First Meeting

"How'd it go?" Punk asked quietly, standing at his bedroom door as he watched AJ tuck Amelia into bed. She'd fallen asleep on the car ride home, so AJ had come straight in and put her to bed. It was strange how this place was starting to feel like her home.

"I… I don't know." AJ sighed to herself, tucking Amelia's teddy bear in beside her before leaving the room and closing the door over, "I told him that I wanted a divorce and he just kicked off. As if I don't have the right to be mad about all of this." AJ shook her head, walking into the living room with him.

"Did you manage to work something out at least? For Amelia?" Punk asked her.

"Kinda but… he was just fighting it. I told him I'd be moving out, even though I'm not inclined to do so. That house is mine too. But… I'm over the struggle." She said, "I'm gonna look around here and find a place for me and Amelia. I told him that and he kicked off. Saying that Amelia's friends aren't here and her school. But I'll make it work for her. I have to drive out there anyway for work. I just want to be somewhere that I know. Somewhere that feels like an actual home." She sighed as Punk nodded.

"Here feels like home?" Punk smiled, sitting down on the couch with her as she nodded.

"Yeah, it always has." AJ nodded, "I just pretended it didn't so I could move on with my life." She said as Punk nodded, "I just want all of this to go away." She admitted truthfully.

Punk could sense how stressed she was and he hated it. How someone had hurt her and betrayed her like this yet she was the one who felt isolated and suffocated, like she didn't know what to do.

"It's just gonna take time, right?" Punk nodded, "I mean you're being blunt with him so… he's gotta understand that he fucked up and this is on him. No one else." He said, "You do what is best for you and Amelia." He said as AJ nodded.

"I can't forgive him. I'll never trust him again. I'd love to be one of those woman who… give lots of chances and… and puts their children's home life before their happiness but… I can't do it." She shook her head, "I won't be with someone who disrespects me like that."

"No you shouldn't." Punk agreed, "He fucked up and this is on him. You get to do what's best for you and Amelia. That's the most important thing." He said as AJ nodded.

"I'm gonna start looking for places around here." AJ said, "I told Tom I would text him and arrange for him to see Amelia at some point, for her to go stay with him." She nodded, "Like you said, it's just gonna take some time to get used to." She nodded.

She still couldn't believe that her marriage was really broken this way and was never going to repair. It felt strange.

"Well actually, I'm kinda hoping you're free tomorrow night. Reylissa came around earlier to see if we were free to go out. Nothing too serious just to Frank's for some food and a chat I guess." He said, "I said I'd check with you but it should be fine."

"Oh, yeah of course." AJ nodded, "Gosh I didn't think it'd be this soon." She said, feeling slightly nervous.

"Yeah, she seemed more interested." Punk nodded.

"Yeah, of course I'll be there." AJ said, "I uh… I just need someone to babysit Amelia, that's all." She sighed.

"Hey, Dean is here. He can watch her for a couple of hours." Punk nodded, "I know he seems pretty useless but he's not too terrible." He said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Ok, sure." AJ nodded, "God, I'm nervous." She shook her head, "I feel like we gotta impress her." She laughed a little as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, me too." Punk said, "But let's not think of it like that. She's probably nervous too. Let's just… try and get to know her, let her know us." He nodded, "Just be honest and hope that she can somehow see sense in what we did."

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"And hey, all of this with Tom… it is gonna get better." He nodded as she looked at him, "Maybe not in a day or two but… soon." He said as AJ smiled, "You do what's good for you and Amelia. You put yourself first because you're allowed to. He lost the chance to get any sort of say in what you're doing." He said as she nodded.

"Yeah, thanks." AJ smiled as Punk just nodded.

"You want some dinner? You must be starving." He stood up as she smiled and nodded, watching as he walked off to go make dinner, sighing to herself as she rested her head against the sofa. She felt so supported and taken care of, and she never thought she would feel that at a time like this, where she had lost her husband. But Punk was here to help her, he was here to support her, to not pass judgement or look down on anything. She loved him for that.

"Do I look ok?" AJ asked, sitting in a booth at Frank's diner the next night, completely nervous to be actually having the chance to talk to their daughter. A proper chance.

