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"Mom, where are we going?" Raimy asked, walking downstairs with her backpack on after her parents had rushed all of them upstairs and packed them bags.
"Are we sleeping over with Auntie Cole?" Vivian asked, jumping down the stairs two at a time.
"I don't feel well." James sighed, slowly coming down the stairs behind as AJ placed her hand on her forehead, turning to Punk whilst Claire stood at the door.
"I can't do this." AJ cried, turning to Punk and shaking her head, "I can't…" She said. Her only instinct was to fight, to bring out that inner fighter she grew up as, but unfortunately, or luckily, she had a smart and controlled husband.
"You will make this worse." Punk grabbed her around the waist, whispering in her ear, "We'll get them out." He whispered, cupping her cheeks, "I promise you." He nodded as AJ whimpered and sobbed. Punk was trying his best to keep it together.
"I can't." AJ cried as Punk nodded.
"Yes you can." Punk told her, turning around to their children who were waiting around, "Ok, guys." Punk took a deep breath, "You guys are going to stay over somewhere. But you'll be together so… it's gonna be fine."
"All of us?" Vivian smiled.
"N-No… me and mommy aren't coming. It's not gonna be for long." Punk said, crouching down, "Just a little while. And we'll still see you. It's like a… like an adventure." Punk nodded as all three of them stared at him. Even James wasn't buying it.
"I don't want an adventure." James huffed.
"It won't be for long, buddy. I promise. It's just a little while." Punk assured him, cupping his cheek softly as James sighed, "You guys just promise that… that you stick together." He said as they nodded to him, "Ok." Punk nodded, "Ok, group hug." He smiled, trying to act natural even though he was completely dying on the inside.
He hugged them all tightly whilst AJ watched, her heart breaking. It felt impossible to do this.
"Mommy are you crying because you're going to miss us?" Vivian smiled, "Don't cry." She shook her head as AJ pulled herself together, crouching down as she hugged them all so tightly.
"I am going to miss you all." AJ nodded, "But like daddy said, it's not gonna be long."
"What about toys? All my toys are here." James huffed.
"I know, baby but… but where you're going… they'll have new toys." AJ nodded, cupping his cheeks, "And you'll feel better soon." She said, kissing his cheek, hugging the girls tightly whilst Punk stood watching.
He saw the look in AJ's eyes. It was like a part of her was being ripped out, and he really wasn't sure he could control her after the social workers had taken the kids. He saw the same girl he met all those years ago. That dangerous, nothing to lose, manipulating girl.
"I love you guys." AJ nodded, standing up straight and taking a deep breath.
"Ok, let's go." Claire nodded to them.
"Raimy." Punk whispered, placing his hand on Raimy's shoulder as the nine year old turned around, "Hey, can you… can you do me a favour?" Punk asked her, crouching down as Raimy nodded.
"What?" Raimy asked. She wasn't saying much because she wasn't quite sure she was fond of this idea.
"Look out for your little brother and sister." Punk nodded as Raimy looked at him, "This won't be long. We'll see you every day and… and you'll be back here soon." He said as Raimy nodded slowly.
"Ok." Raimy nodded as Punk sighed, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheek, standing up straight and walking over to AJ, watching as their children got took into the car. The terrifying thing was, there wasn't much they could do. They couldn't resist and they didn't have time to run, but they were sure as hell ready to fight for their children.
"We will be in contact." Claire assured them, about to walk away when AJ grabbed her wrist and glared at her.
"You should never have done this." AJ spat as Claire glared at her.
"Quite the grip." Claire nodded as AJ let her go, "They're going to a place where no one is grabbing them like that. You should be thanking me." Claire nodded, walking out of the door and down the steps as AJ placed her hands in her hair, her body physically shaking as she watched the car pull away, crying to herself as Punk placed his hands on his hips and took a deep breath.
"They took my babies." AJ cried to herself as Punk pulled her into him. He'd never saw her this emotional about anything. She was normally hard as nails and cold as ice, but this was way out of line, and he feared she would do something stupid. He knew she would do anything for her children's safety.
"It's ok. We'll get them." Punk nodded, closing the door over as AJ walked away, "April." Punk watched as she ran upstairs. He ran after her, running into their bedroom where she had flipped their mattress over and had pulled a gun out, "April." Punk sighed, "This isn't the solution."
"And what is?" AJ yelled hysterically, "Let our children go? For God knows how long?" AJ spat, "No, we're getting them out and we're-we're running somewhere to stay slow."
"Yeah and then when they find us they'll take our children from us for good." Punk said, "You're scared and you're upset. I am too." Punk nodded, "But they're strong kids-"
"James is three years old!" AJ yelled, "Don't tell me they're strong kids. Vivian is six. And it's not like Raimy is an adult." She said, "What if they hurt them? What if they do things to them?" AJ panicked, her mouth running away with her, "You… you went to foster homes, right?" AJ asked him, "What were they like? Did they beat you? Did they touch you? What… what are they like?" AJ spoke quickly and frantically.
"April, calm down." Punk took her by the shoulders as she looked at him, "You're not use to anyone like this." He said, "We will get them back. I know a lawyer."
"Answer my damn question." AJ spat, "Are they gonna get hurt?" AJ sobbed.
