Missing Persons
"I don't understand why they would just up and leave." Catherine Brooks complained at the police station. "My son called me three weeks ago and said he and his wife were fine but not to look for them and as mad as that made me I respected his wishes."
"Maybe because your son is guilty of something." Janet Mendez hissed. "He's been ruining our daughters life for years now. What if he hurt her?" she asked her husband who was remaining quiet.
"This is ridiculous" Catherine laughed. "My son wouldn't hurt April he loves her, believe me I'm none too happy about it either."
"It's just interesting that the minute she announces she's pregnant she goes missing." Janet said with tears in her eyes. "We've heard stories like this before on the news, a man isn't prepared for a child so he disposes of the problem."
"Oh please." Catherine laughed. "Phillip wouldn't touch a hair on your daughters head. Maybe April hasn't contacted you because she hasn't spoken to you in years also she didn't suddenly announce her pregnancy she's just about 7 months now. You would know if you took an interest."
"He must have hurt her. No one has seen her in weeks." Janet said to Hector.
"I don't believe that." Hector admitted quietly.
"At least one of you makes sense." Catherine said to them. "I was planning her baby shower and they took off also they speak to my daughter weekly so they're more than fine."
"Have you personally heard April's voice?" Janet asked and Catherine rolled her eyes.
"Believe me my son isn't perfect but he would do anything for your daughter that's just the kind of man that he is." Catherine stated proudly. "He has provided her with a roof over her head once you turned her away."
"Don't you dare judge us." Janet hissed at her.
"How could I not?" Catherine questioned. "You threw your daughter out and missed out on your first grandchild."
"We have different standards and beliefs." Janet defended.
"That's lovely and believe me I'm not April's biggest fan but I never tossed her or my son out." Catherine stated with a shrug. "Family is family and I finds it hypocritical that you are here trying to file a missing persons on a woman you haven't acknowledged in years."
"They left for a reason." Hector said to them. "They had a good reason I'm sure."
"How can you say that?" Janet gasped.
"Do you know something we don't know?" Catherine asked him. "If my son is in trouble I have a right to know."
"I didn't say trouble but I stopped by to see them the night before they left and they mentioned maybe taking off for a little. I think April was a little stressed out." Hector lied already knowing why they left but keeping it to himself.
"So they pick up and move? Leave all of their things behind?" Janet asked her husband. "You're a cop! You know how suspicious that looks!"
"I don't like that you're accusing my son of doing something illegal." Catherine said to her. "How did you even realize they were gone?"
"Not from you." Janet scoffed. "I've gone by to see her because I wanted to see how she was feeling-"
"Phillip told me you'd have no part in their sons life." Catherine pointed out. "Why the sudden change of heart? Maybe you did something to them-"
"No one did anything." Hector said to them. "They're adults and maybe wanted a change of scenery which is understandable."
"I want to file a report." Janet insisted and Catherine rolled her eyes. "He did something to our daughter."
"He didn't." Hector insisted. "I'll get in touch with them and you can speak to April to hear it for yourself."
"If I don't hear from her by tonight I'm going to the press." Janet said to Catherine. "How will you look to all of your fancy rich friends when they find out your son is an abuser."
"How dare you!" Catherine yelled.
"She's not going to the press." Hector told Catherine.
"I always knew April was trouble but now I see where she got it from." Catherine said to Janet. "How she managed to evolve is beyond me but thank god for that." she then stormed out of the room.
"I want to hear from my daughter." Janet told Hector coldly then left.
"This is cute right?" AJ asked gesturing to the small crib in the corner of their loft in New Jersey.
The space wasn't big it was one large room that had a living room, kitchen, bathroom and one bedroom. They didn't want to buy anything bigger and have to fill it with furniture when they already had a home back in Chicago.
"I like it." Punk agreed as he cooked in the kitchen.
"He won't be sleeping in it or anything for a while but I won't him to know he has a place here." AJ said proudly.
"Oh, he knows." Punk smirked.
"He's kicking so much." AJ sighed slowly sitting on the couch.
"Yea? You sure it's kicking and not contractions?" He asked cautiously.
