Same Feelings

"She really said that?" AJ asked once Punk had got back to the table and told her about Rey coming into the the diner and talking to him. She was surprised to hear the sudden change of mind that Rey had, but so relieved.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "She said she… she needs a little more time but that she's not gonna just walk away from us." He said as AJ nodded, "Maybe she wants to get to know us after all." He said.

"I'd really like that." AJ said, "I mean I… I know it's not like we need to look after her or anything, but… I want to know her, she's our daughter." AJ shook her head, "It's never too late. Right?" She said.

"Of course not." Punk agreed, "She seemed interested in Amelia too. I guess she probably didn't think about the possibility of having siblings." He said as AJ nodded, looking over to Amelia who sat next to Punk eating her breakfast and drawing in her books.

"I can't believe how much has happened in the past week." She shook her head, "From… finding out about Reylissa and then Tom… seeing you again-"

"Seeing me again?" Punk laughed a little, "That's been a big moment in your week?" He questioned.

"Well… yeah." AJ nodded, "Last time we saw each other was when we broke up." She shrugged, "Long time ago."

"Yeah." Punk realised and nodded, "Hey, I… I hope you know I never broke up with you because of anything you did." He said, "I felt like I was just holding you back. I got into some stupid shit when you left. I'm glad I never took you down with me, you know?" He said as she looked at him.

"What happened?" AJ asked him curiously.

"Just… stupid shit with my dad." He said as she nodded, "But I never broke up with you because I stopped loving you. I guess I just thought you deserved better." He nodded.

"You shouldn't have thought that." AJ shook her head, "You were the best I had. I wasn't gonna get better." She assured him as he looked across at her. It helped him to hear her say that, but it only made him wish he could have saw that all those years ago. Letting her go was always his biggest mistake but somehow… somehow she'd came back to him after all this time.

"Phil." Amelia looked up at Punk who turned to her.

"Mhm?" Punk looked down.

"Can I uh… can I have another milkshake?" She asked him as Punk smiled.

"Amelia." AJ scolded.

"Please." Amelia said, as though to make it better.

"You've already had one." AJ said.

"Hey, of course you can." Punk nodded as Amelia smiled, "I'll go order it." He smiled, getting out of the booth and walking over to the counter as AJ looked over to Amelia.

"He's nice, mommy. I like him a lot." Amelia nodded, "Since he's your friend can he… can he be my friend too?" Amelia asked her as AJ smiled. To see how quickly her daughter got along with Punk and how great Punk was with her, it melted her heart.

"I'm sure he can be your friend too." AJ smiled.

"I think I'll like staying with him." She nodded to herself as AJ smiled. She really only cared about her daughter's happiness and safety. And she also cared about her other daughter's happiness, and actually being given the opportunity to eventually talk to her again was such a promising thing. She just wished her issues with Tom weren't lingering at the back of her mind. She was still trying to get used to the fact her marriage was practically over. It was over. And she found herself back where she started all those years ago.

Rey got to work, walking in the doors and looking over at Joanne who stood behind the bar. They made eye contact for a few seconds before Rey headed into the break room through the back to have her breakfast before starting.

"Morning." Joanne nodded, standing at the door to the break room as Rey looked over, hanging up her coat.

"Hey." Rey nodded.

"No hangover?" Joanne asked as Rey shook her head.

"No, I behaved last night." Rey said, tying her apron around her as Joanne nodded, looking across at her, "Uh… I want to apologise." She nodded as Joanne looked across at her, "I know you're always trying to look out for me. You're always looking out for my best interests and I guess sometimes I don't see that." She nodded, "As much as it pains me to say… you were right." She shrugged as Joanne smiled a little.

"I was?" She teased as Rey rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Yes." Rey said, "I can't just carry on with my life and ignore my parents. I want to know them and… and give them a chance." She said, "Everyone deserves a chance. And this is a big deal for them too. It's not just me who has been hurting this entire time. I know it wasn't easy for them to give me away." She nodded.

"I just don't want you to miss out on getting to know them. Because who knows… they could be amazing people." Joanne shrugged.

"Yeah." Rey nodded, "I know. I… I actually have a sister too." She said, "Well she's six so… I can't take her out for wine or anything but… I don't know, I never thought I'd have siblings." She shook her head.

"That's sweet." Joanne smiled, "So you've been speaking to them?" Joanne asked.

"I bumped into my dad at the diner this morning. My mom is in town just now staying with him. Her daughter too. I just told him how I was feeling, that I'd like to get to know them but that I still needed a bit of time." She nodded, "His face lit up." She smiled as Joanne nodded.

"Hey, I'm happy for you." Joanne smiled, walking over to her, wrapping her arms around her tightly as Rey hugged her back, "I think they're good people. I have a feeling."

"Yeah, me too." Rey sighed to herself, finally admitting to herself that her parents, as little as she knew about them, their story did seem pretty selfless and sad. She couldn't not give them a chance. She'd never be able to live her life knowing she never gave it a shot.

"I can't wait to meet them both." Joanne smiled, pulling back from the hug.

"You've already met my dad." Rey scoffed.

