A/N: As always, your reviews are awesome and always appreciated, thank you! :)
Part Six
Punk slowly opened his eyes due to the small crack in his curtains letting the sun shine right into his bedroom. He had such a deep peaceful sleep it took him a few moments to remember where he was and what day it was at first. He remembered he had taken AJ home and reached over to where he last remembered her sleeping and the side of her bed was cold. He sat up abruptly and exited his bed fully naked and grabbed a pair of shorts he wore the previous night and walked out of his bedroom and that's when he smelt it. He headed into his kitchen and that's where he saw her. The petite brunette was bouncing around his kitchen in his t-shirt that reached her knees listening to music and just enjoying her short freedom. He had to smile at the picture before him.
AJ turned around and gasped while holding a pan in her hand then laughed.
"You scared me." She scolded pouring something onto a plate. "I made you breakfast."
"You did?" He asked amused walking over to his counter and sitting at the stool there.
"You have a really nice apartment. This was not how I thought an FBI agents apartment would look." She marveled.
"What were you expecting?" He asked as she poured him a cup of coffee as well.
"An empty bland boring room." She admitted.
Punk's apartment was a big size compared to your average apartments. It had 3 bedrooms, every room had something. He had a guest room that was decorated nicely, an office that had books and case files along with a desk and computer and his bedroom was beautiful. It had a great view, a huge bed, dark furniture and even framed comics and horror movie posters.
"I'm full of surprises." He said sipping the coffee then taking a bite out of his food. "Wow." He awed at the pancakes and eggs. "You're a good cook."
"It's all instant but I am a good cook." She informed him smugly. "So, what kind of an FBI agent are you?"
"What?" He had to laugh.
"Like I watch Criminal Minds." She clarified and he rolled his eyes. "You're not like a cool one?"
"I've worked in a few different units. I now run the violent crime unit." He explained.
"Really?" She asked. "I assumed you worked at some desk and pushed paper."
"Wow." He remarked. "I'm very physical at work. Most of it is local but I do travel if a suspect crosses state lines which happens often."
"So you don't track serial killers?" She asked seriously.
"This isn't a TV show." He reminded her. "But yea, sometimes. It depends on what case I'm on. A lot of the violent crime I work is rooted to the government. Crimes against agents, agents who commit crime, someone who commits a violent offense in the name of government. But a lot of it is violent crimes committed out of state because once someone crosses into Illinois it becomes federal."
"You seem to like your job." She noted.
"I love my job." He corrected. "It does occupy a lot of my time though."
A knock at the door stopped AJ from asking anymore questions as Punk stood up and walked to the door and peeked to see who it was then opened the door for Dean.
"Hey I-" Dean began then saw AJ and smiled. "Just who I was looking for."
"Hi." AJ greeted. "Coffee?" She asked.
"Hell yea." He said sitting down.
"Pants, April." Punk whispered into her ear from behind as he grabbed the coffee pot from her.
"Excuse me." AJ blushed and ran into the bedroom.
"She is hot." Dean had to admit taking a piece of bacon off of Punks plate. "And can cook? Damn."
"Where's Jamie?" Punk asked.
"In lock up for 24 hours." Dean told him. "He doesn't give a shit he'll be back at that bar tonight. I wanted to talk to AJ about the job thing."
"What job thing?" AJ asked walking in wearing her jean shorts from last night.
"Punk mentioned you writing again and I'm all for you making living but I'm going to encourage you to not write about Jamie." Dean said to her.
"Don't you think it would bother him?" AJ asked.
"Yes I think it will very much and even though you'd have a ton of support you'd also have a mentally unstable stalker fuming and I don't think that's the right approach." Dean told her and she sighed. "I'm sorry. Like I said you can do what you want but my professional opinion is not to write about him. You don't want to boost his ego."
"It was just an idea." AJ shrugged but was clearly disappointed.
"It's your life and you should be free to talk about it but I just think at this point in time it's a risk." Dean said to her and she just nodded in agreement.
"I hope they still want to give me a job." AJ said to them.
"You're a kick ass writer. I read every blog you did to catch up on your case." Dean said to her and her face lit up.
"But did you really?" AJ asked titling her head.
