Out of the Shadows
"So the Easter bunny paid a visit to you?" Punk smiled, walking into the living room where AJ was sat on the couch, cross legged, tucking into a chocolate egg, breaking pieces off at a time.
"I'm doing the chocolate diet now." AJ nodded.
"Can I join?" He laughed a little, "I was gonna go out and get us some food but I'm assuming you're gonna feel sick in about a half hour." He looked at the clock.
"Probably." AJ nodded, "Isn't there leftover BBQ food?"
"No, I told Thea to take it home with her for Dominic." Punk said, "Plus, I could do with the fresh air anyway. You wanna come?"
"No, I'm ok here." AJ smiled as he nodded.
"Are you?" He asked, "Ok?" He said as she looked up at him.
"Yeah, of course I am." She said, "Why? Do I not look ok?" She smiled a little.
"No, you just seemed a little quiet today." Punk said, "And you disappeared for a little while."
"I was just a little hot outside. Had a bit of a headache." AJ nodded.
"Because of Sam?" Punk asked as AJ chuckled.
"No." AJ scoffed.
"April Mendez I know when something is bothering you." Punk said.
"April Brooks." AJ reminded him.
"You're always gonna be April Mendez to me." He nodded.
"And to most others I'm sure." AJ nodded, looking down at her chocolate on her lap, "It's silly. I was just in my feelings a little, that's all. It's probably just menopause stuff-"
"You can't use the menopause excuse all the time for everything." Punk scoffed.
"I don't." AJ defended.
"You do." He chuckled as she shook her head with a smile, "What was silly? Tell me the silly thing? I love silly things." He nodded, taking a seat on the other sofa as she looked over at him.
"I'm just… I'm surrounded by siblings a lot." AJ nodded, "Whether it's the girls, or it's our grandkids, or it's you and Dean, or Chrissy and Sarah." She said, "I could go on."
"Yeah?" Punk waited, although he knew where it was going.
"I don't think I'm jealous." AJ made clear, "I think I'm just… upset?" She questioned, "It would have been nice to have that. I didn't really have any kind of relationship with my brother growing up. And then he wasn't even there half the time. And then he was in prison with you and… instead of recognising that you were someone I loved. Someone his little sister cared about… he just continued to mess with you." AJ said, "And you know the rest." She shook her head, not wishing to go on as Punk nodded, "I'm fine." She assured him.
"It sucks." Punk nodded, "And I know it must suck because… growing up, Dean was the only thing that kept me sane. I couldn't imagine going through what I did on my own." He said, "You did. And yeah, I'd say that's enough reason to be in your feelings. It's not silly." He shook his head.
"They're all gone." AJ nodded, "And all they did was spend a life fixating on me and what I was doing."
"That's why you're still here and they're not." Punk nodded, "I know you're headstrong and you don't dwell on the past but… they were never really your family."
"Spaceboy." AJ smiled, referring to one of his tattoos on his wrist.
"Spacegirl." He pointed to her as she smiled.
"The chocolate is helping me feel better." She assured him as he smiled.
"Ok, well keep eating." He encouraged, "You sure you don't want me to bring anything back for you?"
"No, I'm ok." She nodded as he stood up, walking over to her and kissing her on the lips a few times, "I'll just steal some of yours if I feel hungry." She nodded.
"Yeah, don't I know it. You've been doing it for forty years." He scoffed as she chuckled, watching him leave the living room, smiling to herself as she cracked more of her Easter egg off.
"Fuck, I'm gonna cum." Theo moaned, thrusting into Cassie from behind as she leaned over the sink in their bathroom, placing one hand on the mirror to steady herself and the other on the sink.
"Fuck, baby." Cassie whispered, looking into the mirror and catching his eye, smiling as she watched him concentrating on the task at hand, the task being her of course.
He found his release seconds later, spilling himself inside her and leaning over her, pressing his forehead on the middle of her back as she chuckled a little.
