Promises Kept

April ran as fast as she could. She had no idea she was capable of running so fast. She had short legs so this was impressive to her. She could hear Jeremy not far behind her which was a relief because it meant he wasn't anywhere near Punk. She kept running and running and making turns and making herself get lost in the process but as long as she didn't double back to Punk she was good. Like she said, she made peace with her own death it was Punk's life she wasn't willing to risk. After everything he did for her the least she could do was leave him alive so he could save more lives. Punk was a hero, April was just a witness. She'd never make the impact that he would make on the world.

April was out of breath and ducked behind a tree. She fell to her butt and began to breathe heavily. She was hoping she lost Jeremy but then she heard leaves and knew he was coming. She placed her hand over her own mouth so he wouldn't hear her heavy breaths and she saw him run right past her and deeper into the woods.

"I don't know if you're out there Robbie." April began quietly. "You know I don't pray or anything but I think I'm about to die." she announced. "And I'm scared." she had to admit. "I didn't even write an article for a real paper yet or get to make a difference. I've never fallen in love. I never had children and I'll never know what unconditional selfish love feels like."

"You're very dramatic." a voice said and April looked up and saw Punk standing over her. "And hint, when you're hiding don't talk to yourself." He said and April stood up and threw her arms around him.

"Are you ok, Ape?" He asked hugging her back and felt her heart pounding against his chest.

"Now I am." She said to him.

"I got a signal and help is on it's way. We just have to hold on a bit longer, ok?" he said and she nodded.

"Are you in pain?" April asked helping him sit down.

"Not as much. Once you started running I got this adrenalin rush." Punk said as April kneeled in front of him.

"You have such a bad cut." April cringed touching his forehead and he hissed. "Sorry." She almost cried as she cringed and blew gently over the cut.

"You saved my life again." He pointed out quietly. "Twice tonight actually. I'm going to deputize you." he teased.

"I really care about you." she said honestly. "I don't want you to die."

"I'm not dying and neither are you." he assured her. "They'll be here. They're tracking my phone and sending a helicopter and cops and Marshal's are on their way right now by car."

"What if they don't get here in time?" she asked as she still looked at his cut.

"Can you be positive?" He asked in a groan. "And stop playing with my cut." he said grabbing her hands and she was literally nose to nose with him. "It's alright." he whispered and kissed one of the hands he grabbed.

April could feel herself melt. She wasn't sure they would make it out of this alive still. She wish she had his positive outlook on it. But she decided if she was going to die she was going to die with a smile on her face.

April pressed her lips to his and was stunned when he moved his hand to the back of her head to keep her in position. His tongue swiped her lips and she parted them granting his tongue entrance. She pressed her body as close to his as possible as his hands now run up and down her back over the smooth material of her dress. This was how Punk wanted to die too, with the taste of AJ on his lips.

The kiss didn't last long because they heard a helicopter and saw a spotlight and soon they could hear people yelling out their names in the woods.

"We're here!" Punk yelled as April face fell and she stood up. She wanted to kiss him a lot longer. A few minutes weren't nearly long enough.

"Here!" April yelled waving her arms and they were rushed by SWAT team members, Marshal's and whoever else showed up.

"Are you alright?" Adam asked approaching April.

"Phil is hurt." April said pointing to the floor where Punk was still sitting.

"It's a concussion." Punk told him.

"Are you a doctor?" Adam asked mockingly. "We need an extraction to a hospital ASAP." he said into the walkie and that's when April saw the helicopter lower a bit and a basket came down.

"He's going in the helicopter?" April asked.

"I'm not." Punk said standing up slowly but Adam caught him.

"Yea you are." Adam said to him..

"I have to stay with April." Punk told him.

"We'll watch out for her." Adam said walking him over tot he basket that was lowered.

"It's ok." April said to Punk and he shook his head.

"No. I have to stay with her." Punk told Adam but Adam overpowered him.

"I'll stay with her myself." Adam promised him.

"They're still here in the woods. Jeremy is here." Punk warned him.

