Part Ten
AJ was in her new apartment, one that she should have been over the moon about and about to start a new fresh chapter of her life but instead she was filled with dread. The idea of having a child was something AJ never gave much thought to. She wasn't mad she was pregnant she was mad at the timing. She couldn't even be mad at the father of her child since he was such a good man. But he was still mostly a mystery to her. She didn't know his favorite movie or color or if he even wanted children. Was this going to scare him off? Would he want her to get rid of the baby? Was this going to cost her her new job? She was so torn and keeping it to herself which was really causing her a lot of stress.
AJ peered out her window and smiled a bit at the view. The City was always packed and exciting, but was this the right place to raise a baby? She couldn't give it anymore thought as someone knocked on her door and pulled her form her thought. She walked over to the peephole and let out a faint smile seeing Punk. He had been away on business for a few days but before that she was still avoiding him. She wasn't being honest and she wasn't good at that and he was a professional lie detector test practically. She opened the door and put on a smile seeing him.
"I wasn't expecting you." AJ said stepping aside and nodding for him to come in.
"You wouldn't be since you have your phone turned off." He said to her and saw she was mostly unpacked.
"Everything ok?" She asked him.
"You're unpacking." He noted surprised.
"Yea. I live here." She teased lightly walking past him. "Furniture is coming tomorrow."
"Where's your air mattress?" He asked seeing a sleeping bag.
"It's only one more night on the floor and my bed will be here." She told him.
"You can't sleep on the floor." He said shaking his head.
"It's fine." AJ said to him and he let out a sigh. "Phil-" She began.
"I'm sorry." He said cutting her off. "I know you're mad at me and I let you down-"
"What are you talking about?" AJ asked confused.
"You're distant and cold to me and I know it's because Jamie got past me." He said to her. "You have every right to be upset. I'm upset. I was too close to you and got distracted-"
"I'm not mad at you." She said confused by his outburst. "You saved my life." She reminded him cupping his cheek.
"Then what's wrong?" He asked with a frown. "You're all I could think about while I was away. Part of me thought I was going to come here and not find you."
"I love it here." She told him with a soft smile. "I love being around you too. I'm not going anywhere."
"So this distance is what?" He asked.
"It was just a lot to take in." She said pulling away.
"Ape." He sighed. "I can't concentrate."
"What?" AJ asked.
"All I can think of is if you're ok and if you're not how I can fix it." He told her.
"You promised me a night on your boat when this was all over." She reminded him.
"Lets go to the boat." He said taking the box she was holding out of her hand and putting it down. "Just you and me and then you can stay the night at my place because I can't let you sleep on the floor. It's either that or I stay here and you sleep on top of me."
"Let's just go to the boat." AJ smiled a bit.
"Come on." He said grabbing her hand.
"I'm in a tank top and jeans." She laughed.
"Yea it looks great. You look great in anything." Punk assured her and rushed her out of the apartment before she changed her mind.
Punk didn't make it far out on the water before AJ started hurling over the deck. He frowned as he held her hair back.
"I would turn around and go back but I don't want to risk you getting any sicker." He cringed a bit.
"I'm so embarrassed." She sighed sitting right on the boat and looking very pale.
"Shit, Ape." He said feeling her head. "Was I going to fast?"
"No." She said shaking her head. "Just didn't each much. Stressed out." She said holding her stomach and getting comfortable.
"Here." He said passing her a water which she took from him.
"Some romantic date." She laughed a bit looking at him.
"I mean is it the most romantic? No. But we'll get to see the sunset at least." He pointed out and she looked towards the skyline of the water and smiled.
"Can I ask you something?" She asked sipping her water.
"You know you can." He said sitting next to her but she avoided him and looked at her water.
"With your ex, you said she rushed things." AJ said to him and he just looked at her.
"That's the question?" He asked amused.
"It's just-" She began then stopped and put her head in her hands.
"What is going on with you?" He asked brushing her hair with his hand gently.
"What do you consider rushing?" She asked him.
