The Agony

April was in shock, maybe that's why she didn't feel any pain? Her eyes became heavy as Adam pulled back his trigger and she shut her eyes and heard the gunshot ring out and knew she was dead. She wasn't sure why her mind was still racing but maybe there was an afterlife? Maybe she was in-between? Then it hit her. She wasn't going to see Punk ever again and that sadness weighed on her heavily. She thought she was going to be at peace when she died but instead she was miserable. She wanted to go back and at least say goodbye to Punk.

April eventually willed her eyes open and there was a bright shinning light and she knew she was gone and going into heaven. Now she had her answer to the question of the afterlife. When she opened her eyes more she began to smell and it did not smell like how she imagined it would. It smelt like cleaning supplies mixed with death. She moved her eyes around and was unsure of what was going on. And that's when she felt the pain in her chest. She scrunched her face up and groaned in agony at the feeling.

"Ape?" a familiar voice asked and suddenly her pain was bearable.

Punk had walked in the hospital door and saw her eyes opened and kissed the top of her head.

"Welcome back." he smiled and she looked at him.

"What happened?" She asked in a raspy voice.

"You were shot." he told her bluntly.

"I remember." She said thinking about it. "Adam."

"Yea." Punk said quietly.

"Where is he?" She asked.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Like I've been shot." She said to him honestly. "Am I ok?"

"You are. You are incredibly lucky." He told her.

"Why did he shoot me?" April asked him.

"Because Adam was working with Sawyer." He told her.

"I thought he was your friend." April frowned.

"Me too." Punk said sitting in the chair that was right next to her bed. "John and the Chief had been investigating him. They couldn't tell me about Adam but that's why they wanted you away from the team so badly. It wasn't about me it was about Adam being too close."

"How's Beth?" April asked.

"I don't know." Punk admitted. "She was bought in for questioning to see if she was in on it with him."

"Why can't you ask Adam?" April asked.

"I wouldn't trust a word out of his mouth anyway." Punk said to her.

"I'm sorry." She said to him. "He was your oldest friend."

"I'm not sorry." Punk said to her simply. "I'm only sorry he hurt you first. I was halfway out the door when he shot you and he was about to do it again."

"Well, I'm grateful you saved me." She smirked through the pain. "What?" She asked noting how he was looking at her.

"I'm just happy to see you breathing and awake. You look beautiful." he told her honestly.

"Do I still have to hide?" She asked.

"Let's worry about that later." Punk said to her. "They arrested James Sawyer so that's a big weight off of you." he reached for the call button next. "We'll call your doctor in to look you over."

"Will you stay with me?" She asked holding his hand.

"I haven't left your side all night and day and I have no plans to do so now." He told her. "I'll be here with you until you get out then we'll figure out our next move."

"Don't let them send me away." She pleaded and he laughed.

"Sweetheart, they'd have to do it over my dead body and they know it." Punk smirked as the doctor and nurse walked in.

"April, nice to see you awake." The doctor grinned grabbing her chart.

"We just need the room to examine her." The nurse told him and he nodded and stood up but still held her hand. He kissed her hand before he gently placed it back down.

"I'll be right outside the door." He promised her.

"Ok." She smiled.

John walked over to Punk and passed him a cup of coffee.

"She's up." Punk told him.

"Good." John nodded drinking his own coffee. "She's lucky."

"So lucky yet she's living in fear and hiding." Punk said looking towards the door.

"Have you decided what you're going to do?" John asked. "Going back to your loft or secret house or out of state?"

"I don't know yet." Punk admitted. "This has been a lot to take in over the course of twenty-four hours." he said pulling out his phone with his free hand and typing. "I have to let her dad know she's up."

"I know you're pissed me and Chief didn't tell you about our investigation into Adam." John said to him. "But you two had a long history and -"

"I had every fucking right to know." Punk shot at him.

"I know this isn't easy. You two trained together and were roommates for years." John pointed out.

"Since she's been shot all I've been thinking about is her." Punk told him bluntly.

"You need to start thinking of a plan of what you're doing after when she gets released." John said to him. "Will you be back to work?"