"Hey, you look fine." Punk assured her.

"I hope Amelia is ok with Dean." AJ nodded, fidgeting with her sweaty hands, keeping her eyes on the door.

"She'll be fine. Dean had a whole night planned out with her. They were gonna take Spike out and get some ice-cream. Rent a movie." Punk nodded, "She's fine." He smiled as she nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded along, watching as Rey suddenly appeared, walking in through the door and down the diner.

Rey noticed them at the table and headed over, trying to pretend she hadn't spent the past hour overthinking the entire meeting, thinking of ways to back out and excuses to make. She was incredibly nervous and she really didn't want them to know.

"Hey." Rey nodded, "Sorry I'm late." She said, sliding into the booth beside AJ.

"That's ok. We haven't ordered yet anyway." AJ smiled as Rey nodded.

"You walk here?" Punk asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah. I walk everywhere. No point in having a car here." Rey shrugged, taking her jacket off, "I uh… I don't even need to look at this menu." She shook her head as Punk smiled.

"We don't either." Punk nodded, "What you having?" He asked her, sliding out of the booth.

"Uh… Vanilla milkshake. Cheeseburger and onion rings. Get some ranch, oh and lots of napkins. Lots." She nodded.

"Got it." Punk nodded, walking on over to the counter whilst Rey turned to AJ.

"You look nice." Rey smiled. She told herself that she wouldn't treat them as the parents who left her, but just her parents. Two people who tried to do the right thing. She believed in second chances and she believed everyone deserved one.

"Really?" AJ laughed a little, "I just threw this on." She said as Rey nodded. Her mother was extremely beautiful in every way. She wondered if she was as beautiful on the inside, "I just want to say thank you for meeting with us. It really means a lot to us." She nodded.

"Yeah, well we gotta start somewhere." Rey nodded, "You never seemed to mention that you had another kid." She said.

"God, my head was in the clouds when we first met." AJ admitted, "I wasn't trying to hide it from you it just… it never came to me to tell you." She said, "She's a little, little sister." AJ smiled.

"Yeah, six, right?" Rey asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Amelia."

"Pretty name." Rey nodded, "I'd like to meet her at some point. If that would be ok." She said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, of course." AJ smiled, "Whenever you want." She said as Rey smiled, watching as Punk came back to the table, sliding into the booth.

"This place must be super old then if you guys used to go when you were younger." Rey nodded as Punk laughed a little.

"Yeah, thanks." Punk scoffed, "Super old." He nodded.

"Well… you know what I mean." Rey shrugged.

"Yeah, it was pretty new when we were younger." AJ said, "I remember it opening up when I was like 14 or something." She nodded.

"Yeah, I remember that too." Punk nodded, "It's never lost it's spark. It's always busy, no matter what day or time." He said, looking around.

"The food is really good." Rey nodded, "I was a little disappointed that I wasn't gonna get any wine out of this but… I'm not actually that mad. I appreciate a good milkshake and burger." She said.

"Do you drink a lot?" Punk asked her.

"I'm not a raging alcoholic." Rey assured, "But… yeah, every now and then. I know my limits." She nodded.

"How long have you worked in Hooters?" AJ asked her.

"Since I was seventeen." Rey nodded, "School was just not for me so I knew I had to get a job before leaving. And as soon as I got enough money I got my ass out of care and got my own place." She said.

"You like working there?" Punk asked her. They were trying not to make it seem like they were questioning her, but they didn't really know where to start.

"I mean, it has its perks." Rey said, "But it's not all great. People still think it's a strip club for some reason." She shook her head, "But it pays my bills so whatever." She shrugged, "What about you two? Where do you work? Well I know you're in the garage but… what about you?" She turned to AJ.

"I have my own company. Fashion line." AJ nodded as Rey raised her eyebrows.

"Oh." Rey nodded, impressed, "You gotta hook me up with some free clothes then." She said as AJ smiled, "You must be smart." She figured.

"Well a lot of it is just common sense." AJ nodded, "You ever wanted to go to college?" She asked.

"I did, I still do. I always wanted to be a doctor." Rey said, "I don't know, I like the idea of helping people." She nodded, "But I don't think I have the right grades to get into college."