"No." Punk spat, "No. I've-I've been in foster homes. They're simple and basic. They'll still go to school. They'll be together. They always keep siblings together." He said, "They're gonna be fine."
"What if… what if something happens to them?" AJ asked, "Like me… when I was… I was six when my parents sold me? What if… what if that's what is happening?" AJ questioned.
"April, it's a foster home." Punk nodded, "They're still gonna be safe." He said, "We just need to work on getting them home. That's our job, as their parents. We can't be running around like headless chickens…" He said, grabbing the gun from her, "Waving guns in the air." He said, throwing it away as AJ sighed, "I know it's hard but they're depending on us." He said as AJ whimpered and spoke to herself, "Are you listening to me?" Punk shook her a little.
"What do we do?" AJ asked, feeling so defeated already.
"I don't even think it's legal what has just happened-"
"Of course it is." AJ spat, "Someone has reported us to social services, they came around and reviewed the situation and of course things looked terrible. Vivian made me look like a hooker. James being sick on himself didn't help and Raimy always getting into fights at soccer made us look abusive." She said, "We look like awful, awful parents." AJ said, "So yes, this is legal."
"We still fight it." Punk said, "I got a lawyer friend, from the CIA. I'll call her and we'll start on it tonight. Might be the case that… that it takes a few days for us to see anything happen but we can visit them." He nodded, "You just gotta bear with me, ok? I need you stable." Punk nodded as AJ ran her hands through her hair.
"I want them out tonight. Not in a few days." AJ said, "I don't want them in foster care. Do you have any idea how much this has been my worst nightmare?" She asked him, "I literally have nightmares about them being taken from me."
"It's not a breeze for me either." Punk assured her, "But we need to work together, for them."
"I will kill the person who reported us." AJ made clear, "And don't you try and stop me." She pointed a finger at him, "I'll do it."
"I believe you, trust me. But right now let's just… focus on getting them out." Punk said, "The quicker we do that, the quicker we get them home." Punk said as AJ nodded.
"Ok." AJ took a deep breath, trying to calm down, "Go… go call your lawyer friend." AJ nodded, drying her eyes, "But if you're calling your friends… I'm calling mine." She looked across at him as he stared at her with confusion.
"This is weird." Vivian shook her head, walking into the very plain room with her siblings.
"I want mommy." James huffed sadly. He was just too young to play along with this. He just wanted his mother and father more than anything.
"Don't be a baby, James." Vivian teased, putting her backpack down and jumping on the single bed, standing on it and bouncing up and down.
"Don't jump on the bed." Raimy said, looking around the room with confusion. It was just a simple, small room with three single beds in it.
"Why? It's bouncy." Vivian smiled, jumping up and down happily, looking over at James who was sitting on his bed and appeared to be crying, "Jay." Vivian huffed, "Don't cry." She frowned, jumping off the bed and walking over to her brother.
"I want mommy." James sniffled, "And daddy." He sighed as Raimy looked over, putting her bag down on her bed and walking over to make sure her brother was ok.
"This is just for a little while." Raimy said, "We'll see them tomorrow probably." She nodded.
"Yeah." Vivian added positively.
"It's gonna be ok." Raimy nodded, rubbing her brother's back softly, listening as footsteps got louder down the outside corridor until they stopped outside the room door.
Raimy turned around as she saw an older woman standing, wearing a dress and cardigan, looking like one of their school teachers, only she was a little more terrifying.
"You must be the Brooks children." She looked at the clipboard, "Raimy, Vivian and James." She read out.
"That's us." Vivian smiled, jumping back up on her bed and bouncing up and down, "Is this like an adventure? That's what daddy said." Vivian nodded, bouncing around whilst Raimy kept her eyes on the woman standing.
"Not quite. I'm Polly." She said, walking further into the room, "Do you children know where you are?"
"No actually." Vivian realised, "Where?" She asked, bouncing around as Polly watched, agitatedly.
"Well it's a big place for children who… their parents no longer want." Polly smiled as Vivian stopped bouncing and paused, "So let me be clear about this, my children. Mommy and daddy… are not coming." She nodded as James turned to Raimy.
"Yes they are." Raimy challenged, "They are coming."
"Oh, no they're not." Polly said, turning back to Vivian who was still standing on the bed, "And you… young lady." She spat, grabbing Vivian tightly by the wrist and pulling her off the bed onto the floor as Vivian tripped up a little, falling onto the floor and hitting her head, "You do not stand on the bed!" She yelled.
"Hey, don't touch my sister." Raimy pushed Polly hard, getting ready to fight as Polly turned around and smacked her across the face.
"You'd be wise not to do that again." Polly spat as Raimy got to her feet, holding her face whilst Vivian got up slowly. All three of them hadn't experienced any violence in their life at all, so this was absolutely terrifying.
"You're mean." Vivian said.
"It's time for bed." Polly said strictly, "So get into your pj's." She told them, "And get to sleep." She spat, leaving the room and slamming the door shut tight as Vivian frowned.
"I don't like her." Vivian frowned.
"Me neither." James rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"I wanna go home." Vivian mumbled as Raimy looked at them both. She remembered what her father had asked her to do, and she would always look out for her younger siblings regardless.
"It'll be fine." Raimy nodded to them, "Let's just get to bed. It'll be nicer when we wake up." She assured them, even though she too was frightened of this place already.