"No." He told him. "I want to be more than anything because I need to track down the rest of the Sawyer family since clearly Adam didn't do shit about it. I feel like we've wasted weeks. Maybe you could have been looking into Sawyer's dad while you were doing everything else behind my back."

"We had a lot going on." John snapped.

"You could have shared the burden with me." Punk shot back.

"You were busy following your new girl around." John said to him.

"Good thing I was or she'd surely be dead under your watchful eye." Punk remarked.

"Chief and I have been thinking of a way to lure him out." John told him.

"Don't keep me in suspense, boy-scout." Punk mocked.

"Cute." John smirked. "We set April in-"

"No." Punk said simply. "What's plan B sound like?"

"You didn't even let me finish." John said to him.

"It sounds like you want to bait him using Ape." Punk said to him. "She's been attacked in my loft, run down in a car, chased through the woods and shot. We're not waving her in front of a criminal mastermind. Think of something without her."

"It's not up to you." John reminded him. "You're not even actively working."

"She just got shot, give her some fucking time she literally just opened her eyes." Punk said annoyed.

"We're hoping it won't come to us asking her that." John told him honestly. "With Adam not leaking information anymore we're hoping to catch a break."

"Her doctor told me she's going to need about three weeks at home after she's released on bed rest and I plan on being there with her. Once she's healed I'll be back and work Sawyer's case myself." Punk told him.

"Take as much time as you want. I'll be running the team." John told him. "Not that there's much of a team since I don't think Beth is coming back either. She's too ashamed so I'm hoping interviews to fill the vacant spots."

"Fuck that." Punk said to him.

"You'll get your special office and title back the second you get back. You know the chief has a soft spot for you but until than I'll handpick everyone and we'll get Sawyer's father before you get back." John told him.

"You are not-" Punk began but the doctor came out of April's room to get him.

"Marshal." The doctor greeted.

"How is she?" Punk asked him.

"She's the-" the doctor began.

"-luckiest woman ever?" Punk finished for him and the doctor laughed.

"Yea." he said to him. "She's in some pain so we upped her medicine but other than that she'll be fine. I'm going to keep her a few more days. We have to get the chest tube out then see how she does without it."

"Alright." Punk told him.

"I'm on call if anything changes." he told Punk.

"Thank you." Punk said to him then ignored John and walked back into April's room.

April was laying back down and looked like she fell back asleep but that was fine. Punk was comfortable enough sitting there and just watching her.

"I'm awake." April said opening her eyes. "They were poking and prodding me so I told them I was tired."

"You should sleep." Punk encouraged.

"I might be getting out of here sooner than you think." She said to him. "I need to think about where I'm going."

"I'll tell you what." Punk said leaning over from his chair. "You can pick anywhere you want to go. Where you'll think you'll be most comfortable and we'll go there and I'll make sure it's safe."

"Home." She told him in a groggy voice.

"Home? I mean your parents aren't there but I'm sure they wouldn't mind." Punk said to her.

"No. The loft." She corrected him. "I meant your home." she smiled tiredly.

"Alright." He smiled. "I don't mind giving my bed up for you for another few weeks."

"I was hoping we were passed that weirdness." She said to him with a smile.

"I suppose we are." He agreed.

"You don't regret what happened before I got shot, do you?" She asked.

"I do." He said honestly and in a serious voice. "You have no idea how much I do."

"Oh." She said frowning.

"I keep thinking if I would have locked the attic door John never would have interrupted us." He said and she shook her head.

"You're a dick." She laughed.

"I told you I am family and you have to let me in!" a voice screamed from outside the hospital room.

"Who is that?" April asked fearfully.

"Relax." Punk said to her then stood up and opened her door.

"Phillip Jack Brooks, tell them to let me in." Karen Brooks demanded.

"Ma, I told you not to come here. She's not up for visitors." Punk said to her.

"Yes I am!" April yelled sitting up slowly and almost crying. Karen barely knew April but showed her the kind of love only a mother could.

"You heard her." Karen said rudely to the Marshal.

"It wasn't personal Mrs. Brooks." The Marshal at the door sighed as she pushed passed him.

"Baby." Karen nearly cried as she walked over to April and threw her arms around her. "What a rough few weeks you have had."

