Progress

"Mommy." Amelia sat on the bed beside her mother, her legs in a basket as she tried to wake her up, "Mommy." She nudged AJ harder as AJ opened her eyes, lifting her head up a little with tired eyes.

"W-What?" AJ shook her head.

"There's a naked man." Amelia said as AJ raised a brow.

"What?" AJ sat up, getting off the bed and rushing out of the room, walking into the living room where she saw Punk lying on the couch. Of course he wasn't butt naked, but he only had some shorts on and was passed out on the couch.

It was the first time she'd saw him shirtless again and realised it had gotten a lot more colourful since the last time she got close to him naked. She found herself staring a little too long before she quickly backed out of the living room.

"Who is he, mommy?" Amelia asked as AJ walked back into the room.

"He's just a friend of mommy's." AJ nodded, watching as she climbed back up onto the bed, "We-We're gonna stay here for a little while, ok? You, me and Spike."

"I don't know this place." Amelia shook her head with confusion, "Where is daddy?" She questioned.

The one thing that broke her heart completely was the suffering her daughter would have to go through, no longer having parents who were together, having to go home from home. It wasn't what she ever wanted and she just felt so stuck and lost.

"Daddy's at… at our house but we're staying here for a little bit, ok? You-You'll see him soon." AJ promised her.

"But why are we staying here?" Amelia questioned. She was little and didn't understand why they were staying someplace else, some place different without her father.

"Well sometimes mommy's and daddy's need a little time to be apart." AJ nodded, watching as Amelia sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her legs back and forth, "It won't be for long, I promise you." She cupped her cheeks, kissing her head sweetly as Amelia just shrugged and nodded.

"I'm hungry." Amelia whispered as AJ nodded.

"Ok, let's go see if we can find something to make." She smiled, taking her hand and walking out of the bedroom. Punk had told her the previous night that they had to help themselves and make themselves feel at home. She felt bad for taking his bed but she knew he would insist and wouldn't let them sleep on the couch.

"This is a small house." Amelia said quietly, walking through to the kitchen with AJ. She was used to her house which was fairly big, having her own bedroom and a lot of space. This small apartment intrigued her for sure.

"Houses and apartments come in all shapes and sizes." AJ reminded her, opening up the fridge and looking in. She could really only see beer and leftovers, "Maybe we… maybe we go out." She nodded to herself as Amelia sat up at the table.

"Morning." Punk stretched as he walked down the hallway and into the kitchen, putting his t-shirt on as AJ turned around.

"Hey." AJ smiled as Punk nodded, looking over to Amelia who stared up at him. She was just a little mini AJ and he wondered if that could have been Reylissa, if they could have had a scene like this together, if they worked things out.

"Hey, you must be Amelia." Punk nodded as Amelia knelt up on the chair.

"How do you know my name, mister?" Amelia crossed her arms as Punk smiled a little.

"I guessed it." Punk nodded, "I'm Phil." He extended his hand as Amelia looked at it. The truth was, he was never around kids and he wasn't quite sure how to be around them.

Amelia looked at his hand and shook it with a little confusion, "Phil is this your house?" She asked him curiously.

"Yeah, it is." Punk nodded to her, "You like it?" He laughed a little.

"It's small." Amelia said honestly.

"Amelia." AJ tutted as Punk just smiled.

"It is small, you're right." Punk laughed a little and nodded, "Small just like my wallet." He scoffed, sitting down at the table across from her as she watched him.

"Can't you get a big house like my house?" Amelia asked. Of course she really meant nothing by it, she was just a child.

"I wish, kid." Punk said, turning to AJ who just shook her head.

"Sorry." AJ said quietly.

"No, nothing like honesty. I love it." Punk nodded, "I assume you guys don't want leftover meatloaf for breakfast, huh?" He asked them.

"I don't even like that for dinner. Yuck." Amelia shook her head as Punk nodded.

"Fair enough." Punk said, "I know a place, why don't we go out?" He asked.

"Oh, we don't have to." AJ shook her head.

"Yeah!" Amelia smiled excitedly, "Yes, let's go out. Mommy, come help me get ready." She said, jumping down from the chair and running out of the kitchen as Punk laughed a little.

"I'm sorry, she's a lot to handle." AJ laughed a little.

