Part Twelve
A week into her new job and AJ was loving it. She spent most night at the office and she didn't mind it since Punk was still away. Her first piece was going live in a day and she wanted to perfect it. It was close to midnight in her office and she was still editing. She was enjoying her new found freedom for sure as well. She was fearless at this point. Taking the train after midnight didn't frighten her, walking the streets intrigued her and she was so surprised by how busy Chicago was this late. Where she was from everyone would be long in bed by 11 but not here. It seemed like most peoples nights were just starting at this time.
As it approached 1am she closed her computer and grabbed her purse to leave. Smart thing would be to take a cab or uber back home but she did enjoy the travel home and it wasn't far. She grabbed her purse and work bag and left her office. She wasn't the only one still working there were a few people still in their offices working and she waved as she passed by them to reach the elevator. A
AJ stepped outside and crossed the street to the train station and just as she was approaching the entrance she felt a hand wrap around her arm before she could step onto the station and she let out a scream before realizing it was Punk.
"You scared the shit out of me." AJ gasped holding her hand over her beating heart.
"I'm sorry. I called your name but you weren't paying attention." Punk said to her.
"I didn't know you'd be home today." She smiled a bit and leaned up to kiss him.
"I thought I'd be getting in too late to see you." He said to her. "Imagine my surprise when I went by your place and it was empty."
"Worked late." She shrugged with a smile but he glared at her. "What?"
"Ape, it's after one in the morning are you kidding me?" He asked her.
"I know but I really wanted to finish up." She said to him.
"I knew you were going to head for the train too." Punk scolded taking her hand into his and leading her to his car. "It's just too dangerous at this time I've told you this countless times."
"I know but I've done it all week and I've survived." She reasoned and he stopped walking. "What do you want from me? I'm a worker." She shrugged.
"That's great, I love that you love to work. Take a cab." He said opening the passenger side door for her.
"How was your case?" AJ asked as he got into the car. "Did you get the bad guy?"
"We did." He confirmed starting up his car. "You need to eat?"
"No. I ate like eight times today." She said resting in the car and closing her eyes.
"Any run ins with Jamie's brother?" Punk asked as he drove.
"Nope." AJ said as yawned.
"How are you feeling?" He asked her.
"We spoke every day, nothing has changed." She smirked.
"You also told me you weren't working this late every day on the phone. You can lie on the phone but not in person." He pointed out.
"Me and baby are healthy." She confirmed. "We missed you."
"I missed you too." He said quietly. "It's weird to me."
"Why?" She asked him.
"I used to love going away for work when I was with Amy. I used to actually dread coming back but all I wanted to do while I was away was come home. I landed an hour ago and have been search of you every since." He said to her and she smiled.
"You could have called." She teased.
"I did." He smiled sarcastically. "Your phone is off."
"Oh." She said looking at it. "It died." She shrugged.
"You like driving me crazy?" He asked her.
"Yes." She replied quickly. "You want to sleep over tonight?"
"I do." He said to her. "I sleep better next to you anyway."
"How was Stacy?" She asked casually.
"She was ok." He shrugged. "Still not a fan of me and it is what it is."
"Darn." AJ remarked mockingly.
"You stay out of trouble while I was away?" He asked and she ginned.
"You know me." She smiled.
"Yea I do." He nodded and looked at her briefly.
"No trouble." She assured him.
"Just gallivanting the streets at 1 in the morning." He remarked.
"What's this?" AJ asked looking at the newspaper in his car that had circles around it. "You're moving?"
"I might be." He said to her. "I don't have enough room for the baby at my place. I need a three bedroom because I need my office."
"You're going to move to make room for the baby?" She asked sweetly.
"I am." He confirmed. "I mean, I hope the baby gets to stay with me sometimes-" He began.
"Of course." She said to him. "I'll probably be there too though we're not like divorced parents." She pointed out.
"I know but I want the baby to be comfortable. I want you to be comfortable and I want to be comfortable." He explained.
"These are houses." She noted.
"Yea I mean I sold my own place and have the cash." He shrugged. "What?"
"It's just a really nice thought. It's almost as if the baby will prefer to be at the fun big house then the small apartment." AJ remarked a little jealous.
"Ape, you are always welcome to live with me." He reminded her. "But we're taking it slow, no?"
"Yes." She nodded in agreement. "I just don't want the baby to like spending time with you more than me." She told him honestly and he let out a loud laugh. "You're already the cool rich parent."