"I know." April cried into her arms. "It's been a nightmare."

"You poor thing." Karen said soothing her and Punk glared at his mother.

"She was fine before you came in here and made her cry." Punk groaned annoyed.

"I didn't make her cry. She needs to cry." Karen said glaring at her son. "I know you don't believe in crying but she's had a rough time."

"I didn't tell her not to cry." Punk said standing over them.

"I'm just happy to see you." April said pulling away and cleaning off her eyes.

"I'm happy to see you too." Karen said cupping her face.

"You can't stay long because she has to rest." Punk told his mother who rolled her eyes.

"You don't boss me around, I boss you around." Karen reminded him sternly and April giggled. " You are not actively working you're here as...a concerned friend." She forced out annoyed.

"I can't get into this right now." Punk said to his mother.

"I know your parents are out of town so I bought you some things I would want my child to have." Karen said opening her large bag. "Pajamas and robe." She said pulling the items out. "Slippers so you can walk around here, snacks." She said passing her a box of chocolate. "And a few books."

"Thank you so much." April said looking at all of the items.

"I heard about Adam." Karen said to Punk. "I don't know what went on the other day but I know he and April were shot. I'm sorry he got hurt-"

"Don't be." Punk said to her.

"Phil-" Karen began.

"I shot him." Punk told her and her face dropped. "He shot April and if I didn't shoot him he was going to kill her. It as a no brain-er. He was a fucking traitor. My only regret was not killing him."

"I didn't realize that." Karen said uncomfortably.

"Don't feel bad. It is what it is." Punk said to her as he finished his coffee.

"It's just, you two were so close for so many years-" Karen began but Punk cut her off.

"I'm going to get more coffee, you want some?" He asked April who nodded. "Ma?"

"Sure, honey." Karen said then watched him walk out of the room.

"How close were they?" April asked Karen.

"Like brothers." Karen told her and April's face fell.

"He must be torn up." April frowned.

"Don't worry about that." Karen said fluffing her pillow for her. "I have to bring you better pillows."

"You don't have to do all of this for me." April insisted.

"Nonsense." Karen said. "My son is very fond of you and that means I'm very fond of you."

"Your son is a hero." April told her.

"Actually, he told me after the car accident you were the hero." Karen smiled. "I owe you my sons life."

"I think we're both even now." April said to her.

"Would it be inappropriate if I asked you what was going on between you and my son?" Karen questioned innocently.

"I honestly don't know." April told her. "He's an amazing man. But I'm afraid with the case coming to an end that exciting feeling will be over for him. He'll just move on to a new case and I'll be...well, I'm not sure where I'll be but it will be somewhere."

"I think my son has been glued to you since he met you. He hasn't slept in weeks. He was aimlessly driving around towns looking for any sign of you." Karen told her. "He's never done that for any witness or woman before. Even though all of this madness is going on he's still the happiest I've ever seen him. Phil doesn't like to be happy for some reason." She teased.

"He deserves to be happy." April told her.

"You and I agree on that." Karen smiled.

"I really like your son." April admitted. "When I was shot I kept thinking how I wasn't going to get to say goodbye to him."

"Sounds like love." Karen grinned.

"I don't think your ex-husband would approve of that." April teased.

"You had the pleasure of meeting Dan." Karen laughed.

"He thought I was Phil's cleaning woman." April told her.

"He's a dick. He means well, but still a dick." Karen said to her. "Phil doesn't need anyone's approval anyway. So, how are you really feeling?"

"Like someone just shot me in the chest." She groaned laying back. "It didn't hurt when it happened."

"That was probably shock." Karen said to her moving around the room. "The room is dreary." She frowned. "I'll have to bring you some flowers."

"I love flowers." April grinned.

Punk then walked in the room with a tray of coffees in one hand and a vase of flowers in the other.

"Interesting." Karen smirked looking at Punk then back at April.

"What?" Punk asked as his mom took the coffees.

"I was just saying I love flowers." April said to him as he put the flowers down next to her bed.

"They're really for me. I've had a rough few weeks." Punk teased.