"Are you kidding? She's fine." Punk nodded.

"We don't have to go out, you know." AJ said. She didn't want to make it look like she was hinting at him. Of course she was enjoying his comfort and support but she wasn't trying to throw herself on him. As much as she wanted to.

"It's a couple of pancakes." Punk stood up, "Chill out." He smiled, "Go get ready." He nodded, walking by her as she smiled to herself.

"I recommend a milkshake too." Punk nodded as he sat beside Amelia in a booth at Frank's diners, watching the six year old read the menu, as if she knew what all of the words actually said.

"Really?" Amelia looked up at him as Punk nodded.

"Vanilla to be precise." Punk nodded.

"Oh." Amelia said with interest as she turned back to the menu, "Anything else?" She asked him whilst AJ sat across and smiled.

She didn't think he'd be this interested in Amelia. In a way it hurt her, because she saw how good he was, how good he could have been. She knew she couldn't live her life thinking about what if. She was grateful for all she had and all she'd accomplished, but after being cheated on, she of course had some doubts about where her life was really at.

"I like the waffles." Punk told her, "You can pick what you want on top. There is the list." He showed her, "So you can pick any of them and then also another one from here." He showed her as AJ smiled watching.

"Nothing too big or heavy, right?" AJ nodded to Amelia, "You know you won't eat it."

"I'll try." Amelia stuck her tongue out as Punk laughed a little, "What do you get, Phil?" She asked him. She'd only known him a few hours but he just had a certain presence where she knew she could trust him. She liked that he didn't look like anyone else, and she liked that he actually paid attention to her.

"Oh, I get-"

"Waffles, bacon, cyrup." AJ answered for him, "Vanilla milkshake. Extra bacon if he's feeling fat." She said as Punk turned to her with a small smile.

"What if I'm a vegetarian now?" Punk asked.

"Are you?" She asked with confusion.

"No, I could never." Punk laughed a little as AJ smiled.

"There's no way you're gonna eat all of that." Punk laughed a little, looking across at AJ who was five months pregnant and had ordered a lot of food, on behalf of Bob who had sent them out for the day.

"You're in for a treat." AJ smirked, "Don't even think about stealing any of it, either. Just keep yourself to your waffles." She warned him as Punk laughed a little.

"I wouldn't dare. You scare me when you eat now." Punk admitted honestly.

"I scare myself." AJ agreed as Punk smiled, "You got home late last night." She frowned, "You missed all the kicking."

"I did?" He frowned as she nodded, "Bob had me stay later and stock up. We got a late delivery at the store." He said as AJ nodded.

"You work hard." AJ smiled as Punk nodded, "I hate that I can't do anything to help."

"You're going to school. I don't want you to help. As much as I appreciate the thought." He said.

"I know I'm just thinking for the money." AJ nodded, "I just really want to do my best for the baby." She shook her head, "Be parents that we never had." She said as he smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, me too." Punk smiled.

"I need napkins I'm all sticky." AJ moaned a little as Punk chuckled to himself and stood up to go collect some napkins.

"Why'd you bring us here?" AJ asked him, looking over at Amelia who was doing some drawings with the book she'd brought with her after deciding what she wanted to eat.

"Why not?" Punk shrugged, "I like the milkshakes." He said as she tilted her head.

"Reminds me of a lot in here." She nodded to herself as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, maybe that's why I like it so much." Punk smiled as she looked across at him, tucking her hair behind her ear as he watched her, "You feeling ok?" He asked her as she just nodded.

"Yeah, I just… I don't want to feel like a burden on you. Just showing up like this. If you want me to go I will, me and Amelia will find somewhere to stay-"

"April, c'mon." Punk scoffed, "I don't mind. I'd rather you stay with me and me know you're both ok than knowing you're staying in some hotel." He said, "Honestly."

"It won't be for long." AJ promised, "I mean I… I guess I need to go back at one point and talk to him." She nodded with a sigh, "I just can't face it right now." She said with exhaustion as Punk nodded.

"Just take your time. He's the one in the wrong." Punk reminded her, "You get to take time to heal and get through this on your terms. Not his." He said as she nodded.

"I just really appreciate you being so nice." AJ nodded.