"There's two of them and about 200 of us. We'll be fine." Adam said to him as he sat Punk in the basket. Punk kept his eyes on April who's face a little cut up and she was shivering as she watched Punk go in one way.

"You have to bring her to the hospital." Punk told Adam who nodded. "I mean it. I want to see her there or I'm not staying."

"I'll bring her there." Adam promised. "I won't let her out of my sight."

"Give her a fucking jacket too." Punk spat as Adam signaled up the helicopter.

"I've got her." Adam promised him. "Just relax."

Punk kept his eyes on her for as long as he could as he was raised into the helicopter and she didn't move a muscle until he was out of her visual.

Punk was giving pain medicine and with his head injury he didn't wake up until the next afternoon.

"Sleeping beauty is finally awake." Adam teased. He clearly sat next to Punk all night

"Where is she?" Punk asked in a raspy voice.

"You're fine by the way." Adam said to him. "Concussion and some busted ribs, you also got stitches on your side but they'll release you tonight or tomorrow."

"April." Punk repeated looking at him.

"Not a broken bone, not even a stitch." Adam told him.

"Is she back at home?" Punk asked.

"No." Adam said to him.

"She's here?" Punk asked sitting up and Adam shook his head. "Well where the fuck is she?"

"The Chief and Cena met up with her last night here at the hospital." Adam told him and Punk sat up even though he was in pain. "It's better this way." he said knowing Punk knew already.

"You let them take her!" Punk yelled getting out of the bed but nearly falling over.

"Get back in bed." Adam demanded standing up.

"They put her in the program, didn't they?" Punk asked and Adam looked away. "You promised me you would fucking watch her!"

"I tried, man." Adam told him honestly. "They won't let me near her. She was here, got checked out, came in to see you but you were out cold then whisked off."

"Find out where they relocated her." Punk ordered.

"You know I can't do that." Adam said to him. "From what I heard they suggested and she agreed. It's for your own safety."

"Fuck my safety!" Punk yelled knocking over the bed tray violently. "They're going to find her and kill her!"

"John is going to stay with her for a bit I heard." Adam said and Punk grew even more angry.

"I trusted you!" Punk screamed. "She-"

"She's better off but more importantly you are." Adam reasoned.

"Fuck you!" Punk spat. "She pulled me out of that car and saved my life. I promised I'd stay with her."

"She's gone." Adam told him bluntly. "She's not coming back. Once they're in the system that's it."

"That's not it." Punk said shaking his head.

"You might see her at Sawyer's trial but they're passing the case off to another team so-" Adam began.

"What the fuck happened while I was out?" Punk demanded to know. "How did I lose April and my case?"

"You're too involved. Chief is afraid you've been green lit by the Sawyer family." Adam told him.

"I need to find April." Punk said to him. "Go get me some clothes." He ordered and Adam just stood there. "You're not going to help me, are you?"

"You've been put on forced medical leave." Adam told him. "I'm reporting to the Chief until further notice."

"You know what's going to happen to her, right?" Punk asked Adam desperately. "We were talking last night how we didn't trust John on our team and now he's in charge of her life. We have to get her back and I know you know I'm right because you won't even look at me."

"I just didn't think it was right how they took her without me knowing." Adam admitted. "Beth spoke to her. Chief said your life was in danger with her around and staying with you so she left. She didn't even pack up her stuff at your place."

"Please." Punk said walking over to him. "I can't lose her."

"Punk-" Adam began

"She's...she's more than a witness." Punk told him honestly. "She saved me twice last night and she was brave in front of me but scared on in the inside. She's probably terrified right now and I don't blame her. She trusts me, you and Beth for a reason." that stung Adam because he knew Punk was right.

"She was our witness, she was our friend." He added. "They had no right to talk her into doing this because you know she didn't want to go. She's all her parents had left, she wouldn't just go like this unless she was scared for me and she shouldn't be. They shouldn't have used me against her. I heard Jeremy last night when he was looking for her. He's a serial killer and a dog with a bone. He's going to find her. Sawyer's dad has moles in our agency because he's always one step ahead of us. If we don't find her first he'll kill her."