"My favorite piece was the one on catcalling in Manhattan." Dean told her and she smiled. "I had no idea women take so much shit from us." He said looking to Punk.
"Is Jamie super angry?" AJ asked him nervously.
"No. He's kind of void of emotion but that's always worrisome." Dean told her and saw Punk glaring at him from over her shoulder. "Or not at all." He added quickly and nervously. "It's fine. He's fine."
"I have to get going." AJ said to them and Punk eyed her then the time. "I have a meeting with your sisters friend about that job and I'd like to shower and get dressed. Can't go in my bar uniform."
"I suppose not." Punk said watching her grab her purse and then walked her to the door. "You can wear my shirt though." He said tugging on the Cubs shirt she was still sporting.
"I'll wash it and give it back, I promise." She told him at the door.
"Keep it." He told her. "Looks better on you anyway. Give me five minutes I'll drive you."
"No!" She insisted. "I still have freedom. I want to take the train by myself."
"Ok." He said and leaned down and gave her a kiss before she walked out the door.
"She cooks too." Dean remarked fully eating Punk's breakfast. "Because I know you didn't make this."
"Yea and clearly I'm not eating it too." Punk snapped at him annoyed. "She's like a different person knowing Jamie isn't around." He told Dean. "Like she doesn't have a care in the world."
"Yea." Dean just agreed as he still ate and Punk glared at him. "I know, I work these cases all of the time. She isn't afraid to laugh or stand by the window. It's how it is."
"How do these cases end? I know the statistics but what is your personal history?" Punk asked.
"It depends. Every case ends different and some don't end at all." Dean told him honestly. "I had one case this guy stalked this woman for a year and he went after her when she moved and he ended up doing five years." Dean told him and Punk nodded. "But he wrote her everyday in prison and the day he got out he showed up at her house. I had another case a woman moved cross country and her guy followed her and shot her right in the head."
"Jesus." Punk muttered.
"Some women just accept it. He's there and he'll always be there but these guys are just watchers they're not going to physically assault them. Depends on the guy." Dean said to him.
"And what kind of guy is Jamie?" Punk asked him.
"I don't know." Dean lied sipping his coffee again.
"Yea you do." Punk spat annoyed.
"He seems like someone who has nothing to lose. He'd risk it all for AJ." Dean said to him.
"So what do we do?" Punk asked.
"Nothing." Dean told him. "I found AJ's mystery date from Jersey and imagine my luck that he lives in Wisconsin. I'm driving to meet him in an hour and hoping he's willing to press charges against him." Dean told him.
"I'll shower wait for me." Punk instructed.
"There is no WE." Dean reminded him. "You're way too emotionally invested now."
"I just want to meet him and hear his story." Punk defended. "I'll behave."
"You always say that and and never do." Dean mumbled as Punk headed into his bathroom.
AJ walked into a huge downtown building. She was in a smaller town in New Jersey but even the busy parts of the state couldn't compare to what this all was. She saw Cassie in the waiting area and waved at her.
"Thank you for meeting me." AJ smiled.
"Of course. I have the day off from both jobs and can't just sit at home." Cassie said walking her over to the desk. "Cassie Brooks and AJ Mendez, we're meeting Lydia Monroe of the Chicago Spotlight."
"What are we doing?" AJ asked in a whisper.
"This is a high security building. No one in without a pass." Cassie informed her and AJ was in awe of it as she passed her a pass. "You have to scan for the elevator or stairs."
"Wow." AJ remarked following everything Cassie did.
"Most buildings like this in Chicago or New York are like this." Cassie assured her and AJ felt even more at ease as they stepped onto the elevator.
"I really appreciate you getting me this interview." AJ said to her.
"Of course." Cassie said waving it off.
"Dean and your brother shot down writing about my stalking though." AJ confided as they rode up to the 17th floor.
"Then don't do it. They know what's best for you and I'm sure Lydia will understand. She's very supportive of women." Cass explained to her.
"Support is always nice." AJ remarked nervously as the stepped off the elevator.
"You're going to be fine. She saw your writing and really liked it, she told me all about it." Cassie assured her. "You have a lot of support here don't worry."
"Cassie." A woman with short red hair greeted throwing her arms around her.
