A/N: Thanks for all your kind reviews! ALWAYS appreciated :)
Part 3
AJ was at the bar before opening helping set up before the doors opened and was approached by Cassie.
"Hey how's that mini fridge working out?" Cass asked her new found friend.
"Oh, it's great thanks again." AJ smiled a bit and eyed Cassie who had a grin. "What?"
"I heard you went out with my brother." Cassie said to her anxiously.
"I should have spoken to you about that." AJ began.
"Don't be silly." Cassie said brushing it off. "How did it go?"
"Well enough that we're going out again tomorrow." AJ shrugged and Cassie clapped her hands together.
"Trust me Nadine, you're going to love him." Cassie said to her and AJ's heart dropped. Punk and Jeff were both calling her AJ and maybe the name change was a little much?
"Look, my name isn't Nadine." AJ said to her and Cassie seemed surprised. "I'm just trying to start over new and I don't want to lie to you. My name is AJ."
"Oh." Cassie said a bit taken aback. "Are you like wanted by the police because Punk works for the FBI."
"No." AJ laughed. "Just trying to avoid past mistakes. I'm sorry I lied I really wanted to come here and pretend to be someone else but I can't."
"That's ok." Cassie said brushing it off. "If you're in trouble I can help."
"I'm fine now." AJ assured her.
"So can Punk." Cassie offered.
"I don't need help I just needed a fresh start." AJ told her and she nodded.
"So, what's going on Friday night?" Cassie asked and AJ blushed a bit.
"I don't know. I don't even know if it's a date." AJ admitted. "But he's really cool."
"He is." Cassie had to agree. "I think he likes you. He ranted to Jeff about your AC not working."
"I told him to leave that alone." AJ groaned. "Jeff has done enough."
"Yea but dying of heat stroke in the apartment upstairs isn't going to make Jeff feel good." Cassie teased.
"I don't know what we're doing or even have anything to wear." She confided.
"What?" Cassie asked.
"I haven't gone shopping and last night your brother took me to his uncles place." AJ told her.
"Oh that's fancy." Cassie agreed. "I bet he wore jeans."
"He did." AJ said to her.
"We'll go shopping tomorrow." Cassie offered. "I have to look for a dress for Jeff's parents anniversary anyway. I know some great thrift shops good prices."
"Money isn't a problem." AJ admitted.
"What did you do before you came here?" Cassie asked her.
"I was a writer." AJ confided.
"What kind? Like news or books?" Cassie asked curiously.
"News, a blog actually. I had great promotional deals." AJ told her.
"I have a friend who works for Chicago Spotlight and it's all these independent writers who write about the City." Cassie told her.
"I can't write anymore." AJ said shaking her head and Cassie frowned. "I can't have my name out there or create that kind of attention again."
"Again?" Cassie asked catching that.
"I have to fill the salt and yea shopping sounds good tomorrow thanks." AJ said quickly then rushed off.
"You ok?" Jeff asked walking over to Cassie.
"What kind of trouble is AJ in?" Cassie asked.
"You know her name too?" Jeff asked back and Cassie sighed. "She's ok." He laughed. "She's safe here."
"I hope so." Cassie said to him.
"She's got Punk looking out for her now she's never been safer." Jeff pointed out.
"That is true." Cassie had to agree. "I stopped by his place this morning for coffee and he was in a great mood."
"I bet he was." Jeff snorted looking over a bill.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cassie asked.
"He was up there with AJ for a few hours and when I went up to check her AC it was clear something went on." Jeff told her.
"That's my brother." Cassie said disgusted. "But that will explaining his whistling."
That day Punk was in his office staring at his computer when Dean walked in.
"Case notes." Dean said passing him the file.
"Thanks." He said and Dean looked at the screen.
"You've been looking at this screen all day and there's nothing on it." Dean remarked. "Whats your problem."
"I'm trying to determine if I look into AJ on my own or wait for her to open up to me." Punk admitted.
"Who the hell is AJ?" Dean asked confused.
"Nadine." Punk clarified.
"She's AJ now?" Dean asked.
"I know her real name or at least nickname is AJ and she wrote a popular blog but that's it." Punk told him.
"It's probably an abusive boyfriend." Dean told him.
"No." Punk said shaking his head slowly giving it thought. "Women who are victimized like that usually pull away from men and sex-"
"You had sex with her?" Dean asked.
"Maybe." Punk remarked shifting in his chair.
"You either did or didn't there's no maybe." Dean laughed.
"She had no marks on her body, she didn't hesitate, hell she initiated it." Punk told him. "It's weird. She's scared of someone but it's not a boyfriend."
