Drifting

"You don't normally get meetings on short notice." Tom shook his head, looking across at AJ who was packing a bag.

"I know, right?" AJ shook her head, "It's a convention, around where we grew up actually." AJ smiled, "I really need to be there."

"Of course you do. You're director of the company." Tom laughed a little as AJ smiled, "How long?"

"Should only be a few days honestly." AJ nodded, "I'll call you every night." She assured him as he nodded, "If you need anything just call me, if Amelia needs anything-"

"April, I know how to take care of my daughter." Tom said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Of course you do just… don't hesitate, though." AJ nodded, "Please remember and take Spike out. Morning and night." AJ said.

"I told you we should invest in a dog walker." Tom shook his head.

"Take Amelia with you, she likes taking him out. Or go down to the park. Have some… daddy daughter time." AJ smiled.

"I got a lot of work to do, babe." Tom laughed as AJ looked across at him and nodded.

"Yeah, of course." AJ nodded, zipping up her bag and putting her coat on, "Well I'll call you, ok?" She smiled, walking over to him, giving him a peck on the lips before walking out of their bedroom and heading down the stairs.

She didn't look much different from her teenage days. A few more wrinkles, more dresses and heels, and more money to her name, but nothing about her had really changed.

"Mommy, don't go." Amelia whined, running down the large hallway to meet AJ, "Or take me with you." She said.

"Oh, puddin. I wish I could." AJ sighed, crouching down, "I'll bring you back something nice, I promise." AJ smiled.

"I'll miss you." Amelia frowned as AJ smiled and nodded.

"I'll miss you too, baby." AJ smiled, wrapping her arms around her, kissing her head sweetly, "I'll be back before you know it. You take good care of Spike." She said as Amelia nodded.

"He's having his dinner." She told her as AJ smiled.

"Ok, bye baby." AJ said, planting another kiss on her head.

"Wave to me at the window." She told her mother before dashing into the living room, climbing over the couch and looking out the large window as AJ smiled, leaving the house and heading over to the car, waving to Amelia as she put her things in the car.

She never thought she'd be setting out to go back to where she left all those years ago. But someone she loved very much was in hospital.

"Where are you two going?" Bob asked, noticing AJ and Punk were getting ready to go out it looked like. It had been a few months since AJ had given birth, and Bob knew they were both working very hard to try and move past it. To still keep their baby in their heart, but move forward with one another and complete the rest of their teenage lives whilst they still could.

"A party." AJ smiled.

"Oh, really?" Bob asked, "Whose party?" He asked them.

"My friend, Eve. Her eighteenth party. It's in an underage club in town so… don't worry." AJ nodded to him.

"Well as long as you're both feeling up to it, by all means. Go have a fun time." Bob smiled.

"Yeah, I think we could do with going out." AJ nodded. She was beginning to feel a little better. With the help of her boyfriend and also going back to school eventually, she honestly felt like she was slipping back into her old life, an easier, teenage life.

"Yeah I haven't seen my buddy's in a while." Punk nodded. He thought it was good for them to get out of the apartment and go out with their friends. It was times like this where he realised just how young they were, and how everything really would have changed if they had decided to take care of Reylissa.

"Good. Go on, go out and let your hair down." Bob smiled as they nodded, leaving the apartment.

"Do you think people are gonna ask us questions?" AJ asked him, taking his hand and leaving the apartment building as they walked out onto the streets.

"Well, have they asked you stuff at school?" Punk asked.

"No, but probably because teachers have warned them not to." AJ shook her head.

"As horrible as it sounds, I don't think anyone will be interested." Punk said as AJ nodded, "Relax. Bob is right, we probably need this." He said, "Let's just go and… be teenagers." He said as AJ smiled and nodded, leaning up and kissing his cheek as he smiled.

They arrived at the party which was pretty full and whilst AJ immediately found Eve, Punk found Jamie and his friends sitting at a table.

"He finally returns." Jamie smiled, standing up and giving Punk a brotherly hug, "Congrats on becoming a papa." He nodded, "I'm sorry it's… under different circumstances." He said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, thanks." Punk nodded, taking a seat.

"How you holding up?" Jamie asked him as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I'm alright. It's been a bit tough but… we're doing ok." Punk said as Jamie nodded. He knew his friends could bullshit and have a laugh with him, but when he needed them for serious matters, they were always good to him.

"Mendez looks good." Jamie said, "How has she been doing?"