"Hi Lydia." Cassie smiled pulling away. "This is my friend AJ I was telling you about."
"I've heard a lot of great things about you." Lydia smiled extending her hand to her.
"I appreciate you meeting with me, Ms. Monroe." AJ said politely back.
"Oh please call me Lydia." Lydia smiled. "Can we talk alone?"
"Of course." AJ laughed.
"I'll wait here." Cassie said giving AJ a thumbs up and mouthing good luck to her when Lydia turned around.
Punk and Dean arrived at a coffee shop in Wisconsin a few hours later.
"Remember it's my case I'm doing the talking." Dean said to him.
"Yea, yea you fucking said it twenty times." Punk grunted.
"I don't need your jealous shit." Dean warned him.
"Jealous?" Punk asked with a laugh. "I've gone out with her a few times." He said brushing it off.
"Oh, really? Well in that case I saw her ass this morning when she was prancing around in your shirt." Dean said to him and Punk bit on his bottom lip.
"Not bothered at all." Punk forced out.
"Beautiful." Dean added and Punk glared at him. "I could only imagine-"
"Fine shut the fuck up." Punk spat annoyed.
"There he is." Dean said sitting a nervous man in the corner. "Derek Dillard?" He asked showing him is FBI credentials.
"That's me." Derek nodded looking around.
"You in hiding?" Punk asked amused sitting down and Dean sat next to him but across from Derek.
"You didn't drag that crazy guy out here with you, did you?" Derek asked quietly.
"No." Dean replied stiffly. "We do need your help with him though. What happened the night Jamie Meyers ran you off the road? It was June 15th."
"I was out with some chick I met at my hotel." Derek began to explain. "She didn't tell me she was married."
"Well that guy made it seem like she was stepping out on him and I wasn't getting involved." He told them.
"So you kicked her out on the side of the road and drove off and left her to fend for herself?" Punk asked and Dean shot him a glare.
"She's a big girl." Derek told him. "She offered to leave the car."
"Why didn't you call the police?" Dean asked "You had to have had damage on your car according to AJ's story."
"Yes. He ran me into a ditch and hit my drivers side door." Derek agreed. "It was my car I drove to New Jersey and I drove back that night and had the car fixed."
"You didn't even take a picture of it?" Dean asked and Derek shook his head.
"Why didn't you call the cops?" Punk repeated Dean's previous question.
"The guy was insane." Derek defended. "He told me to take off so I did."
"You let some guy scare you off like that?" Punk asked and Dean subtly kicked Punk.
"The guy had a gun." Derek scoffed and Dean looked at Punk.
"A gun?" Dean asked.
AJ had never mentioned a weapon and as a matter of fact Jamie having access to a gun was a very big deal and made this a lot more dangerous.
"Yea he did. He pulled it out of the front of his pants and pointed it at me and told me to take off and not look back." Derek explained. "I didn't want to piss a guy off with a gun!"
"Are you sure it was a gun?" Punk asked.
"Yea I can tell you it was revolver." Derek said to him. "My dad owned guns I know a gun when I see one."
"And did he threaten your date with it?" Dean asked.
"I don't know if she saw it." Derek shrugged. "She was getting out of the car screaming when he flashed it at me. It was a very frantic time. I didn't call the police because he seemed like a jealous husband I didn't think he'd shoot her I assumed if he was going to shoot one of us it would be."
"Can you ID him?" Dean asked and Derek eyed them.
"No." Derek replied quickly and Dean let out a frustrated laugh.
"You're kidding me right?" Dean asked annoyed. "You can tell me the make of his gun but not his face? You're lying. I do this for a living I know when people lie."
"I can't." Derek told them.
"Wife or girlfriend?" Punk asked him and Derek looked at him as did Dean. "You didn't report it when it happened and you won't help now and I assume it's because you don't want someone to know you were taking a woman out that night. No ring though."
"Fiancée." Derek forced out.
"This guy Jamie Meyers is a dangerous guy and we need you to file a report that he ran you off the road and threatened you with a weapon." Dean explained calmly.
"Even more reason for me not to." Derek practically laughed. "I'm not pissing that guy off anymore."
"He's a threat to the woman you took out." Dean explained again.