"I'm going to run down to the gift shop and pick up a few more things. You need some other stuff in here to make it seem livable." Karen said grabbing her purse.

"You don't have to do that. You've given me enough." April insisted.

"Don't be silly." She said kissing her head then walked out the door.

"I love your mom." April told him.

"She's alright." Punk teased sitting down next to her again. "So, I have to ask you something." He began and she gave him her full attention. "I talked to you last night, did you hear it?"

"I'm sure I did but I just don't remember it." she told him. "What did you say?"

"A bunch of stuff." He smiled nervously. "I'll tell you about it later."

"I really like my flowers." She said looking at them.

"I'll get you flowers everyday you're here." He promised her.

"Promise?" She asked and he nodded. "I don't want to be here for too much longer."

"You have to stay for a bit." Punk told her. "But you won't be alone. I'll be here with you."

"I'm sick of being trapped in places." April sighed.

"I know." He whispered feeling bad for her.

"Except for your attic." She said to him with a grin and he laughed. "I didn't mind being trapped in there with you."

"I'll take you back there and give you a proper tour." He promised.

"We could make a pit stop in the attic." She suggested hopefully.

"Yea, but the master bedroom is huge." He told her.

"It would be perfect if it was filled with furniture." She told him.

"It will be one day." He said to her.

"You could live there now. It's not far from the City." She pointed out.

"You're obsessed with this house." He laughed.

"It's so beautiful." She said to him. "The attic was three times the size of my apartment here. It's like a dollhouse."

"I'm surprised you still like it after getting shot there." He noted.

"I was shot outside technically." She reminded him with a shrug. "I won't let James Sawyer or Adam for that matter take away places from me." She told him then her face dropped. "Not that your home is my place- you know what I mean."

"I do know what you mean." He said grabbing her hand and looking at it.

"When do I have to testify?" She asked.

"Hopefully soon." Punk said to her. "Because once I get you on the stand it's really all over."

"I can go back to work." She smiled.

"So you'll definitely stay out here?" He asked.

"Yes." She said to him. "Look, I'm not sure what's happening between us but I want to be in your life whether you want me as a friend or something more."

"This is what you want to talk about as soon as you wake up?" He asked her.

"You know how I feel about comfortable silences." She said to him seriously and he laughed.

"I thought it was pretty obvious from the attic that I want you in my life too." He said to her. "The fact that I've spent weeks looking for you and the fact that I still have the letter you left me in my back pocket because I like to have it close."

"It's just once I'm out of danger some of the magic will be gone." She pointed out.

"You really think that?" He asked. "I think being out of danger means I can actually take you out- and I mean really out." He smirked.

"I'd like that." She smiled.

"It's a whole new adventure for us." He told her.

"That is true." April agreed.

"We'll make this work." He promised her. "I WANT this to work."

"Me too." She said relieved to hear him say that.

"Could you kiss me?" She asked him. "I think it would make me feel better."

"I want to but you just woke up-" he began..

"My lips weren't hurt." She pointed out.

Punk leaned over and kissed her and April smiled on the inside. This was the perfect way to wake up. His lips were so soft and gentle that she could kiss him like this forever.

"Sorry." Karen gasped walking back into the wrong and Punk pulled away and sat back down in his chair as April blushed and subtly cleaned off her lips. "But not that sorry." she said gleefully holding bags from the gift shop.

"Aren't you going home?" Punk asked.

"No but you should go home to shower." Karen said to him.

"I'm not leaving." Punk said to her.

"There's Marshal's all over here. And at least to just shower, you smell and still have blood on you." Karen said to him.

"It's fine. I'll be fine." April told him. "Shower before you start attracting flies.

"Ok." Punk said standing up. "A Marshal will be in the room while I'm gone and you'll stay?"

"Yes." Karen groaned unpacking the bags.

"Alright." He leaned over and kissed April again before leaving. "I'll be twenty minutes."

"I'll manage for twenty minutes." she assured him then smiled as she watched him leave.

"You can start calling me mom." Karen said to April who laughed.

"We've never even gone a date." April said to him.

"Trust me. I'm a mother, I know." Karen said knowingly. "I got you more flowers." she said putting them by the window.