"Marrying someone after four weeks of dating." He remarked. "Don't worry you already beat that record." He teased and tried to look her in the face and when he finally did he studied her face and his smile dropped. "Oh." He said surprised looking at her. How did he not piece it together earlier? Sick on the boat, hormonal, distant, scared- it all made sense now.
"What?" She asked him.
"You're pregnant." He said to her and she didn't say anything. "Holy crap."
"I'm sorry." AJ said to him crying.
"You found out at the hospital." He said to her already knowing and she nodded. "When Jamie assaulted you- you were pregnant." He confirmed and she nodded again.
"I didn't know." She told him. "I should have been more careful-"
"We." He corrected looking straight ahead. "We should have been more careful. We were not careful at all." He remembered with wide eyes. "Holy crap." He repeated running his hand over his face.
"I know this is a lot to absorb I still am." She said to him.
"What are you going to do?" He asked her.
"What do you mean?" She asked him.
"Are you going to keep the baby?" He asked her.
"Yea." She said to him. "It's not ideal and it might just ruin everything I have planned in my life but I'm keeping the baby and I want you to know that there is zero pressure on you. I don't expect anything from you-"
"April." He sighed running his hand through his hair now. "I'm going to be there."
"I don't want you to resent me like you do your ex." AJ blurted out nervously and he had to laugh.
He didn't want to rush anything and instead of marrying this new girlfriend after four weeks, he got her pregnant. It was an insane situation to be in and he was so blindsided by it that he couldn't not laugh at it. He was laughing so hard that AJ began to finally laugh.
"Come here." He said wrapping his arm around her and she rested her head against his chest. "I don't resent you and you're not going to do this alone. I really wish you would have told me before I took you out on the boat." He teased a bit.
"You can ride really slowly back, right?" She asked hopefully.
"Yea, don't worry." He said kissing the top of her head.
"I am worried." She admitted.
"It's not the best timing but we'll make it work. You can move in with me-" He began.
"No." She laughed sitting up straight now. "I love my apartment and I know this sounds insane but I don't even know you that well. My apartment has two bedrooms plenty of room for me and the baby."
"Ok, ok." He defended. "I mean, I can still come by right?"
"Of course." She said to him. "If we're going to do this we still have to get to know each other at least. I mean I still haven't even met your parents."
"And you never will." He remarked and she frowned. "That's not a dig at you it's a dig at them. But hey, you know my sister." He pointed out.
"What's your favorite movie?" She asked.
"Slapshot." He replied quickly.
"What the hell is that?" She asked back and he laughed. "Your favorite color?"
"Green." He answered. "I'm an open book, Ape. Just ask away." He said to her.
"Do you think we can raise a kid together?" She asked him and he let out a breath.
"I mean we're both smart people, right?" He asked and she just shrugged.
"Not smart enough to use a condom or birth control but ok." She said seriously and he had to laugh again.
"I think we'll be just fine." He said to her.
"Are you really sure you want to be involved? You can change your mind." She offered.
"I'm really sure." He said to her.
"You don't want to think about it?" She asked warily.
"I don't have to think about it. I really connect with you and now you're carrying my kid so yea I want to be involved. And I promise you we'll do this your way." He told her and she felt her body relax a bit. "This is all you and I'm here to help and support. You want to stay in your apartment? Fine. I'm not going to charge in and boss you around." He assured her. "But you have to promise me something."
"Anything." She said to him.
"You call when you need me." He said very seriously. "No matter how small or insignificant you think it is." He told her and she nodded. "Promise me, Ape."
"I promise." She told him.
"And you still have to let me take you out." He said to her and she smiled.
"I will. Tomorrow night." She told him and he nodded.
"A real date." He told her and she smiled. "We'll make this work."
"I hope so." She said hopefully.
"I also want to know when you have doctors appointments." He told her. "I don't want you to ever feel alone in this."
"How are you so good at this?" She asked him. "How do you know all the right things to say even though I blindsided you."