"Let her file a complaint." Derek suggested.
"We can't confirm her story without you." Dean shot at him growing annoyed.
"Well I'm not doing it." Derek told them. "I'm sorry the guy is insane but she choose to be with him-"
"Except she didn't." Dean snapped before Punk could. "She's never even spent time with him. He's targeting her for no reason and she's been living in fear unless you step up."
"I'm sorry to hear that, she seemed nice but it's not my problem." Derek told Dean.
"We'll just subpoena you." Punk told him.
"I fixed the damage on my car myself there's no proof there, I won't ID him because it was too dark out." Derek shrugged.
"You're a piece of shit." Dean told him.
"I've got a life and I'm not risking my future over a girl I tried to sleep with and didn't even get to. She's cost me way more trouble than she was worth." Derek told them. "Again, I feel bad for her I really do but I can't help you."
"What if it was your fiancée?" Punk asked him.
"But it's not." Derek remarked simply.
"I want you to really think about it." Dean said passing him his card. "You have the power to make this woman's life livable."
"I won't change my mind." Derek said standing up and leaving Dean's card.
"Take the card." Punk practically threatened and Derek grabbed the card then walked out.
"Fucking scumbag." Dean hissed.
"What now?" Punk asked.
"I'm going to go to Jersey at the end of the week and try to dig into the house fire." Dean said to him. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Punk said to him. "He has a fucking gun. He have a license for that?"
"No." Dean said shaking his head.
"But why wouldn't he have just shot her that night?" Punk asked.
"It's a game to him. Killing her is the end of it and he was still playing." Dean told him. "But that's a problem."
"You searched him last night, no gun?" Punk asked and Dean tilted his head annoyed. "I had to ask." Punk defended.
"I've gotta get him again and search his car." Dean said to him. "At least confiscate the gun. Until I get a better look into what Jamie is carrying AJ has to go back to the hotel." He told Punk. "I need her to stay in one place for a while I know she's frustrated-"
"-she's not the criminal." Punk defended.
"I'm trying to keep her alive." Dean shot at him. "When guys like this have weapons it's coming to a boiling point and I'd rather have her pissed off in a hotel room then dead in a morgue."
"This is your speciality." Punk replied holding his hands up in defeat.
"And you can't be around her." Dean told him.
"And you lost me there." Punk laughed.
"I'm not fucking around this." Dean warned him. "You're a target. He's seen you with her he has a weapon."
"I'm a trained professional." Punk reminded him.
"I don't give a shit." Dean said to him. "Push me on this and I'll go to the Chief."
"You're kidding me, right?" Punk asked amused.
"No I'm not." Dean warned him.
"So I stay away from her for how long?" Punk asked. "What if we never got this guy?"
"He's walking around with a firearm, we're going to get him." Dean told him. "He's not some creep watching from a window anymore."
"I should be her lookout." Punk told him.
"No." Dean told him. "I will be taking care of all this going forward and you're going to butt out. You can call her you can face time you can't see her in person for the time being or you'll fuck it all up."
"I'm still your boss." Punk reminded him.
"Not on this case." Dean said back to him. "You're way too involved in. I've got it from here and I'll bring Kofi in with me and if I need someone else I'll reach out."
"I have to see her tonight." Punk told him and Dean let out a frustrated laugh.
"What the fuck did I just say?" Dean asked amused by his stubbornness. "I'll talk to her, I'll explain everything to her and I'll tell her you'll call her." He said looking at his watch. "We have to go because Jamie is being released in two hours and I want to be there."
"Fine." Punk forced out and followed him out.
AJ walked out of her meeting with Cassie glowing.
"This is a really great job." AJ said as they left the elevator on the bottom floor. "The money and benefits- I can't thank you enough for getting me this job."
"It wasn't me." Cassie defended. "It was your talent I just introduced you two. She's ok about the not writing about Jamie thing?"
"Oh yea." AJ said to her. "She doesn't want me in danger and understands. And once this Jamie stuff is over I get to work in the building and I really love this building." She had to laugh.
"It's beautiful." Cassie agreed happily.
"Right now I can write from home and attend meetings on zoom." AJ told her.