"Why don't you just look her up?" Dean asked him.
"Because I don't want to betray her confidence. I know she'll tell me I just hate waiting." Punk told him.
"Look, if she's in trouble then you should know. Not just for her safety but yours. If you're going to date her you should know what you're getting into." Dean reasoned.
"It doesn't matter. She could tell me she killed 30 men and I don't think I'd turn her in." Punk groaned annoyed with himself running his hands over his face.
"She can't be THAT good." Dean laughed and Punk gave him a serious look. "THAT good?"
"It's not just that." Punk said confused. "There's just something about her. I like her."
"I haven't heard you say that about woman you slept with- ever." Dean mocked.
"I do. She's funny and really fucking smart." Punk said even more confused. "So what is she doing here living under a fake name?"
"I'm not sleeping with her, I'll look her up." Dean offered.
"No." Punk said to him. "Trust seems important to her. I'll wait it out."
"Going to the bar tonight?" Dean asked.
"Nah, going to work late to take tomorrow off." Punk told him. "I've got plans."
"A date?" Dean teased.
"Maybe? I don't know." Punk said. "She's a mystery."
"That explains your attraction to her." Dean mocked. "Hotter than Amy though."
"Can't argue with that." Punk grinned.
"I'll be at the bar later, I'll give your girl a kiss from you." Dean teased then left the office.
The bar wasn't busy but Dean was there mostly bull shitting with Jeff. Cassie was waiting on the few tables.
"Can you grab the phone?" Jeff asked AJ from across the bar as she was closest to it.
"Sure." AJ said picking up the phone and before she could answer she heard a familiar voice.
"Why did you make me come all the way out to Chicago?" The male voice asked annoyed. "I hate the City!"
AJ instantly hung up the phone and her hand began to shake.
"You ok?" Cassie asked her.
"I have to go." AJ said removing her apron.
"Are you alright?" Cassie asked concerned again.
"I have to leave I'm so sorry." AJ said to her then ran up to her apartment.
Cassie looked back towards Jeff and Dean and just shrugged.
AJ rushed up to her room and unlocked all the locks, not even bothering to close the door behind her.
"Nadine? Or AJ?" Dean asked unsurely.
"Can you watch the door?" AJ asked him ass he pulled a suitcase out from under her couch.
"Uh, yea." Dean said scratching the back of his head. "You ok?"
"I have to go." She said unzipping her bag and Dean was stunned to see clothes and ton of cash.
"What do you mean?" Dean asked. "Why do you have that? What are you doing?"
"I have to leave right now." AJ explained slowly to him.
"You can't just leave. Punk is going to be look for you." Dean informed her.
"Oh god he knows about him." AJ whispered to herself. "You'll look out for him?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Dean asked her. "Are you married?"
"No." She said grabbing her keys.
"Ok so a jealous boyfriend-" Dean began.
"No not a boyfriend." She scoffed.
"You can't just leave." Dean insisted standing in her way. "Hey, whoever you are." He said snapping his fingers to get her frantic attention. "I have a badge and a gun and I can help you."
"No you can't." AJ said holding back tears. "No one has been able to help me. No one with a badge or a gun." then pushed past him. "Just keep an on Phil and tell him I'm sorry."
"What the hell is going on!" Dean yelled after her but she was already vanished beyond the hallway.
AJ was at the bus station waiting for her bus to board. She wasn't even sure where she was going she just asked for the first bus ticket out of town. She had her hood on and was in the far corner of the station hoping no one would notice her. She felt someone sit behind her and she felt a tear leave her eye.
"You look really obvious wearing a sweatshirt in 90 degree heat." Punk told her and she felt at ease and turned her head slightly. "Hi." He greeted a bit annoyed.
"How did you find me?" AJ asked him.
"Dean followed you here. He's right over there." Punk pointed to the far corner and AJ hadn't even noticed him. "It's our job."
"You need to get away from me." AJ warned him.
"Why?" He asked her and she turned her head to look straight ahead so he was looking at the back of her head. "April."
"How do you know that?" AJ asked him quietly.
"Jeff told me." Punk told her. "He's worried about you."
"I'm going to be fine." She told him.
"Who is Jamie Myers?" Punk asked her and gasped.
Punk stood up and sat next to her.
"You looked into me?" She asked him hurt.
"No. I looked into the phone number that called the bar before you took off." He told her honestly.
"You did all that that fast?" She asked confused.
"I'm FBI." He repeated to her. "As Dean tried to tell you at your place there's no one better suited to help you than us."
"No one has helped me." She clarified slowly to him.