"This has happened to me a few times so I've gotten the script down perfect." He said to her seriously and her face dropped. "I'm kidding." He laughed a bit. "I just…I don't know you calm down or something it's weird."
"I am weird." She agreed. "And now you're going to have a weird kid."
"Good." He said relieved. "Normal is fucking boring."
The next day Punk walked into his office and Dean was in there waiting for him.
"Hi." Dean said annoyed and Punk sat behind his desk.
"What?" Punk asked him turning on his computer.
"We had a meeting this morning with the Chief." Dean reminded him and Punk sighed.
"Fuck!" Punk yelled jumping up.
"I covered for you." Dean said to him. "You're like three hours late."
"I know I was with April." Punk said and Dean eyed him. "What? Let it out."
"She's a sweet girl but I hate to see you get so invested in her this quickly. Didn't you learn that rushing wasn't the healthy thing from your Amy mistake?" Dean asked and Punk narrowed his eyes. "I mean take it slow-"
"She's pregnant." Punk said to him and Dean's mouth dropped a bit. "I'm only telling you because it's getting added to Jamie's file that he tried to kill a pregnant woman."
"She's what?" Dean asked stunned. "You don't use fucking condoms?"
"No, I don't." Punk admitted freely.
"You're going to be a dad?" Dean asked and Punk eyed him.
"You're taking this worse than I did." Punk remarked. "You think I can't be a good dad?"
"No it's not that." Dean assured him. "It's just- do you even know this girl?"
"I do." Punk said without hesitation. "I told you from the day I met her there was something special about her. I should be fucking freaking out but I'm not. I don't know."
"I'd be freaking out." Dean said seriously. "She's keeping it?"
"Yea she is." Punk said to him. "She found out the night Jamie attacker her at the hospital."
"Ah that's why she was so off." Dean noted. "Surprised we didn't piece that together."
"Tell me about it." Punk mumbled.
"I mean I wouldn't have because I thought you were smart enough to wear a fucking condom." Dean shrugged. "So what are you going to do?"
"Nothing. She's moving into her place and I'm staying in mine and we're going to date." Punk explained and Dean just looked at him. "What? Should I marry her? Isn't that making the same mistake with Amy. April is right I'm still getting to know her."
"Should have thought of that before you banged her raw." Dean said to him.
"I wanted kids." Punk admitted thinking about it. "I mean I thought I'd have them with Amy and when she left I just thought I missed moment and I was too old. I don't hate the idea of having a kid."
"You tell Cass?" Dean asked.
"No. No one is going to know she's really early on and we're still adjusting to the news." Punk said to him.
"Wow." Dean said thinking about it.
"What?" Punk asked.
"If we didn't get back to that hotel when we did-" Dean began.
"It's all I thought about all night." Punk admitted. "I couldn't fucking sleep."
"You're going to be a good dad." Dean told him. "I think AJ is going to be a good mom for that matter. Your kid very lucky."
"Thanks." Punk said with half a smile.
"What's wrong?" Dean asked.
"It's just a lot to take in. I travel a lot with work." Punk said to him.
"A lot of guys who work here make it work." Dean remarked.
"They're married." Punk reminded him.
"You don't need to be married to be a good parent." Dean argued. "You travel for work and guess who doesn't for work? AJ. It'll work out."
"Yea." Punk forced out unsurely.
AJ was cleaning her floor when she heard a knock at the door. She let out a sigh as she stood up and opened the apartment door for a surprising guest.
"Hey." AJ greeted surprised to see Dean.
"Cleaning?" Dean asked looking around. "On your hands and knees? After an assault?"
"Do all FBI agents ask annoying questions or is that just something you and Phil do together?" She asked placing her hands on her hips.
"Punk had to adjust the report. He included the fact that you're pregnant so the judge really shows knows sympathy to Jamie." Dean told her.
"Yea he asked me first." She said to him.
"I came by to bring you this." Dean said passing her paper bag that she opened and she pulled out a book. "My sister had a baby a few years back and swore by this book."