"I'm not rich I just make a good living." He countered. "And so do you."
"Not good enough for a yard and grass." She sighed dramatically. "In New Jersey I had a nice house it's must cheaper there."
"Don't start teasing the idea of moving back to Jersey." He warned her.
"I'm not! I would never leave here especially now that we're going to be raising a baby together." AJ insisted. "I'm just pointing out that in another state I'd be cool the rich parent."
"I can't help the fact that I'm cool." Punk sighed dramatically and she narrowed her eyes at him. "I want you to come look at the houses with me because our kid will be there sometimes and I'm hoping at some point you'll live there with me."
"Oh." She said to him.
"There isn't going to be a cool parent or a boring parent, we're doing this together." He reminded her. "We're a unit."
"We are." AJ agreed.
The next morning Punk woke up nude next to AJ who was sleeping so peacefully, also lacking clothing. He had such an insane physical connection to her. They both just knew each others bodies so well and it was like they couldn't get enough of. It was Saturday so she would be off today and he was off the next few days so he wanted to spend the time wisely. He heard a soft knock at her front door and frowned. Who would be coming by the early? He carefully crawled out of the bed and threw on a pair of pants and made his way over to the door.
"What are you doing here?" Punk asked Dean.
"I have some bad news and assumed you'd be here." Dean said walking inside. "Where is she?"
"Sleeping." Punk remarked. "It's eight in the morning." He pointed out annoyed.
"Sorry. I didn't get much sleep." Dean groaned. "You have coffee?"
"Really?" Punk asked.
"You're going to need it too." Dean warned him.
"Spit it out." Punk told him.
"I should really talk to AJ about this too." Dean reasoned.
"Now." Punk demanded.
"Jersey PD fucked up." Dean informed him.
"How so?" Punk asked.
"When they took him into custody they never let him call his lawyer. They were too anxious to ask about Amanda Dowser." Dean told him and Punk narrowed his eyes.
"You're fucking kidding, right?" Punk asked. "Him not having a lawyer present-"
"Means they violated his rights." Dean finished for him. "He's going to do time for violating the restraining order which is six months."
"And assault?" Punk asked.
"Two years cut in half." Dean said to him.
"So one year and six months?" Punk asked him. "Second degree assault is minimum two years."
"He had no attorney." Dean again reminded him. "They're lucky they got a deal for the year and a half."
"When is he eligible for parole?" Punk asked and Dean looked up. "Dean." He warned.
"Six months." Dean shrugged.
"Fuck." Punk hissed. "This is fucking dangerous. We should have never let local PD take the arrest."
"I know." Dean agreed. "His brother Chris hired him a shark attorney who threatened to go to the media about the cops not being fair to him."
"She won't even get to enjoy our kid for a year without worrying about him." Punk argued.
"I know." Dean sighed. "It's all fucked up."
"What about this Amanda Dowser case?" Punk questioned.
"Local police are still looking into it." Dean insisted.
"No more with them." Punk warned him. "Call up the chief I want a real fucking team looking into this case."
"Got it." Dean said to him. "You want me to talk to her?"
"No I'll do it." Punk said to him.
"I'm sorry, man." Dean said to him shaking his head. "I thought you two would have a little more time of peace."
"Yea me too." Punk remarked bitterly.
"Hi, Dean." AJ greeted walking out of the bedroom.
"Hey." Dean said giving her a sympathetic smile. "I was just-"
"I heard it all." AJ said to him. "What are the chances that while he's in prison he just forget me?" She asked him hopefully and Dean just frowned. "Didn't think so."
"He's going to hurt our baby." AJ told Punk.
"He's not." Punk argued.
"And you." She added.
"I wish he'd try." Punk added back just as quickly.
"His brother knows I live here." AJ said to them. "Which means he's going to know I live here which means I'm not even safe here-"
"Ape, we'll figure it out." He assured her.
"You don't understand what it's like." AJ argued. "It was one thing when it was just me I had no problem sneaking away in the middle of the night but I can't do that with a baby and I have to protect this baby-"
"We will." He assured her.
"There's still an order of protection." Dean reminded her.
"Oh good he can go away for another six months." AJ mocked. "Then I'll just spend six months sweating wondering what to do when he gets out. And he will get out and he will come back for me. Last time he nearly killed me. I can't stay here." She said to them. "I'll be a sitting duck!"