"Who is Jamie Myers?" He asked her again.
"He's a guy." AJ cried a bit.
"An ex-boyfriend?" Punk asked and AJ shook her head.
"He was my neighbor." AJ confided. "He was just the guy who waved at me in the mornings. It was my first home I was supposed to be safe there."
"He's been stalking you." Punk stated rather than asked.
"I never went out with him, I was just nice to him!" AJ explained. "He just won't leave me alone."
"Start from the beginning." Punk instructed and heard her bus being called and stood up. "April." He insisted standing up. "You can't run forever I will help you. I swear to you that I will help you"
"No cop has been able to help me and I understand why." She told him.
"I'm different." He said simply. "You can trust me and I know you know that."
"Just let me go." AJ sighed but he stood in her way.
"AJ, if this guy is following you across state lines it's an FBI case." He explained to her. "You won't be safe unless you stick with me."
AJ looked at all the passing faces hoping Jamie wasn't among them.
"Look, I know we had a good night last night but I'm not worth it." AJ explained to him. "Just let me go."
"I can't do that." He said shaking his head lightly. "This isn't just about last night. You're in trouble and I'm going to help you whether you want it or nothing and I promise you that I can help you. You have help now."
AJ once again glanced around the station and swore she saw him everywhere.
"Are we good to go?" Dean asked walking over to them.
"April?" Punk asked and she let out a sigh.
"Ok." She relented and walked ahead of them.
"Who is April?" Dean asked Punk in a whisper and he shot him a glare.
AJ didn't want to go back to the bar so Punk took her to his office at FBI Headquarters in Chicago. The office was pretty empty this late at night but there were still a few people around.
"What are we doing here?" AJ asked him.
"I'm going to take your statement." Punk said walking her into a conference room. "Dean is going to join us." He informed her as Dean entered the room and closed the door behind him. "He specializes in obsessional crime."
"That's a thing?" AJ asked slowly taking a seat in the nice chair.
"It is." Dean remarked sitting down and Punk sat down next to him. Both had notepads and a recorder.
"You're really going to listen to me and take my statement?" She asked astonished.
"Why are you so surprised?" Punk asked her.
"When I went to my local police they told me it was out of their hands I couldn't even get a protection order." She explained.
"There's not much local police can do without evidence." Dean explained back to her. "These guys are smart. They can terrorize you without ever touching you."
"That's for sure." AJ said to him sadly.
"I wish you would have come to us earlier." Dean said to her.
"I'm so lost and confused." She confessed. "I don't know who to trust or who can help me. And if anyone does try to help me they end up in trouble." she told Dean who smirked who looked over to Punk who also had half a smile.
"We like trouble." Dean told her with a wink.
"Before we start can you give us a minute?" Punk asked Dean who stood up.
"Coffee?" He asked Punk who nodded then looked at AJ.
"Please." AJ said with a light smile and Dean walked out of the room. "I'm not going to apologize for taking off if that's what you're thinking."
"I don't take you for an apology kind of girl." Punk smirked. "You could have told me though."
"I don't know you." She laughed. "I mean I know you're body…but…" she rambled nervously.
"It's alright." Punk said to her. "If you're uncomfortable with me being here I can have Dean and Kofi take over."
"No, it's ok." She said to him. "You should know because if Jamie was here and saw you at my place he's going to drive you crazy."
"I can handle crazy." He told her.
"He ruins everything for me." AJ sighed. "Anytime I meet a nice guy he scares them off."
"No one is scaring me off." Punk told her and AJ eyed him. "I have a date planned for tomorrow and I still want it to happen if you're up for it."
"You don't have to do this." She said to him.
"I know I don't. But I want to." He said honestly. "I like hanging around you."
"You won't when you realize my stalker and I are a package deal." She mumbled.
"I'm not scared of a stalker." He remarked. "I'm not going to let this guy ruin anything else for you."
"You should be." She warned.
"I do this for a living." He reminded her. "Takes a lot to scare me off."
"He's going to kill me." AJ confided and Punks face dropped. "I've heard the stories of women like me and the police can't do much. It only ends one of us ends up dead and I know it will be me."
"Look me in the eyes." He ordered and she did so. He was speaking very professional and his face was like a stone. "He is not going to kill you. He's not going to touch you. I swear to you."
"I got the coffee." Dean announced walking in.
"Do you understand me?" Punk asked her not even acknowledging Dean.
"I do." She replied softly.
"Not sure how you like it so I bought in milk and crap." Dean said sitting back down.
"Where do you want to start?" She asked Dean.
"From the beginning." Dean instructed her. "Every detail no matter how minor."