"It's way too soon for that. I'm only seven months." she reminded him.
"Yea but if you're not feeling well we should take you to the hospital." he frowned.
"I'm fine." AJ assured him. "I'm just tired." she sighed. "This was a lot of work in a short amount of time."
"Yea." he agreed moving around the kitchen.
"Do you think Billy is looking for us?" AJ asked him.
"Probably but he also probably can't keep a straight thought and wouldn't know where to look for us first." Punk said to her and she nodded. "Missing home?"
"Not really." she admitted. "This is nice. No one knows us here, no one is judging us and there's no creep sneaking in our home at night and Jersey isn't all that bad." she pointed out. "It's a quiet area and seems safe."
"It is." Punk agreed.
"What about you?" AJ asked him.
"I kind of like it." He admitted. "Running away with you is something I always thought we'd do eventually. Of course that was when you were 18 I didn't imagine it happening when we were both adults."
"Yea." AJ sighed running her hand up and down over her stomach. "It doesn't matter though it's not forever."
"No I promise we'll be back home soon." He assured her. "I just need to figure some things out that's all."
"Ok." She said to him as she continued to rub her stomach.
"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked eyeing her.
"Yea I think we're just hungry." she smiled adjusting in her seat to get comfortable.
Someone began to knock on the door and Punk and AJ looked at each other.
"Is it him?" AJ whispered.
"Go into the bedroom." Punk instructed her and she sat up as fast as she could and walked into the bedroom.
Punk looked through the peephole and was relieved to see it wasn't Billy but wasn't too pleased by who he saw.
"I know you're in there." Hector Mendez said loudly. "I don't plan on leaving."
"Who is it?" AJ whispered peeking out of the bedroom.
"Your father." Punk said as he opened the door and Hector walked right inside.
"What are you doing here Hector?" AJ asked walking out of the bedroom fully.
"Your mother is worried." Hector said to her. "She wanted to file a police report. I told her I'd come out and find you."
"How did you find us?" AJ asked him.
"He hacked into my credit card purchases." Punk scoffed closing the door.
"You didn't leave me much choice." Hector pointed out.
"I'm here, I'm fine you can go back and tell your wife." AJ said folding her arms.
"She has a right to be concerned." Hector scolded. "You couldn't pick up the phone and tell us you were leaving?"
"We don't speak." AJ huffed.
"Why did you leave?" Hector asked the two of them.
"Why do you think?" AJ asked him.
"I thought you both snuck out to avoid Mr. Fisher but when I went to your place last night and saw the nursery fully done up-" Hector began.
"What?" Punk asked cutting him off. "We didn't do anything in the nursery."
"It's painted and filled with." Hector told him and pulled his phone out and passed it to Punk. "Took a picture in case."
"In case it was a crime scene?" AJ asked annoyed shaking her head.
"Look at this." Punk said showing it to AJ.
"It's an exact replica of PJ's room." AJ frowned. "Everything is the same."
"You didn't do that?" Hector asked them.
"You wouldn't know because you were never around but that's exactly PJ's room and we weren't going to put the new baby in there." AJ told him passing him back his phone.
"We just took everything down and got rid of most of it." Punk confirmed.
"The home has been lived in." Hector said to them. "Your bed wasn't made, there was fresh food and the shower was wet."
"He's living in our home." AJ said horrified to Punk.
"Who is?" Hector asked them.
"The night you came by to see us Billy was in the house." Punk told him. "He stayed all night and when I left in the morning he confronted AJ about the baby."
"Why didn't you call the police?" Hector demanded.
"You were so helpful the first time I filed a complaint against Billy why wouldn't I call you or the police?" AJ asked mockingly.
"So you felt picking up and leaving was the only option?" Hector questioned them. "That's very irresponsible."
"We're not children so don't talk to us like we are." AJ demanded. "We're doing what we have to do to keep our son safe."
"He threatened to get a court order." Punk told Hector and AJ glared at her husband for being so honest with Hector. "He's a cop maybe he can help us."
"A court order for a paternity test?" Hector asked him and Punk nodded.
"Great." AJ laughed. "Now he's going to think I'm a big slut."