"Yeah about the same. She went back to school so… that was a big step for her." He said, "She's waiting on college offers now."

"Aren't we all." Jamie rolled his eyes, "Not sure if I even wanna go." He admitted as Punk just smiled, participating in the normal conversation, looking around to find AJ when he spotted her standing over at the bar talking to Tom.

He stood up from the table, walking on over as Tom looked across at him.

"Hey, man." Tom nodded casually as Punk ignored him.

"Can I talk to you?" Punk asked AJ who looked at him and nodded.

"Uh… yeah." AJ shook her head, "Sorry, Tom." She shook her head as he just nodded and walked on by, "That was kinda rude." She admitted.

"What the hell is he saying to you?" Punk asked.

"What?" AJ shook her head, "What are you talking about?"

"Tom. What was he saying?" Punk asked.

"Well not that it's any of your business. He was just asking how I was." AJ shook her head, "What is wrong with you?" She asked with confusion.

"I don't know… I don't think I was ready for this." He admitted.

"Ok, well you don't have to be rude to people." AJ shook her head, "We can go if you like?"

"I'm just… I'm gonna take a walk. I'll come back." He told her as she watched him walk off, sighing to herself as she turned back to the bar, running her hand through her hair as she watched Tom approach her again.

"Trouble in paradise?" Tom smiled as AJ rolled her eyes, "Sorry, that was wrong of me to say. I know what you guys are going through must be difficult." He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, it is." AJ nodded, "I feel like I can't… escape it." AJ shook her head, "And I feel guilty for… coming out and trying to live my life like nothing even happened. That feels so wrong."

"Hey, you did what was best for you, for the kid, for Phil… there's nothing wrong with that. You gotta live your life." Tom nodded.

"I just hate that it'll always be with me." AJ shook her head, "I sound like a terrible person, wishing that it would get out of my head, my own kid." She shook her head.

"Hey you just turned eighteen. It's not your fault that you weren't ready for this. No one blames you so you shouldn't blame yourself." Tom nodded, "And no one is talking about you or whispering about you like you think. Honestly, we're all pretty proud of you and we're here for you." He nodded as she smiled.

"Well thank you, that's sweet of you." AJ nodded.

"There's not long left until you'll be off to college, and your head will be filled with revision and exams coming up and all the rest of it." Tom smiled, "So don't worry, I'm sure it won't be such a fresh memory in a few months." He said as AJ nodded.

"You applied for college?" AJ asked him.

"Yeah. My mom made me. Business and marketing." Tom said.

"Holy shit, me too." AJ smiled, "But I do actually want to do that." She nodded, "We could end up in the same class, that's really cool." AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I never knew you were even applying." Tom said as AJ nodded.

Meanwhile outside Punk was sat on some stairs, watching the busy street go by. He didn't know about AJ, but he was still finding it pretty tough to find his life back again. They'd gone through such an emotional roller-coaster that to just go back normal life seemed impossible.

He adjusted his bandana on his head, watching as a girl came over to him and sat down.

"Hey." She smiled as Punk nodded.

"What's up?" Punk asked.

"You look lonely." She said as Punk nodded.

"I feel it." Punk admitted honestly, "Who are you?" He shook his head.

"Chrissy." Chrissy smiled, "One of Eve's cousins." She explained as Punk nodded, "You look cool, like you could be in a shitty boy band or something." She nodded as Punk groaned a little.

"Yeah, thanks. That's the look I go for." Punk nodded.

"So why are you sitting outside the party?" Chrissy asked him.

"Why are you?" Punk asked as she showed him the cigarette, nodding to himself, "I don't know. I needed some fresh air." He said as Chrissy nodded.

"Looks like you got a lot on your mind." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, something like that." Punk sighed to himself.

"Puff?" She asked him.

"No, I'm good." Punk shook his head.

"Listen I got a hotel room a couple blocks down if you wanna come with me." Chrissy shrugged as Punk shook his head.

"I've got a girlfriend." Punk told her.

"I've got great tits." Chrissy replied as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Good for you, but I'm not interested." He assured her, "I should go back inside." He said, standing up as Chrissy watched him head back into the club.

Punk walked down the stairs to the club, walking through some people, looking for AJ when he saw she was dancing with Tom. He felt like Tom was taking advantage of her emotional state. He knew how his girlfriend had been. She'd been emotional and upset and he knew some guy like him would just tell her everything she wanted to hear, rather than the truth which was what he told her.