"I had just moved into my new house." AJ told them.
"When?" Dean asked writing it down as did Punk.
"It was three years ago." She told them.
"What month?" Dean asked and AJ tried to remember. "It seems small but it's not."
"It was July." She told them. "Because I was unpacking on the 4th and there was firework show off the lake by my house."
"Is that when you met him?" Punk asked her.
"I met him the first day I moved in which was the 1st." AJ told them. "He came over to welcome me to the neighborhood. It was secluded and beautiful. There weren't a lot of houses and it was on a lake practically. He was my nearest neighbor. He gave me his phone number and told me to call if I needed anything. He came by everyday."
"What times?" Punk asked as he wrote in his notepad.
"Usually after he got off work which was 6." She told them.
"And what does he do for a living?" Dean asked her.
"He was in construction. He had his own team." She answered.
"Was?" Punk asked.
"He couldn't work when he was outside my house full time after a while." She told them and Dean eyed Punk.
"Did he ask you out?" Dean asked her.
"Every day." She told them. "Every single night and I would laugh it off. He just gave me a bad vibe and I had a boyfriend at that time. When my boyfriend would be over he wouldn't come over at first but after a while he didn't care. He wouldn't even talk to me. He would just be outside watching my house usually in his car, sometimes just smoking by my porch. He creeped my boyfriend out and he stopped coming around."
"So Jamie got braver." Punk noted and AJ nodded.
"I got a dog." AJ told them. "A pit bull named Doxy."
"What did work have to do with this? You've mentioned you were a blogger."
"He read my blogs which had personal information and he'd use it against me. If I spoke about flowers there would be flowers at my door, if I talked about cake there would be cake at my door. I couldn't just turn it off to him I had to turn it off for good. I hated him knowing anything personal about me." She told them.
"He started showing up when I went out with friends. One night we went for Celeste's birthday-" She began.
"Who is Celeste?" Dean asked.
"That's Jeff's sister." Punk told him and Dean nodded and jotted it down.
"And I was dancing with a guy at a bar and Jamie just jumped him." AJ told them. "Celeste tried to get him off of him and he ended up pushing her down and hurting her arm. He was like an animal."
"And when did you go to the police?" Dean asked her.
"Three months into living there." AJ told them. "I explained what he was doing but he was just leaving presents at that point. They couldn't do anything. He wasn't calling or writing I had no real proof. I took pictures of him watching my house and they still couldn't do anything because he wasn't on my property."
"Ok." Punk said to her nodding.
"He was just always at my house I wasn't working and soon I wouldn't be able to afford my house because I was scared to do anything." AJ told them. "He just never went away. Do you know what that is like? To have someone you know who wants to harm you be feet away and wonder every night if this is the night you're going to die?"
"It's awful." Dean sympathized.
"I went to stay with my parents because my house just wasn't working for me anymore. Part of me thought when I moved he'd leave me alone." She told them. "It just made him-"
"Madder." Punk finished for her and she nodded.
"He started calling me and screaming at me like I betrayed him." She told them. "Like I dumped him and moved him. I didn't even know who he was! He confronted my dad at his job."
"That's ballsy." Dean remarked.
"My dad is an older man and I had told my parents about Jamie but not in great detail I didn't want to scare them and I didn't want them at risk." AJ said to them. "My dad told him off and told him to stay away from me and that just pissed him off even more."
"What did he do?" Punk asked knowing.
"He set the house on fire." AJ told them and both didn't seem surprised. "He waited until he knew everyone was in a deep sleep but he set the house on fire. Police couldn't prove anything more than arson. They couldn't find any evidence but I know it was him."
"Was anyone hurt?" Punk asked.
"My dad was burned and Doxy died." AJ told him and Punk sucked in a breath. "Doxy died before the fire he must have come in the house and she was a good guard dog."
"Jesus." Dean muttered.
"I couldn't risk my parents. The house was being rebuilt and my parents went to stay with an aunt of mine and I started staying in hotels." She told them. "There were always people around and security so I felt ok."
"How long ago was the fire?" Dean asked.
"Six months ago." She told him.
"So what happened in between that time?" Punk asked her.
"I don't have a cellphone I had it turned it off so he couldn't call me, I had my hotel phones turned off so I couldn't be bothered and I thought because I couldn't see him he wasn't there." She told them. "I let my guard down a bit I suppose. I met a guy in the hotel gym one night and he took me to the hotel restaurant for dinner. This was four months ago." She told them. "I think his name was Derek? He was just trying to be nice to me. I didn't want to leave the hotel but there was a band playing locally and he wanted me to go so I went." She shrugged.