"I don't know how I would get that info." Adam said to him.

"It's not right I'm asking you to do this but I'm going to anyway because that's how important this is to me." Punk said honestly. "I'll tell you how to get the info because I have that clearance and I promise to keep you out of this but you need to go into the office and log into my computer because they won't let me in there. I have to get to her, please."

"It's a lot of trouble you're going through for a witness." Adam said to him.

"I told you she's not just a witness. She's special." Punk told him. "But I wouldn't go looking for her if I thought she was truly safer with Cena god knows where. I'll do it without you if I have to but-"

"Relax." Adam groaned. "Give me your log in info."

"Give me your phone." Punk said and Adam passe him his phone.

"You better marry this girl for all this trouble we're going through." Adam told him.

"I just want to keep her breathing." Punk said passing him back his phone.

"You do realize this is going to cost you everything, right?" Adam asked him. "Your career will not over be over but there will be a black mark over every arrest and conviction you have gotten. Not only that you could face criminal charges as well."

"Right." Punk said not following. "Do you think I haven't accepted this?"

"Just making sure." Adam said putting his phone in his pocket. "Beth is bringing you some clothes."

"Thank you." Punk said to him.

"I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't trust you completely." Adam said before he walked out.

"I know and I wouldn't take it for granted." Punk said to him.

"What are you going to do after you find her?" Adam asked and Punk shrugged.

"I'll worry about it when I find her." Punk told him.

"I'll be back in an hour." Adam told him and Punk nodded.

Punk walked over to his bed but he was to anxious to lay back down. He didn't notice the folded piece of paper that was next to his bed and opened it. It was in April's writing.

Phil,

I'm sorry you were sleeping and I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to your face but you looked so adorable sleeping. I wanted to say thank-you for everything you have done for me. You didn't just save my life and give me a place to lay my head at night, you gave me a companionship I didn't think was achievable in such a short amount of time. You haven't only been a great friend but a true confidant. I knew I could trust you with my deepest darkest secrets and greatest aspirations. I thought it was a one sided feeling. I felt like a schoolgirl with a crush and since I'm never going to see you again or have to see your face when you read this you should know that I fell for you. At first I thought it was a hero thing, what girl wouldn't fall in love with the man who saved her life? But it was much deeper than that.

My fears of impending death were pushed to the side when you were around and I had never felt safer. I'll never forgive myself for getting you hurt last night. You are an extraordinary man and so many people are going to benefit from you doing your job. They're all going to look up at you and see you as the hero you truly are. You're a life changer and that's a gift you can't just throw away. There's nothing more important than what you do and is a big part of the reason I love you so much. But what I loved most about you was your impatience, the way you would roll your eyes every time I walked out of the shower, the fact that you would sneak and wait until I'd fall asleep to try to beat my scores on your fame and how you say what's on your mind and never hold back. What you had called your flaws were the parts I admired the most.

You don't have a single flaw in your entire body. The Chief and John told me this was for the best, for your safety and I agree. I know what lies ahead and I've made peace with it. They have promised to keep me safe for as long as possible so I don't want you to worry. I'm sure you'll be relieved to have the messy girl out of your loft and life and you're probably reading this thinking I'm crazy but that's ok, I wouldn't be at peace if I didn't get this off of my chest. They wouldn't let me call my parents to say goodbye they said it would be too risky but could you check in on them from time to time? Tell them I'm ok and that I love them with all of my heart and I'll miss them so much that my heart with ache but I'll sleep better knowing they'll never have to pay for my mistakes or even have to bury me because I know they wouldn't be able to stand it.