He walked over to them and grabbed Tom, pushing him away.

"Phil." AJ shook he head with confusion.

"Man, what is your problem?" Tom screwed his face up.

"My problem? What the hell is yours?" Punk spat, "Why don't you go dance with someone else's girl, huh?" Punk asked.

"Phil, oh my God." AJ shook her head, "Tom, I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologising to him?" Punk asked.

"Because we were just dancing, Phil." AJ shook her head, "Why are you doing this?" She asked as Punk shook his head, "You wanna go home? Then let's go home." She shook her head.

"Yeah, get home for the baby's bedtime." Someone whispered as they walked by, which was enough for Punk to officially snap. For real.

He grabbed the guy who was standing at the bar who said it, smashing his face down off the glasses sitting on the bar, punching him in the stomach and throwing him over onto the ground.

"Phil!" AJ exclaimed, watching as he climbed over the older bloody guy, punching on him as AJ placed her hand over her mouth, running away out of the club whilst Punk was pulled from the guy.

"Ok, calm down calm down." Jamie nodded to Punk, taking him away, "Come on, let's go for fresh air." Jamie said, guiding Punk out of the club, his fists dripping with blood as he took deep breaths, "That's it, calm down." Jamie assured him, heading up the stairs out of the way of everyone.

Punk noticed AJ standing at the side of the road, trying to wave cabs down.

"You be ok?" Jamie asked Punk who nodded, walking off over to AJ who turned to him and shook her head.

"Get away from me." AJ shook her head.

"I-I can explain." Punk wiped his knuckles from the blood as AJ shook her head.

"No you cannot explain. What the hell was that?" AJ spat, "Tom was just being a friend-"

"You slow dance with all your guy friends?" Punk asked her.

"He asked me and I looked around for you, to go dance with you instead and you weren't there." AJ said, "And he was being a friend and… letting me talk to him. We were just talking about college." AJ shook her head, "You're out of control."

"I know guys like him, he would have made a move." Punk nodded.

"No you do not know guys like him. He was just being nice." AJ said.

"Yeah and you're emotional right now and he's probably saying everything you wanna hear." Punk said as AJ just shook her head.

"Whatever happened didn't mean you could beat up that guy like that." AJ said, "It's the same song and dance, over and over again." AJ shook her head, "I can't deal with this." She shook her head.

"You mean you can't deal with me?" Punk questioned.

"Maybe, yeah." AJ shook her head, "Not when you're like that anyway." AJ said, "I went from being… a fairly average person, head cheerleader with decent grades and nice friends and a crush on the new boy who had… beautiful eyes and who made me laugh so much my stomach hurt." She said, "And now I feel like I'm just some laughing stock who… gave her baby away, who quit on school, who has very few friends left and who has a… a violent boyfriend." She cried.

"That's all my fault, is it?" Punk asked.

"It started with you, yeah." AJ nodded, not meaning what she was saying, not really.

"So you blame me?" Punk shook his head as AJ turned away from him, "You do. You actually blame me for all of this."

"No, I don't." AJ said, "But when you act out like that against other people, yes I blame you." AJ shook her head, "At least we were right about something." AJ nodded.

"What's that?" Punk asked angrily.

"We weren't ready to be parents." AJ nodded, "And she is… way better off without us." She nodded, "And maybe if… if you keep acting this way then you'd be better off without me too." She nodded.

"Are you serious right now?" Punk asked her, watching her flag down a cab, "April." Punk hissed, "Don't you say that to me."

"Just leave me alone, Phil." AJ shook her head, getting into the taxi and closing the door over as it drove off.

"Ok, some clothes. What else?" Rey spoke to herself as she packed Bob a bag after he gave her his key to go into his place and pack him some stuff, "Toothbrush and toothpaste." She hummed to herself, walking through to the bathroom and putting things in the bag.

She continued to pack the bag up with everything she thought would be useful for him. She knew he was going to be in for a few nights so she packed as much as she thought he'd need.

"And you wanted some scones." Rey nodded, walking on into the kitchen, looking around for the scones, finding them in the bread tin, walking on out but pausing on her way as she stopped at the fridge.

She took the picture off the fridge and stared at it. It appeared to be the girl in the picture's birthday, eighteenth by the looks of the balloon in the background of it.

"Didn't know you had kids, Bob." Rey frowned to herself, sticking the picture back on the fridge and walking on back to put the scones in the bag before leaving the apartment.