"I don't think that April." Hector said shaking his head.
"He can't get near this baby." Punk told Hector. "Who knows what he'll do with him."
"Do you know for sure he's the father?" Hector asked them.
"No." AJ mumbled. "We were just about to have a test done but Billy showed up and found out he thinks he's the father he said he'd kill for this baby-"
"He's not of sound mind no one would give him rights to your child." Hector reasoned.
"What about if he goes back on his medication?" AJ asked him.
"Then it's possible." Hector admitted.
"Well I can't have that either." AJ said firmly.
"If he's biologically the father he has rights." Hector pointed out and AJ looked horrified.
"I know you hate me but do you hate my child so much that you feel I should hand my child off to him? And he's Phil's son! Not Billy's no matter what." AJ argued.
"I don't hate you but I'm being fair." Hector said to her.
"Being fair? To that psychopath?" AJ demanded. "You need to go."
"April please I'm trying to help don't you want to come back home?" Hector asked her.
"Of course we do but not if that means Billy gets near our son." Punk answered.
"He might not even be yours." Hector reminded him.
"It doesn't matter to me." Punk said honestly. "Our son's safety and AJ's safety is what matters to me. You want him to have rights yet you just told me he assaulted Maria and shot you to frame me you think he deserves right to any child let alone your own flesh and blood."
"I didn't tell April to be careless by who she fornicates with." Hector defended.
AJ grabbed her stomach and hunched over.
"AJ?" Punk asked concerned.
"Make him leave please." AJ pleaded as Punk held her up.
"What's the matter? Is it the baby?" Punk asked fearfully.
"I think so." She cringed in pain.
"What's happening?" Hector asked.
"You happened." AJ hissed. "You're trying to hand my baby off!"
"I'm not!" Hector shouted fearfully.
"I'm taking you to the hospital." Punk said grabbing her bag.
"I think I'm in labor." AJ said looking at him.
"It's too soon, isn't it too soon?" Hector asked Punk.
"It's too soon." Punk confirmed.
"I knew this would happen." AJ cried. "The baby is going to die isn't he?" she asked Punk.
"Why would you say that?" Hector asked.
"You stressed her out- you need to go." Punk said helping AJ to the door.
"Let me help." Hector offered. "I'm a cop I can get you both to the hospital in record time."
Punk was at the hospital pacing around the ER waiting area while Hector sat quietly watching Punk.
"I didn't mean to upset her like that." Hector said to him.
"But you did." Punk said to him. "You know what? I always tell AJ to give you guys a second chance but after saying Billy has rights to my kid-"
"He might not be yours." Hector reminded him.
"He is mine." Punk seethed walking over to his father-in-law. "I'm the one who has been holding back AJ's hair while she gets sick, I'm the one holding her hand during sonograms, I'm the one picking out baby names and cribs, I'm the one that reads to her stomach every night so the baby can hear me, I'm the one who loves her and I'm the one who is going to be raising this child with her."
"I know you love my daughter." Hector said to him.
"Do you? Because you never thought I was good enough for her before." Punk pointed out.
"I never said that either." Hector said shaking his head. "She was my little girl and you ripped her away from me of course I was hurt."
"I didn't rip her away you pushed her away and I was the one who helped her." Punk reminded him. "And you missed out because AJ was an amazing mom to PJ. You would have been proud."
"I'm sure I would have." Hector said to him sadly.
"She's scared." Punk told him. "Not just of Billy but of something going wrong with this new baby. This is why we never wanted children again. And now she's probably freaking out and they won't let me in there with her."
"Did you want more children?" Hector asked him.
"No." Punk said to him. "I didn't want to feel the loss I felt with PJ ever again but now I'm excited or I was."
"April isn't going to be the positive one here so you're going to have to be the positive one for both of you." Hector insisted.
"She'll never be at peace until she knows Billy isn't a risk." Punk told him.
"Give me a few weeks." Hector said to him. "I'll catch him breaking into your place I just need to sit on your place that's all."
"I thought Billy deserved rights?" Punk asked him.
"You and April deserve a second chance more." Hector said to him.