Besides checking in on my parents remember to take care of yourself. Take a vacation! You've earned one! And please stop trying to beat my scores on your games, it's not going to happen. Stay safe too because you have a beautiful home waiting for you to fill with a family that I know you'll love and protect for the rest of your life. It's going to leave a huge void in my heart not being able to see or speak to you anymore but I'm happy knowing you'll be ok because you're one of the best people I have ever met in my entire life. You deserve nothing but the best things in life including that red door house with a white picket fence (I requested a similar house in my relocation but I don't think that's going to happen).

I'll admit I'm a little scared of death because I'm not sure how it's going to happen. Will it be quick? Will it hurt? Am I going to cry? Will you recognize me when I'm gone? Is their a heaven? Will I go to hell for my sins? Or does it all just go blank like you said? I'll guess I'll find out soon enough. As you can tell I'm nervous because not only do I ramble verbally but I've clearly rambled with this letter.

Goodbye Phil,

Love your 'Ape'

Punk noticed the letter had smudged spots which meant she had cried when writing this then he heard a tear drop hit the letter and realized he was crying himself. He wasn't sure what was worse, the fact that she felt she was able to lay it all out for him and he couldn't respond and express what he was feeling or the fact that she penned a goodbye letter. He could feel the fear she was feeling as she wrote this. A young woman with the world at her at the tip of her fingers thinking it was all about to be over and wondering how she was going to be murdered.

"Clothes?" Beth greeted with a smile but her face fell when she saw he was in tears. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." he said folding the letter up and cleaning his eyes.

"Adam told me what the plan is." Beth said to him and Punk held his hand up.

"There is absolutely no way you're going to talk me out of this." Punk warned her. "And the less we discuss it is best for you before you become an accomplice."

"I want to help." Beth told him and he looked surprised. "Something isn't right. They shouldn't have just taken her like that. John convinced the Chief of this last night when your call first came in. He wanted to wait for you to wake up but the Chief was worried about you and April was frantic thinking she was going to get you killed. She really cares about you."

"Yea, I know." Punk said quietly. "All I need from you is to help sneak me out of here and get me to a car."

"Alright." Beth said to him.

"She really wasn't hurt?" Punk asked.

"Her shoulder was bothering her but she wouldn't let anyone look at it until she knew how you were and then after that they just wanted to rush her out of here." Beth said to him and he frowned.

"She pulled me out of that SUV and hid me away." Punk told her. "What about Sawyer? Any luck tracking him?"

"We never saw him once we got there." Beth told him.

"I need you and Adam to find him." Punk said to her seriously. "April can leave WITSEC if she wants, she has that freedom but she'll never truly be safe until he's locked up."

"We won't sleep until we do." Beth promised.

"Even though he's probably already halfway to wherever she is." Punk said to her.

"I don't think they were taking her far." Beth admitted in a whisper.

"Why would you say that?" Punk asked.

"They felt taking her too far out of state would increase their chances of being spotted by Sawyer's people. And you know they think there are moles in the office." Beth added. "April hugged me goodbye last night and she said Wisconsin after I asked if she had any idea where she would be going. I just don't know where exactly in Wisconsin."

"That's good enough and close enough." Punk said already feeling better.

"Just be careful." Beth warned him. "There won't be backup once you go in after her since it's not sanctioned and you're hurt."

"I feel better than new." Punk as he pulled jeans on under his hospital gown then took the gown off and grabbed a t-shirt next. "I slept more than I have in weeks too."

"Do you want this?" Beth asked noticing Punk dropped the letter on the floor without noticing.

"Yea." Punk said taking I back and tucking it into the back pocket of hie jeans.

"Here's a phone you can use too. Adam is going to send the address if he finds one to you on that." Beth said and he nodded taking the phone. "Keys to the car downstairs. It's registered to good plates. I got it from the impound lot." She said and he took the keys.

"Thank you." Punk said kissing her cheek.

"I'll distract the security outside and you can go down the right and down the stairs.

"I'll pay you back for this." Punk promised her.

"Just be safe, both of you." Beth encouraged.

"April is going to be fine." Punk said more to himself.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! And spoiler alert: it is not going to be THAT easy to track down his girl. Also, how sad was April's letter? Let me know what you think! :)