"We'll get a place." Punk reasoned. "I know it's rushing and what not but I'm looking at places we'll get it in my name I'm a federal agent and my background isn't as available as yours is."
"That's a great idea." Dean agreed.
"It will be safe, I'll be there at all times." He pointed out.
"I liked the apartment because I was so high up he couldn't see me and I couldn't see him." She sighed. "A house is going to be so easy for him."
"There are plenty of safe and big enough apartments here." Dean reasoned and she eyed him.
"Really?" AJ asked skeptically.
"Oh, yea." Punk agreed. "I was just thinking how house because of a yard."
"But a lot of these nice apartments have common areas outside for kids and pools." Dean added.
"That's a real thing?" AJ asked eyeing them.
"For sure." Dean nodded. "Tell her."
"It's true." Punk agreed.
"I know you wanted a house." AJ said to him.
"I want you and this kid. I don't care about where." Punk argued. "And Dean is right we can find something with outdoors and big enough. You and I putting out income together we can get a real high end place."
"I don't want to force you into something. I can always just look on my own-" She began.
"I'm going to be there literally everyday so let's stop wasting time." Punk said to her. "We're together every night, are we not?"
"We are." AJ had to agree.
"I know it's fast but we're also having a kid and I think the time to take is slow has passed." He said to her.
"That is true." Dean agreed.
"We can get a four bedroom." Punk told her. "You and I can have our own offices because I know you're going to be working from home a lot once the baby is here. A cute bedroom for the baby, what do you say?"
"I kind of like it." AJ had to admit.
"Perfect." Punk said to her. "We'll get dressed and I'll make some calls about places and we'll start looking."
"But my lease here-" She began.
"I'll take care of it." He assured her.
"Ok." She said forcing a smile then headed back into the bedroom and closed the door.
"Sorry about the house dream." Dean said to him.
"I don't give a shit about the house." Punk said to him. "I want her safe and she's right. She's safe high up and out of view."
"And with you living there." Dean agreed.
"Yea that too." Punk said to him. "I wanted to live with her and the baby but I wanted her to want to that not feel scared into it."
"You would have ended up living together anyway." Dean waved it off. "I've got to make some calls, I'll check in later."
A few days of looking places Punk and AJ think they found a good one.
"This is a nice view of the river." AJ said looking out the living room window. "It's beautiful."
"It is." Punk agreed.
"It's a lot of money for an apartment." She pointed out.
"It's like a palace." He shrugged. "A penthouse type of place. Good security in the building, high up, four bedrooms-"
"Lots of windows." AJ added. "An area outside for the baby downstairs."
"There's also a yard on the roof." He reminded her and she frowned.
"I still don't understand that." AJ admitted fearfully.
"It's safe." Punk smirked. "You're just not used to rooftops in New Jersey."
"There's a pool too." AJ said to him. "My furniture will look nice here too."
"Yes and my furniture will look nice from storage?" He asked.
"Don't be silly you can decorate your office anyway you'd like." AJ laughed with a wave. "If we sign this lease it's a big commitment."
"A bigger commitment than having a baby together?" He asked.
"Fair point." AJ remarked. "Think he'll find us here?"
"No." Punk said to her.
"I'm really tired of moving." AJ admitted.
"I have a feeling this will be your last move for a long time." He said to her confidently.
"I hope so." AJ said then placed her hand on her stomach. "What do you think baby? You think you'll like it here?"
"Who wouldn't?" Punk scoffed. "It's a million dollar home practically."
He eyed AJ who plastered on a smile but he couldn't help but frown. He knew how much she wanted her independence and now she was being forced into a living situation. His heart truly did break for her. A woman carrying a child has enough worries now she Jamie Meyers on that list when she thought she'd get some peace for a bit.
"I'm sorry." Punk said to her and she turned to look at him with glassy eyes. "I know this isn't what you wanted."
"It's not." She agreed. "But it's not bad. I love you and I'm happy to be living with you. I just wanted all of this to happen slowly and on our terms, not Jamie Meyers terms. He's still controlling my life and it's so frustrating."
"I get that." He said cupping her cheek. "But I have a feeling you and I would have made this decision anyway. Why raise a kid in two separate decent homes when we love each other and could raise him or her in one awesome home?"
"I know." AJ smiled sadly. "I'm scared for the baby too. What is Jamie going to do to it?"
"Nothing." Punk assured her.