"I'm so happy for-" Cassie stopped speaking when she saw Kofi standing outside the doors to the building. "Kofi?"
"Hey Cass." He greeted giving her a hug.
"Everything ok?" Cassie asked him.
"Yea I'm just giving you two a ride." Kofi said nodding to his SUV.
"Oh, that's ok I bought my car." Cassie said to him with a smile but it faded when he just smiled back. "Or you can give me a ride and you'll make sure my car makes it back to my place?"
"Will do." He said holding his hand out for the keys.
"What's going on?" AJ asked.
"Nothing. Dean called and wanted me to take you back to the hotel." Kofi told her.
"Well we were going to go look at an apartment-" AJ began but Kofi just smiled at her. "I guess I'm not looking at apartments?"
"It's fine." Kofi assured her opening the backdoor to his SUV.
"What's going on?" AJ asked. "Is it Jamie? Is it Phil?"
"Nope. Dean is with Punk and he'll meet you at the hotel." Kofi told her.
"It's fine." Cassie assured her and AJ frowned. Her 24 hour freedom ran out rather soon…she was back to being Cinderella.
At the hotel AJ was pacing back and forth when Dean walked in. She was upset not see Punk but tried not to let it show.
"What happened?" AJ asked.
"Jamie was getting out and I wanted to make sure you were safe." Dean told her with ease dropping some files on the table in the hotel.
"What's that?" AJ asked.
"Work. I'm going to work while I'm here." Dean told her.
"Why are you here?" AJ asked annoyed. "Where is Phil?"
"He's going to call you." Dean smiled.
"I don't have a phone." AJ reminded him growing more annoyed.
"You do now." Dean grinned pulling a phone out of his pocket. "It's on my plan so it's all good. It's an IPhone." He told her proudly.
"What happened?" AJ asked folding her arms not taking the phone.
"The night Jamie ran you and the guy you were out with off the road did you see a gun? Have you ever seen him with a gun?" Dean asked her.
"No." AJ said thinking about it. "He had a gun?"
"According to your date he did." Dean told her.
"He probably saw wrong." AJ shrugged.
"He didn't." Dean told her. "I need to look into Jamie a little more and I told Punk I want him to stay away for a bit."
"Why?" AJ frowned. "You think Jamie would hurt him?"
"I do." Dean told her bluntly.
"I should have left town." AJ said shaking her head and looking around the room.
"You're not running." Dean told her.
"I'm not going to let him get hurt over me." AJ scoffed finding her suitcase.
"Hey." Dean said grabbing the suitcase from her. "He's not going to hurt him it's just a precaution and if you take off Punk will not only kill me but he will chase after you and risk himself, do you want that? You'll both be dead."
"I thought it would get better." She admitted sitting on the edge of the bed and dropping her face into her hands.
"I'm sorry." Dean sighed feeling bad.
"I just don't want anyone to get hurt because of me especially Phil." AJ cried a bit. "I just got this great job-"
"That's great. You can work." Dean assured her. "You can stay here and I promise you I'll make it all go away."
"How?" AJ asked.
"It's a game of chess and I'm really good at chess." Dean assured her and placed the phone in her hand. "If you don't answer when he calls he's going to come here and I have a feeling he's going to try to see you anyway and I need you to be strong and tell him you're ok, can you do that?"
"I can." AJ agreed. "I didn't want to be this kind of trouble to anybody."
"You're not trouble." Dean laughed. "You're a case." He corrected and her face fell. "That's not what I mean. I mean whether you got to know Punk or not we would still be helping you because it's our job to do so."
"You think he's going to kill me?" AJ asked him and Dean laughed nervously.
"Of course not." Dean said still chuckling and scratching the back of his head.
"You are a terrible liar for an FBI agent." AJ remarked sadly. "He wouldn't have the gun if he wasn't planning on it. That's the only way it will end."
"It isn't." Dean said simply. "It's going to be ok."
"You don't think he'll hurt my family, do you?" AJ asked him.
"No." Dean said shaking his head. "He's here because you're here your family is safe in New Jersey."
"What about Jeff or Cass they've been helping me." AJ pointed out.
"He's had the chance to hurt them and hasn't because he doesn't consider them an obstacle." Dean pointed out.