"Thank you." AJ said kissing his cheek. "That's very sweet of you." she said examining the book.
"For what it's worth I think you and Punk are going to be great at this." Dean told her.
"How could you possibly know that?" She asked him.
"Punk is the most selfless person I have ever met in my life. The guy risks it all everyday and if I'm ever backed into a corner he's the guy I trust to not only help me but guide me." He told her. "You I don't know that long but I've read all your work and you're a good woman. It's going to be a good fit."
"I hope so." AJ said to him. "I don't want to scare him off."
"He's not going anywhere." Dean laughed. "You had him hooked since day one."
"I guess that's a vibe I give off to guys." She had to mock and he laughed. "I'm also really scared about something else and I didn't want to mention it to Phil."
"He's not getting out." Dean told her already knowing and she glared at him.
"How do you people always know what I'm going to say?" AJ asked annoyed.
"It's what we're literally trained to do." Dean said to her.
"I know the laws, Dean." AJ said to him. "I know he's being charged with breaking the order of protection and assault and that can be a year and a half."
"It can be longer." Dean said to her.
"You guys found nothing more on Amanda in his house so you can't charge him with that." AJ pointed out.
"Yet." Dean added.
"I'm going to be a mom." She said with tears in her eyes.
"He's not getting out and not getting near you or your child." He assured her. "I would tell you I wouldn't let that happen but believe me when I tell you Punk will die before that happens. The last thing that you need to worry about is Jamie Meyers."
"He almost killed me. Kind of hard to forget." AJ pointed out innocently.
"He's where he's going to be a for a long time." Dean assured her. "You have a lot to look forward to."
"I'm living in a new City, starting a new job on Monday, living in a new apartment, having a baby with a man I'm still getting to know." She counted off.
"All good things." Dean shrugged. "You got this." He said placing a hand on her shoulder. "You need anything you give me a call."
"Thanks Dean." She said walking him to the door and opening it for him.
Punk walked into his apartment after a long day at work. He was really trying to separate his work from his personal life but it was really starting to hit him he was going to be a parent. When he walked into his apartment he noticed the door was unlocked and he NEVER left it unlocked. He reached for his gun and slowly walked into the apartment but stopped when he saw AJ sleeping on his couch. He put his gun away and walked over to her and gently woke her up.
"Are you alright?" He asked in a whisper.
"Yea." She said with a faint smile. "I wanted to have dinner but you were working. So I ordered food here. Don't think I'm a weirdo."
"I already told you I think you're a weirdo." He teased. "And I find it hot."
"That's a relief." She said waking up fully. "I left you some pizza."
"How did you break into my apartment?" He asked slightly amused.
"It as easy. I used a credit card." She said to him. "You should be more careful though."
"How about I just give you a key this way I won't almost shoot you." He said to her.
"That'll work." She agreed and cupped his face. "Want to take me to bed?" She asked kissing him next.
"So fucking bad." He groaned against her lips and lifted her so she wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her into the bedroom and kicked the door closed behind him.
Punk was sitting up in bed eating a slice of cold pizza while AJ laid next to him.
"This pizza is good." Punk noted. "Where did you order from?"
"I have no idea." She had to laugh. "I found a number at the train station."
"Appealing." Punk remarked. "You didn't want to spend the night in your newly furnished place?"
"I did." She admitted. "Wanted to spend the night with you more."
"I'll never turn that away." He said to her seriously.
"I spoke to my parents today." She confided.
"Yea? Your dad looking to kill me?" He asked.
"You're the father of their first grandchild you are a saint in their eyes." She said surprising him. "They're actually really excited about it."
"Good." He said to her.
"What about your parents?" AJ asked innocently and he glared at her. "You have to tell me something I want to know you better."
"My mom, who is Cass's mom had two kids. I was born first. My dad who's name is Jack walked out on my mom because she was a junkie." Punk told her. "I never heard from him again after he left. My mom got pregnant with Cass when I was older from a one night stand. This is why we have the same last name, she never married. Just a string of accidents."