"He's bad news." Punk said to him. "I've never run from anyone before and if AJ wasn't involved in this I never would have ran to begin with. I've tried to scare him off, I've tried to make him leave and it doesn't work. He's unbalanced and unpredictable."
"I'll help anyway that I can but you have to keep me in the loop." Hector said to him. "I just don't know what she was thinking getting involved with a man like that to begin with."
"We both hit rock bottom after we lost our son." Punk told him. "We're just getting back up now and this baby is helping us."
"Mr. Brooks?" A doctor questioned and Hector stood up.
"How is my wife?" Punk asked him.
"She went into labor." The doctor told him and Punk's face dropped. "But I gave her steroids and it's seemingly halted it. I want to keep her for a couple of more hours just to make sure."
"Why did she go into labor?" Punk demanded.
"Her blood pressure was very high." The doctor said to him. "Is she under stress?"
"Who isn't?" Punk mumbled.
"She needs to rest." The doctor insisted.
"Can I see her?" Punk asked him.
"Of course." The doctor said to him.
"I think it's best you don't go in there." Punk said to Hector before following the doctor.
"I'm flying back home tonight I need to know how to reach you because I need to be kept in the loop about her health and you need to be kept in the loop about Billy Fisher." Hector said to him.
"I'll get in touch with you." Punk said then walked away.
AJ was laying down when Punk walked in and she seemed relived to see him.
"He stopped the labor." AJ said reaching her arm out and Punk took her hand.
"I heard." Punk said sitting in the chair next to her. "How are you feeling?"
"Better." She assured him.
"You have to calm down." Punk told her and she frowned. "I know you're scared and I know this has been a lot but you're going to make yourself and the baby sick."
"I'm really trying." she sniffled. "I can't help it."
"I know sweetheart." He said kissing her hand.
"Is Hector going to tell Billy where we are?" She asked him. "He might you heard what he said-"
"No." Punk promised her.
"Phil we can't trust him." AJ whispered.
"We don't have many options." He reminded her. "We need him on our side here. He's going to help us."
"He's never wanted to help us." AJ reminded him crying. "He's going to lead Billy right to us."
"No one is going to do that." Punk promised.
"How can you keep saying it's going to be ok?" AJ asked him. "Everything has been bad."
"Nothing bad happened. The labor stopped and you're going to be ok. You just need to hold on for a few more weeks." Punk assured her.
"Then what?" she asked him. "Wait for Billy to take him? Even if this baby is yours he's convinced it's his."
"Do you think I'd let Billy get anywhere near Anthony?" Punk asked her. "I'll kill him." he whispered.
"Then you'll be gone too." She sobbed.
"Stop getting so worked up." Punk begged. "The baby needs you to be strong and positive."
"I'm tired now." she admitted. "I can't do this anymore."
"You're doing great." Punk assured her kissing the top of her head now.
"Why was I so stupid?" she asked him. "How could I put us in this position? You should have just let me leave when I took off."
"No way." He said to her. "I'm so happy AJ."
"You are?" She asked him.
"I want this baby and I want you and I want to be a family." He admitted. "If I can do this so can you."
"You're right." She sniffled and nodded. "This is far worse for you-"
"We can do it together." Punk promised her. "We're going to do it together."
"I love you so much." She whispered tilting her head to look towards him.
"I love you too." He smiled.
"When can I go home?" She asked him.
"The doctor wants to monitor you for a little bit longer to make sure the labor really did stop." He said to her. "But you have to promise me you'll take it easy the minute we get home."
"I promise." She assured him. "I don't want to lose the baby."
"I know you don't." He said giving her a sad smile. "And you won't. Just try to take it easy for a few more weeks I know you can do it."
"I can." She said strongly.
The next day Billy Fisher was brought into the police station and sitting across from Hector Mendez.
"I know what this is about." Billy smiled leaning forward.
"Do you?" Hector asked him.
"It's about the baby." Billy said to him. "I get that you're worried because you have no idea who I am and that makes you uneasy I get that."
"What baby?" Hector asked him.
"The one your daughter and I are having together." Billy said reaching into his pocket and pulling out the sonogram he had stolen. "See?" he said sliding it to Hector.