"Hey, you go for it if it's what you wanna do." AJ nodded, "Don't let anything stop you. That's a great career to have." She said as Rey nodded.

"I don't know, I change my mind about it all the time." Rey shrugged, "But hey, let's not make this a question and answering session." She nodded to them both, "I… I really want to try and make this work with you guys." She admitted to them, "I guess we got off on the wrong foot but I was just shocked and I didn't know how to react. I immediately had my fists up but that's just the way I grew up." She shrugged, "You guys actually seem like… ok people." She said as Punk laughed a little and nodded, "So I'd really like to just get to know you and see where this goes. No pressure, no time limit, just… casual." Rey nodded to them both.

"Well… we'd love nothing more." Punk nodded to her, "Thank you for giving us the chance." He said, "It means a lot to us. You… mean a lot to us."

"You don't know me. I could be a bitch. I could be a murderer." Rey nodded as Punk raised a brow whilst AJ looked at her, "Well I'm not obviously but you know… you never know. We're practically strangers." She nodded, "So let's just get to know each other and take it one step at a time." She said.

Surprisingly, Rey found herself get comfortable with AJ and Punk extremely quickly. They began to make conversation about a lot of things. Nothing got too deep, but slowly they were getting to know one another and it was different than how she thought. She found them to be really supportive which was something she really wasn't used to.

"You guys are weak." Rey tutted, noticing they hadn't finished their food which she had successfully managed to do.

"I should have stopped eating a while ago." AJ laughed a little as Rey smiled. She found them to be warm people. They'd really embraced her already and they weren't judgemental or opinionated. They listened to all she said and they also told her some of their own stories. In her opinion, it was a good first meeting for sure.

"Yeah, I never know when to stop myself." Rey nodded, looking over to the door which she saw open, noticing Zac stumbling through as her smile faded. AJ noticed the change in her daughter's expression and looked across at Punk with confusion.

"Your phone not work all of a sudden?" Zac made his way over to the table as AJ and Punk turned around.

"Not now." Rey shook her head to him, noticing he was clearly high and drunk, which was normally when she got calls from him, "I'll… call you later." She said, wanting nothing more than for him to disappear.

"What's going on here? Are these new friends you got?" Zac smiled as Rey looked down.

Punk noticed Rey getting uncomfortable which was enough for him to say something, "Hey, kid. Why don't you come back another time, yeah?" He nodded as Zac turned to him.

"Kid?" Zac laughed a little, "Who the hell are you?"

"Zac, just leave it. Go away." Rey shook her head.

"Wait a minute…" Zac paused, looking from AJ to Punk, "Are these… are these the infamous parents you always complained about?" He turned to her, "The bastards who left you?" He asked her, "It is, isn't it." He nodded.

"Can you please just leave." Rey looked up at him, "Please." She nodded desperately. She too was trying to impress her parents in a way. Even though she wasn't trying to sell her personality to them or make them like her, she still had a conscience, she still wanted them to think highly of her regardless, and having Zac come in like this really wasn't doing her any favours.

"Alright, ok. I'll go." Zac laughed a little, "But wow, what a moment." He nodded, "How long until they realise what a cheap, useless whore you are, huh?" Zac chuckled as Punk stood up, grabbing him around the throat and slamming him back against the diner counter.

Rey raised her eyebrows, sitting up with concern as AJ placed her hand over her mouth.

"I'd be careful if I were you." Punk spat, grabbing Zac around the throat.

"Phil." Frank batted behind the counter, "C'mon, I've had enough of breaking up your fights." The older man looked over as Rey watched.

"Stay away from her." Punk warned quietly as Zac looked at him, gasping for air as Punk let him go and pushed him over, watching him stumble away and run out of the door.

He turned around and saw Rey putting her jacket on.

"I should go." Rey shook her head, taking her wallet out and putting down money for her food, "I'm sorry about that." She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, does he bother you like this all the time?" Punk asked her.

"I should really go. Thank you for tonight." She nodded to them both, quickly walking off down the diner and out of the door as Punk sighed, running his hand through his hair as he turned over to AJ.

"There's the Phil Brooks I remember." She nodded with disappointment as Punk looked across at her.