"I don't think you were an accident or Cassie." She said to him.
"Well our mom felt that way. Cass lucked out and her dad was a good man and took her in." Punk told her. "He was actually really good to me too. Would let me stay with them when mom would take off. Even to this day includes me in holidays."
"He sounds awesome." AJ smiled.
"He is. Cassie got the good genes." He told her.
"And what about you?" AJ asked. "Sounds like both your parents were lacking but you turned out amazing. It's not about genes its about heart. Where are your parents now?"
"Don't know." Punk admitted. "My mom I'm sure lives out here somewhere and my dad like I said I haven't seen or spoken to him since I was a kid."
"You have the power to find them though." She pointed out.
"I don't want to find them." Punk told her softly. "I didn't need them when I was younger and I don't need them now."
"A baby changes things though." She pointed out
"Babe, the last two people I want around my child is them." Punk informed her seriously.
"Fair enough." She agreed to let it go. "At least the baby will have grandparents from my side and aunts and uncles from yours."
"I have a sister." Punk reminded her.
"Dean and Kofi are brothers." She pointed out.
"Yea they are." Punk agreed.
"Dean bought me a baby book." She told him and Punk eyed her.
"When?" He asked.
"He came by earlier." AJ told him.
"I thought he was a little thrown by the idea of us having a baby but I guess he's more accepting then I gave him credit for." Punk said to her.
"I have a doctors appointment on Friday." She told him. "10 sharp."
"I'll be there." He assured her.
"Good." She said to him snuggling against him.
"Do you have any other questions for me?" He asked her.
"Not at the moment." She said thinking about it. "But I might pop by here randomly with a question or two in the future."
"You're always welcome to pop by." He reminded her. "I actually enjoy it and I really think you should rethink the living arrangement."
"Nah." She said to him. "We can't rush this." She said and he let out a laugh.
"You're literally carrying my kid." He pointed out.
"Yea but now we can't rush it further." She smirked. "I should get back to my place actually."
"Stay the night. Don't leave in the middle of the night because I'll just have to follow you to make sure you get in ok and I'm so fucking tired." He pleaded.
"Friday night after we get the all clear from the doctor I want to tell Cassie about the baby." She told Punk.
"Sure." Punk said to her. "Cassie will be excited she loves babies."
"I'm having her and Jeff over for dinner." AJ told him and he rolled his eyes a bit. "I'm actually cooking. You know a thank you."
"A thank you for what?" He asked annoyed. "What the fuck did Jeff do to help you?"
"He took me in." AJ reminded him. "And I'd like you to join us."
"I would but I hate Jeff." He said to her simply. "But I hope you have fun."
"Ok." AJ said. "It's fine. You want your pregnant girlfriend to announce her pregnancy to family all alone that's fine." She said to him and he looked up at the ceiling annoyed. "I mean I'm going to slaving over a hot stove all day and I thought you'd spend the night."
"I'll come by after." He offered eagerly.
"I'll be too tired" She yawned dramatically. "It's fine me and your baby will have a good time without you."
"Fine." Punk snapped.
"Really?" She asked sitting up eagerly with a big smile.
"Yea, Ape you fucking win you always do." He groaned and she kissed his cheek. "You owe me though because you know I hate him."
"You don't hate him." She giggled kissing his neck while her hand dipped between his thighs. "I'm grateful to have you there."
"I mean….I don't want to disappoint you." He forced out closing his eyes and relaxing in her hands.
"You are so sweet." AJ to him cutely.
"I'm just a sweet guy." He said to her smugly and she laughed.
"This is how we ended up pregnant." She reminded him and he opened one eye to look at her.
"I think we're missing a few steps." He said to her and she smiled.
"I just can't keep away from you is what I meant." She said to him.
"Yea, we lack restraint." Punk had to agree as she crawled over him. "At least we don't have to worry about any of that now. I mean, I can't get you pregnant again."
"You are wise." She agreed kissing him and he rolled her underneath him and pulled the sheets up over them.