"He would have killed me if you didn't get back to that hotel. I know I was super nervous about the baby but everyday I get more excited to meet her and now I'm so anxious I'll be dead before I can watch her grow-" She began to ramble.
"Ape don't talk like that." Punk scolded. "That is NEVER going to happen."
"You have to promise me if something happens to me you'll take good care of the baby. I know you will but I mean you have to be both mom and dad- cool and uncool parent all in one." She explained.
"I'm not promising anything because I don't have to worry about you not being here." He said growing angry.
"You are an FBI agent you know how these cases end." She insisted.
"You're right I'm an FBI agent and no one is going to kill you." He asserted. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." He said angry and AJ frowned. "Let's get the paperwork."
Punk was at the bat later that night to watch the game with Dean and Kofi but his head wasn't in the right place.
"What's your problem?" Dean asked.
"Really?" Punk asked mockingly. "I fucking snapped at Ape too."
"Why?" Kofi asked. "Doesn't she have enough shit to worry about?"
"That's the fucking thing. She wanted me to promise her that I'll take care of the baby when she is killed. Why does she think that way?" Punk asked them.
"Because she was almost killed a few weeks ago." Kofi reasoned with a shrug.
"Because she's just as scared as you are." Dean added sipping his beer.
"I'm not scared." He scoffed.
"You are." Kofi argued. "I don't blame you."
"I stare down serial killers daily Jamie Meyers doesn't scare me." Punk argued back annoyed.
"None of those people were targeting your girlfriend and child." Dean reasoned. "I'm just saying it's natural to be on edge but don't take it on poor AJ. I mean how many times has she had to move? And live in constant fear? I'd be going fucking crazy if I were her."
"Same." Kofi agreed. "I mean her home in New Jersey, her parents home, above Jeff's, this new apartment-"
"I get it." Punk said annoyed.
"Why don't you go home see her?" Dean suggested. "You're head isn't in the game tonight."
"I think she's mad at me." Punk said to them. "Except she's not she's just sad and don't know what to say to fix it."
"You can't always fix it." Kofi said to him. "Sometimes you just have to listen."
"Advice from a happily married man." Dean pointed out. "Go home."
"Fine." Punk said standing up and throwing some cash on the table.
"Where are you on Meyers?" Kofi asked.
"I'm going to see him. Maybe I can get him to slip up or something? I have nothing to lose." Dean said to Kofi. "If he gets out this guy could kill them all and I can't let that happen."
Punk used his key to let himself into AJ's apartment and frowned when he saw the lights on but she was nowhere in sight. He walked to the bedroom and saw her putting stuff into boxes.
"Leaving me?" He teased and AJ turned around then smiled when she he was holding flowers.
"For me?" She asked taking them and he kissed her cheek.
"No but the woman I bought them for turned them down." He said to her teasingly.
"Thank you." She smiled walking into the kitchen and he followed. "And yes I'm leaving but not you. I'm just getting a head start on packing. I'll be working a lot and I need to be packed up in two weeks."
"I'm sorry I snapped earlier." He said to her shaking his head.
"That's alright. I don't blame you. I have baggage and it's going to impact your mood. You weren't expecting to knock up a woman who came with her very own stalker." She said filling a vase with water.
"I don't resent you for that. I don't blame you for it either and I really don't want you to feel forced to live with me." He said to her and she eyed him. "I know it's sudden and you're right. We already got approved for the apartment and I want you and the baby there and I gave it some thought and I'll stay nearby. This way you can have your independence and-"
"I don't want that." AJ said surprising him. "I want to live with you. I want to raise this child with you. Don't ever think that I'm upset because I have to spend more time with you because that's literally the only thing that will keep me sane." She leaned against the counter as she unraveled the roses he gave her. "The truth is when I saw you were looking for places the other day I was a little jealous. And you're not like Jamie or any guy. You let me have independence I don't feel like a prisoner with you around. You just make me happy."
"Ape." He said letting out a breath. "I'm really relieved to hear you say that."
"We're going to thrive together, I can feel it." She said wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him. "Our baby is going to be in a loving and safe home. Me being sad about moving is all about Jamie and that's it."
"You want to go out to dinner?" He asked her and her eyes lit up. "I'll take you somewhere nice."
"Really? I should shower-" She began.
"Just get out of your pajamas. Let's celebrate our move instead of feeling sorrow." He said to her and she smiled.
"I love that." She said kissing him then skipping off to get changed.