"God has risen, huh?" She teased breathlessly as he chuckled, smacking her on the ass, "Hey!" She laughed.
"Don't be disrespectful to Jesus." Theo teased, pulling out of her and backing up against the wall before pulling his boxer shorts up.
She had been in the middle of tidying the bathroom after Chase's bath time before he went to bed when Theo had joined her to help. He wound up helping with a lot more than tidying the bath toys away.
She began to move from being bent over the sink when he shook his head and sighed sadly, "What?" Cassie shook her head with confusion.
"You can't just stay there like that for a little while longer?" He asked as she chuckled and shook her head.
"No, I can't." She laughed, pulling her underwear back on and fixing her bra, "I need to shower now." She said, running her hands through her hair.
"What kind of nonsense was my mom talking to you about today then?" He asked.
"No nonsense." Cassie scoffed, "She was just asking how you were doing. And she was asking about the adoption." She nodded, "She's excited for us. She thinks we have special children." She grinned as Theo rolled his eyes.
"Of course she does. Until Matt cranks out a couple kids. They'll be special kids too." Theo nodded as Cassie chuckled, "What did you tell her? About how I was doing?" He asked curiously.
"I just told her that you were doing better." Cassie nodded, "Correct me if I'm wrong." She said.
"No, I am." Theo agreed, "I physically feel much better."
"Yeah, I can see that." Cassie smirked as he chuckled.
"It's weird cause normally when I've been off injured before, I just get restless and all I think about is going back to work but these past few months I've barely thought about going back." Theo said, "It's kinda worrying, actually."
"No it's not. It just means that you really needed to take the time away. You're off right now with more than just an injury. A lot happened and you needed to take the time to properly recover. From all of it." Cassie nodded.
"I'm still really sorry about-"
"You don't have to keep apologising." Cassie assured him, "I forgave you. We move on." She said.
"I know I just… I hate that I upset you so much. And I hate that I even allowed myself to entertain the thought, let alone question you on it." He shook his head.
"Manipulative people will do that to you." Cassie nodded.
"You seen him recently?" Theo wondered.
"He hasn't been at the station these past few months. At least not when I've been there." Cassie said, "Not that I feel like I have to explain myself or anything but… me and him… it was a one night stand and that was it. It wasn't like we dated or anything. And had I known you guys were close friends before you left then I… I wouldn't have went near him, honestly." She said, "I was a bit of a mess during that time. I even downloaded Tinder."
"Well that's concerning." Theo said as she chuckled and nodded.
"It was." Cassie agreed, "All I was really thinking about was you. How much I missed you. How much I wish I told you that I really liked you." She said, stepping in between his legs, brushing her hands through his hair as he looked up at her, "It was only you I really wanted."
"Lucky I came back then, huh?" He smiled.
"Yeah, lucky that." She whispered, "You'll know when you're ready to come back to work."
"I'm getting used to being a stay at home dad. I kinda like it. And with a new baby coming… I might just let you make the money." He shrugged. He realised he had to fully detach himself from work in order to recover properly from the ordeals over the past few months. He was still trying to process the shooting and Jake's passing
"Well I work hard but I don't work that hard." Cassie said as he smiled, "I really hope we get that call soon."
"Yeah me too." He nodded.
"I can't even imagine what it's gonna be like with two kids." She shook her head.
"Chaos?" Theo questioned as she laughed.
"Your mom was all… oh, how do you feel about it all?" Cassie said in a light concerned tone, "You know… not being pregnant or giving birth?" She added as Theo rolled his eyes.
"I can talk to her and tell her to stop saying shit like that, you know." Theo nodded.
"No, she wasn't meaning anything by it." Cassie said, "I think she just meant cause it's gonna be different for me. When I had Chase I was exhausted. Physically, I mean." She said, "This time I'm gonna be just fine. No stitches. No bleeding. None of that. Just an adorable little baby to take home." She nodded.
"It's gonna be a girl." Theo nodded.
