to the back of your mind. Forget all about it." He said, "She's going away for a long time. Regardless of what she did or didn't do. She knew about it either way and that's just as bad."

"My dad wasn't a good man." She said, "He had affairs. He was a liar. Selfish." She nodded, "But I don't think he was capable of doing… that. It had to have been her."

"Yeah." Punk agreed.

"God, I just want her out of my head. Just for once." AJ shook her head, "I was hoping to be going back to work soon and I just… I can't stomach the thought of it-"

"You don't have to think about that right now." Punk shook his head, placing his hand on her thigh as she placed her own on top of it.

She looked across at him, never being so grateful for his comfort and support as she was right now. This past week had been hell, but somehow he softened the edges for her, coaxed her to eat, helped her to fall asleep and got her to talk when all she felt like was sitting in silence.

She leaned into him, kissing him softly, hovering her face in front of him as she looked into his eyes.

"Let's go upstairs." She whispered.