"And Jamie was there?" Dean asked.
"There? We never made it there." AJ scoffed. "Jamie ran our car off the road. He came out the car like a madman he wanted me out of the car and my date was terrified and asked me to get out of the car."
"What?" Dean asked. "What a bitch." He scoffed writing it down.
"Jamie is a scary guy." AJ defended. "This poor guy didn't deserve to die for my sins."
"What sins?" Punk asked her. "What did you do to deserve this?"
"Well, nothing." She said thinking about it.
"Stop blaming yourself." Punk told her. "What happened when you got out of the car?"
"I ran. I ran through peoples yards, I was screaming for help and he was following me in his car but when I entered the yards he got out and chased me." She told him. "He got me by my hair and told me he was going to kill me." she explained. "And I don't know why." She told them desperately. "I don't know him!"
"People like him don't use logic." Dean told her. "They see something or someone they want. They take all their pent up aggression out on them, blame them for their life, it's not you it's them."
"How did you get away?" Punk asked.
"An older woman who's house we ended up in her yard came out with a bat and he ran off." She told them. "I called Celeste and she took me to the police station."
"And?" Dean asked.
"I filed a report but it was my word against his. My date was gone. He checked out of the hotel and I didn't even get his last name." AJ told them. "They said they'd try to file an order of protection but I was tired of it. How could he put his hands on me and no one believe me? Why would I make any of this up?" a tear fell from her eye and Punk had a hard time looking at her so devastated but also couldn't look away. "Celeste called Jeff, she was afraid Jamie would kill me. She packed me a bag, gave me some cash because I haven't touched my accounts in case he was tracking that but he figured it out."
"What did he say to you tonight?" Dean asked her.
"He asked why I made him come to the City, he hates the City." She told them.
"Sorry, I have that file you asked for." A young woman said sticking her head in and passing Punk a file.
"Thanks." Punk said and she left.
"What's that?" AJ asked.
"I ran a check on Jamie." Punk said opening the folder and eyed the picture of the man. "This is him, right?"
"Yea it is." AJ confirmed.
"I've seen him." Dean said bitterly. "He was outside the bar when I was coming in tonight."
"I saw him last night when I was leaving the bar he bumped into me." Punk added just as angry.
"I should just go." AJ said standing up. "What if he burns Jeff's bar down!"
"No one is burning the bar down." Punk said standing up next. "You're going to a hotel, you're going to be safe."
"We're going to get you that order of protection." Dean promised her.
"Do I throw the paper at him next time he comes after me?" She asked seriously.
"No because he's not going to get that close to you." Dean told her. "We'll get him. We're going to go over the fire first and link him to it."
"We'll also find your tough date who left you in the street and get him to ID Jamie." Punk added. "This is an FBI case now."
"Ok." AJ said unsurely. "I don't know though he's smart."
"He's not." Dean retorted quickly. "You don't have to run anymore. I'm going to give Kofi a call he'll go to New Jersey and talk to local PD about the fire and get the files."
"Good." Punk said to him.
"And I'm going to speak to Celeste and see if she can get me dates and times and I'll try to track down this Derek." Dean said standing up. "Get some rest." He said to AJ before leaving.
"We're going to get him." Punk assured her. "Trust me."
"I do." She said to him. "I just don't think you will."
"Come on." He said nodding to her.
"Where are we going?" She asked.
"I'm going to set you up in a hotel, get you some clothes and things to make you comfortable-" He began.
"I can't really afford a hotel." She admitted. "I mean I have money but if I use my card-"
"The FBI will be paying for it." He smirked.
"Oh." She said confused. "Really?"
"Really." He smirked cupping her cheek. "I told you we'd take care of you and we will. Plus we have a date Friday."
"I can't go out with you." She laughed. "Jamie will run you off the road."
"I dare him." Punk said with a smile. "I won't run off like your hotel guy did."
"It's not a good idea." She said to him.
"No one is getting to you with me at your side. You can't stop living your life." He informed her. "I've got it from here."
"I'll think about it." She said to him coyly.
"You don't want to spend the night with me?" He asked in a low sultry voice.
"I would love to spend the night with you." She admitted blushing a bit. "I'd like to spend nights with you as a matter of fact. I just don't want you to get hurt."
"I'm a big boy." He remarked.
"That I know." She said leaning into him a bit and he leaned down to kiss her but stopped short when the door swung open.
"Sorry." Dean grinned. "Don't mind me. Just grabbing my notes."
"We should get you to that hotel." Punk said to AJ who just nodded and followed him out of the room.