"You don't know that." Cassie shook her head.
"I knew Chase was going to be a boy." Theo said.
"You didn't know that for sure either." Cassie chuckled, "We actually need to think about names."
"We do." Theo agreed, "You got to pick Chase so I think it's only fair if I get first dibs this time."
"We both liked Chase." Cassie shook her head.
"Yeah but you suggested it." Theo nodded.
"Alright, fine." Cassie smiled, "I trust you I think." She said as he smiled.
"Is he dead?" Jude shook her head, looking into the vivarium where their reptile friend was sitting on his rock, eyes closed, barely moving.
"No he's not dead." Sean shook his head, "I don't think." He mumbled.
"Rex." Jude hummed, tapping the glass lightly, "I mean, I know he's not an energetic little guy but I don't think he's moved all day."
"Rex." Sean tapped the glass, "You still with us, buddy?"
"How long do bearded dragons live?" Jude asked.
"Ten to fifteen years I got told when I picked him up." Sean said.
"The girls would be so upset if something were to happen to him." Jude frowned, "Rex." She hummed again, tapping the glass when suddenly Rex stuck his tongue out a little, staying on his rock.
"Oh, thank God." Sean groaned, "My only son." He said, placing his hand on Jude's shoulder with relief as she chuckled.
"You're ridiculous." She shook her head, "Glad he gave us some tongue action to let us know he's all good." She nodded, walking away through to the kitchen as Sean followed her.
"How did the girls end up with so many Easter eggs?" Sean asked, looking at all the chocolate on the kitchen counter which Jude was clearing away.
"Well my parents sent some over. Thea did too. And they got stuff at school. Jeanie popped in with something for them." Jude said, "This will do us until the Christmas chocolate comes in." She joked as Sean nodded.
To say it was good to be back living in the house was an understatement. He was grateful for Jude giving him this chance, a proper chance to prove how sorry he was, even though she wasn't necessarily looking for apologies anymore. He still wanted to prove it to her every day. Their relationship was by no means perfect, but it was getting better, and he knew she was slowly but surely letting him back in again. It also meant they could go back to being parents together instead of separate.
"I uh… I have an art exhibition next weekend. One of my pieces is gonna be there." Jude told him, "I'd like it if you came." She said. The one thing she had learned from their very large bump in their relationship, was that communication was everything. She wanted him to know how she was feeling and why, because she realised he wasn't a mind reader. She also realised she was a tricky person to understand anyway, so communication definitely went a long way.
"I'll be there." Sean nodded, "I'll get it off work." He said, "I didn't know you were entering anything recently."
"This was a couple of months ago I entered." Jude said, "I didn't think it was any good."
"You say that about every project you do." Sean said, "And then everyone comes out to see it and are amazed." He reminded her as she smiled a little.
"I just like going so I can speak with other artists." Jude shrugged, "And learn new things." She said as he smiled, watching her move around the kitchen, taking a hold of her hand as she passed him, pulling her into him as she smiled up at him, "Can I help you?" She smiled.
"Yeah, maybe." He nodded, leaning down and kissing her softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
They were interrupted by a knock at their door.
"Go get it." Jude smiled, pecking his lips before he groaned unhappily.
"This better be good." He complained as she chuckled, watching him leave the kitchen whilst she carried on tidying.
The kitchen seemed to be the one place that was never clean and it bothered her to the max. She cleared the dishes away from the girls dinner earlier, cleaning the table with some spray and a cloth.
It wasn't until she'd fully cleaned the table when she realised Sean had been gone for longer than she'd expected.
"Sean?" Jude questioned, turning the sink off and folding up a towel, not getting any response.
She left the kitchen, turning off the light and making her way into the living room, pausing with her heart in her mouth when she noticed Sean backing into the room with his hands up, Fred standing in front with his gun pointed at him.
"Neither of you move." Fred made clear, pointing the gun between them both now as Jude swallowed nervously, turning to Sean who was staring at Fred angrily.