"How did you get this?" Hector asked him.
"April gave it to me." Billy shrugged. "We just finished the nursery you should come by and check it out."
"So it was you who painted that room?" Hector asked him.
"April and I did it." Billy said to him. "Why?"
"April hasn't been in town in weeks." Hector said to him.
"I have a key to her place." Billy told him. "See?" he asked pulling the keys out of his pocket. "She asked me to paint it just like how it was."
"Her husband doesn't mind?" Hector asked him.
"Husband?" Billy questioned.
"Phil Brooks." Hector smirked.
"I don't know who that is." Billy shrugged and Hector narrowed his eyes at him. "April and I are having a boy."
"You and April aren't having a baby." Hector told him.
"She told me a few weeks ago we were both very excited." Billy smiled. "I've always wanted to be a dad but I'm nervous, April has talked me through it."
"Has she really?" Hector smirked.
"Yes. She's a wonderful woman." Billy said to him. "She's very sad but very pretty."
"Why did you stop taking your medications?" Hector asked him.
"I don't need the medication there's nothing wrong with me." Billy insisted. "It just blocks my creative view."
"You've been breaking into my daughters home." Hector informed him.
"She gave me a key." Billy laughed. "How else would I have the key?"
"You stole it?" Hector questioned.
"We're having a baby of course she gave me a key to her place." Billy said to him. "I'm moving in as a matter of fact."
"What about her husband?" Hector asked.
"She's not married." Billy reminded him.
"Here." Hector said opening a file and passing him a picture of Punk's mugshot. "You recognize him?"
"Oh him." Billy frowned. "He's this guy that April used to date and he hasn't gotten the hint. I hope you've arrested him."
"Where is April right now?" Hector asked him.
"New Jersey." Billy answered and Hector was taken back. "She's coming home in a few days."
"What makes you say that?" Hector asked him.
"She told me." Billy laughed. "We text and call each other every night and then I read to the baby over the phone." He smiled.
"May I see your phone?" Hector asked and Billy had no problem passing his phone over to Hector.
Hector searched the phone and he didn't even have AJ's number in it let alone call logs or texts to her.
"Why am I still here?" Billy asked him.
"We'd like you to meet with a psychiatrist." Hector said to him and Billy frowned. "You need some help son."
"I don't need help." Billy laughed. "Well I do, I'm having trouble putting the changing table together."
"You're not having a child, you're not with April and you don't live in that home. You're breaking an entering and I'm going to have to place you under arrest." Hector said to him.
"Speak to April." Billy insisted. "She'll back up my story."
"I have spoken to April." Hector assured him. "And her husband and they don't want you in their home. I'm going to recommend a full psy evaluation as well."
"You can't do this!" Billy yelled standing up but two officers walked inside. "I have rights! I have a child on the way!"
Punk was in the living room with the hockey game on mute. AJ had fallen asleep and he didn't want to wake her but watching the game in silence wasn't easy. His phone rang and saw it was Hector.
"Yea?" Punk asked.
"How is she?" Hector asked.
"She's resting." Punk said to him. "What about Billy?"
"He's been arrested and undergoing a full psych evaluation. He won't be around for a long time." Hector assured him. "We're also still trying to get him on the Maria assault."
"So we can come home?" Punk asked him.
"You can come home." Hector confirmed.
"You have to do something for me first." Punk said to him. "You need to go into our house and take that nursery down it will kill AJ to see that."
"Sure." Hector said to him.
Punk walked into the bedroom and AJ's eyes shot open.
"The game is over?" she asked in a sleep voice.
"No not yet but I have some good news." He smiled crawling into the bed next to her. "How do you feel about going home?"
"Are you serious?" She asked sitting up.
"Billy's been arrested." Punk said to her. "And he's very unstable no one is going to believe or listen to his baby claims he's in a mental hospital as we speak."
"We can really go home?" She asked him.
"Yea and we can get ready properly for this baby." he smiled.
"What if he gets out?" AJ asked him.
"Stop thinking 'what ifs'." He warned her. "We're in the now and right now we're going home."
A/N: Thanks for the reviews and bare with me, the story picks up very soon.