"Yeah but I mean meet them properly. And your sister too. How sweet." Joanne said as Rey smiled and nodded, "But she better not replace me as your best friend." She folded her arms as Rey smiled.

"Of course not. No one is gonna replace you." Rey smiled, "Thank you for always calling me out on my bullshit and keeping me in check." She nodded, "I truly wouldn't know where I'd be without you."

"That's ok. I enjoy calling you out." Joanne nodded, wrapping her arm around her as Rey smiled, "Come on, let's enjoy our early shift and be lucky we aren't on late."

"So is he yours?" Punk asked, sitting on the couch beside Amelia back in his apartment whilst Spike, the Pitbull had squashed himself up beside them. Amelia was showing Punk his paws, his tail, his ears and pretty much all his features. She was very proud of her dog.

"Yes, he is mine." Amelia nodded, "He's all mine."

"So you take him out for walks and feed him?" Punk questioned.

"Well me and mommy take him out for a walk." Amelia nodded, "But he sleeps in my bed with me. And I dress him up sometimes and he has tea parties with me."

"He does?" Punk questioned as Amelia nodded.

"I try painting his nails sometimes too but he never sits still." She said, hugging her dog tightly as Spike lay into her tiredly as Punk chuckled.

"How long have you had him?" Punk asked her, scratching Spike sweetly as the dog enjoyed the love.

"A few years." Amelia said as Punk nodded, "He's my best friend." She told him as Punk smiled.

"I can see that." Punk chuckled lightly. He loved how alike Amelia was to AJ. It made him wonder if Rey was like this growing up, what kind of kid she was like. It saddened him to have missed out on that, now that he knew she didn't have anyone, it was a lot more tough to digest.

"Since you are mommy's friend, are you my friend too, Phil?" Amelia asked him as Punk smiled.

"Of course." Punk nodded, "Best friends for life." He nodded to her as she smiled to herself. She really liked him. She was calm in his presence and really liked talking to him. He paid attention to her and showed interest which was something she didn't actually get from her father.

"Here, you pick something on the TV. I'm gonna go see if your mommy is ok." He told her, passing her the remote for the TV, shuffling by her and out of the living room, walking on over to his bedroom and opening up the door here he saw AJ putting her bra on, having just got out of the shower. He closed the door over immediately out of respect.

"Hey, you ok?" He knocked on the door, realising he probably should have done that in the first place.

"Uh… yeah." AJ said frantically, "You can come in." She said, quickly putting some clothes on as he opened the door back up slowly, "Yeah, I'm fine." She nodded, "I just called my work to let them know I wouldn't be in for a few days." She said as he nodded.

"They understanding?" Punk asked her.

"I uh… well I… I run the company. I don't care if they aren't understanding." She shrugged as he smiled and nodded.

"Right." Punk nodded, "I forget you got all successful." He said as she smiled, "What about Tom? You spoke to him yet?"

"He's left a lot of voice messages. I'll send him a text later just to ask him to give us some space. I mean I'm… I'm not going to take Amelia from him. I'm not like that." She said, "But for now I just want her with me, until I have to go back and talk to him." She said as he nodded.

"Well she was just telling me all about the history of Spike." Punk laughed to himself.

"Yeah, Spike is her best friend." AJ smiled, "They go everywhere together."

"I noticed." Punk laughed to himself, "He's a sweet dog."

"Yeah, he's great." AJ smiled as Punk looked across at her, "Maybe all this has happened for a reason." She shrugged, "My marriage falls apart and I… I find my daughter." She nodded, "I find you again." She said, looking over at him as he nodded.

"Yeah, maybe." Punk nodded, "What are you gonna do? Forgive him?" Punk wondered.

"Are you joking?" AJ arched a brow, "I'm not forgiving him." She made clear, "I will… put on my big girl pants and I'll work something out with him for Amelia's sake, so she can see him but… we're over. He stabbed me in the back and I'm not being the fool who forgives her cheating husband." She made clear as Punk nodded. He was glad to hear it.

"He doesn't deserve you." Punk nodded.

"Who deserves me?" AJ questioned, "You?" She questioned, slowly walking towards him, folding her arms.

"Trust me… I don't deserve you either." Punk said honestly as AJ looked up at him.

It was very clear they still wanted one another. Neither had the guts to say it, especially with everything that was going on, but they didn't really need to say it. The look in their eyes gave it all away.

"I don't think you know how much I missed you." She whispered, looking up at him as he watched her stand close to him.

"I missed you." Punk nodded, "Was never really the same after you left." He admitted as she nodded.

"Regret breaking up with me?" AJ asked him as Punk looked down at her. She had no idea just how much he regretted letting her go. It was the biggest mistake of his entire life.

He leaned down, about to kiss her to let her know just how much he regretted it, when he heard the front door open and close.

"What up!" Dean called through the apartment as Punk pulled back whilst AJ stepped back a few steps, looking across at him as he scratched the back of his neck.

"I should uh-"

"Yeah." AJ agreed, pointing to the door as he nodded, backing up and leaving the bedroom as AJ took a deep breath. She felt just like a nervous, messy teenager again. He gave her those butterflies just the same.