"But he's never met Phil." AJ remarked. "You're an obstacle too maybe you should go into hiding too."
"First of all I don't hide." Dean told her smugly. "Second of all Punk isn't in hiding. Punk is fucking fuming because I banned him from here and I went above his head to our chief about it to keep him away."
"Did you get him in trouble?" AJ asked.
"No. But he needs to hear it from other people because I don't know if you realized this yet but the guy is a stubborn prick." Dean smirked and she smiled a bit. "He's still going to try to see you and I need you to tell him no."
"I will." AJ assured him.
"And Kofi filled me in on your job and I know you can work from here for a bit and I'm going to make sure you have a nice setup." Dean promised her. "Just trust me on this."
"I will." AJ promised him.
Later that night AJ was sitting up in bed watching TV while Dean was in the next room working. The phone he gave her began to ring and for the first time in a long time when the phone rang she felt excited and not terrified she knew it was Punk for a change and it was a facetime call. AJ quickly answered and put on a smile but her eyes swollen and cheeks were still damp.
"Hey." She greeted with the fakest smile he had ever seen.
"Hi." He greeted tiredly. "Are you ok?"
"Yea I'm great." She lied.
"Ape." He sighed.
"I'm upset." She admitted and tried not to cry.
"You're safe with Dean I promise you." He told her.
"It's not that." She sniffled a bit. "I'm worried I got you in trouble."
"What?" He asked taken aback.
"He's going to hurt you-" She began crying a bit harder.
"No one is going to hurt me." He told her sternly. "You did NOTHING wrong and I need you to understand that."
"I'll never forgive myself if you get hurt." She wept now.
"He's not going to hurt me. He can't be in two places at once and believe me, he isn't watching me. You need to worry about you." Punk told her and she shook her head and it truly broke his heart. "April, please."
"I'm sorry, I'm a mess." She said trying to clean her face.
"You're human." He corrected. "Don't worry about me. He doesn't even know my name."
"I'm also going to miss you." She told him still crying a bit.
"I'm not going anywhere." He remarked to her.
"You can't see me." She reminded him.
"That's not going to happen." He laughed. "I can't just stay away."
"You have to. I'm safe here with just Dean." She told him.
"I know you are." He agreed. "Doesn't mean I won't see you when I can."
"This could go on for years-" She began.
"You think this is over between us? That it's going to be yours and I'm just going to forget you?" He asked her amused. "Never. I kind of like having you around." He teased lightly. "I'm planning a big date night for us."
"No you're not." She smiled through her tears.
"I am." He said seriously. "We're going to have a picnic on my boat, under the stars." He told her and her face lit up a bit. "And I'm going to teach you how to ride it."
"I can ride." She shot at him and he licked his lips a bit.
"I mean the boat, not me. I'm more than aware what you're capable of in that aspect." He replied quietly and she blushed.
"I meant the boat!" She laughed loudly and Dean peeked into the room and was relieved to hear her not crying.
"Oh." Punk said confused. "I'm going to teach you anyway. And then we'll come back to the dock and I'm going to take you the most romantic spot."
"Where's that?" She asked intrigued.
"The United Center. That's where the Backhawks play." He told her seriously and she rolled her eyes.
"That's not romantic." She scoffed.
"Of course it is!" He defended. "It's all about the company you're with."
"I look forward to it." She told him genuinely. "I was going to look at an apartment today."
"I know. And you will and I'm going to help you because that's how invested in you staying I am." He told her holding up a paper. "I have a bunch of apartments in good areas and your price range."
"How do you know my price range?" She asked amused.
"I'm an FBI agent." He reminded her and she giggled. "And Cass told me." He smiled. "She told me about the job too, congratulations."
"Thank you." She said to him.
"Tell me about it." He encouraged.
"About the job?" She asked.
"Yea. I want to know all about it. What are you going to writing, whats your boss is like, the perks." He said to her.
"If this Jamie stuff ever ends I get to go to fun event and write about them and I'll need a date." She warned him.
"I'll be your date anywhere." He assured her quickly. "But seriously I want to hear all about this new job." He encouraged and AJ sat back in bed. Punk wanted to keep her mind occupied and it was working….