"You think I'd be a bastard to you?" Punk smiled a little as she rolled her eyes and chuckled a little, "I know I'm not perfect but… I got a heart." He assured her.

"Yeah, I know you do." She nodded with a smile.

"I'll go order this." He nodded to her.

"Uh… Phil." Amelia turned to him as he nodded, "Can you get napkins, I don't wanna be sticky." She said as Punk smiled a little, turning to AJ.

"She's really your kid, huh?" Punk nodded as AJ smiled, "Lots of napkins coming up." He assured, walking off down to the diner counter to order the food.

He ordered the food, casually talking to the owners of the diner who he'd obviously known for years since he was a kid. He watched at the corner of his eye as he saw someone walking slowly towards him, turning around as he saw Rey standing a little bit away from him, looking over at him.

"Phil, he's your change, buddy." Frank nodded as Punk looked over at Rey, "Brooks." Frank snapped his fingers as Punk turned around, taking his change as Rey walked over to him, "Hey, Rey. You want your usual, honey?" He asked.

"Yeah, please. Thanks, Frank." Rey nodded as Punk turned back around to her, "Hi." She nodded to him.

"Hey." Punk smiled softly, "You-You come here all the time?" He asked her.

"Yeah." Rey said, "Strange, right? We've probably passed each other a hundred times." She nodded as Punk smiled and nodded, "You here for breakfast?" She asked him, rolling her eyes at herself. Obviously he was here for breakfast.

"Uh yeah…" Punk nodded, "I'm here with April." He pointed over as Rey looked over to the booth, seeing the back of AJ's head and noticing the little girl in the booth.

"Who is the kid?" Rey shook her head as Punk looked at her.

"Uh… your mom's daughter." He nodded as she raised her eyebrows.

"So… she's my… my little sister?" Rey asked, looking over at the little girl drawing in her books, smiling to herself.

"Yeah, she's six." Punk nodded, "April is going through of a bit of a rough spot right now so she's… she's staying with me for a little while." He said as Rey looked over at Amelia. She never even thought about the fact she may have had step siblings.

"R-Right." Rey turned back to him, "I'd uh… I'd like to apologise to you-"

"Hey, no don't." Punk shook his head, "You had every right-"

"No I didn't." Rey shook her head, "I didn't have a right to act the way I did. This is obviously a big deal to you guys too." She nodded, "And I'm not gonna get anywhere being mad at you both." She said as Punk nodded.

"It's all a bit overwhelming." He said as she nodded in agreement.

"I agree." Rey nodded, "I just ask that you guys give me a bit of time with it." She said. She'd slept on things, she'd thought about it, she'd had time to really think about everything going on, and she knew she couldn't walk away from these people now that she knew about them. But she still needed time.

"Of course." Punk nodded, "Yeah."

"It's just a big deal to me." She explained, "Not having you guys has been a tough thing for me so… meeting you both is… I don't know, it's difficult." She nodded, "And I know it's not easy for either of you." She said as he nodded, "But me saying I hate you both is just… it's immature and it's not going to help anything." She shrugged.

"I agree." Punk nodded, "It really affects my confidence too." Punk teased as she smiled a little and nodded.

"Sorry about that." Rey said as Punk smiled and nodded, "I just need a bit more time and space but… if it's ok with you and April… I'd like to try and get along." She shrugged as Punk smiled to himself and nodded.

"I'd really like that." Punk nodded. He couldn't explain how much it meant to hear that from her, "I know April would too." He said as Rey smiled and nodded.

"And I gotta meet my sister." Rey nodded, looking over at Amelia and smiling.

"Here you go, Rey." Frank walked over and extended Rey's order in a bag to her as Rey smiled and took it from her.

"Uh you got extra napkins, Frank?" Rey asked him as Punk smiled to himself and nodded. It made sense, "I uh… I hate being sticky." She nodded to Punk who just smiled and nodded, "I should go." She said.

"Yeah, sure." Punk nodded.

"I guess I'll… see you around soon?" She questioned.

"Yeah, definitely." Punk nodded.

"Ok." Rey said, turning around and leaving the diner as Punk watched her with a smile, watching her hold open the door for an elderly couple on the way out. Things seemed surprisingly promising suddenly.