Ruined
April was back in her old apartment dressed in her nice outfit she wore to court today to testify. Today was one of the worst days of her life, only second to losing her brother. She felt like a terrible person. She'll never get the image of Punk's shocked and angry face out of her head.
"After you walked into Ms. Paulson's room- who did you see standing over her?" The District Attorney questioned.
"I um- saw a man." She forced out as she kept her eyes on the man who threatened her in the bathroom. He made sure to sit up close and smile at April. Punk was across the way but also visible to her eyes.
"Is the man you saw stabbing Ms. Paulson here in this court today?" The DA asked her.
"No." April answered shaking her head. She looked over at Punk as his mouth dropped in shock.
James Sawyer, the man on trial was grinning happily.
"Ms. Mendez please take a closer look." The DA pleaded.
"It was really dark in the apartment. There weren't lights on. I'm not sure." She told the DA.
"You positively ID'd Mr. Sawyer the night of the murder." The DA reminded her. "And I must remind you that lying under the oath is a punishable crime."
"I thought it was him. I guess it could have been but I'm not sure." She told the DA. "He looks different now."
"I thought you said it was too dark to see anyone?" The DA questioned. "Now he looks different than the man you saw?"
"Objection." James' lawyer announced standing up. "The DA is badgering his own witness.
Punk shook his head in disbelief and looked over to John who was also watching.
"No further questions." The DA snapped and sat down in his seat then turned to look at Punk who wasn't sure what to say.
April stepped off the stand and practically ran out of courthouse. She was racing down the front court stairs and heading for the street when someone pulled on her arm.
"April!" Punk yelled turning to look at her.
"What?" She asked and he eyed her with disbelief.
"What? What the fuck was that? Why did you lie on the stand? He's going to walk!" Punk yelled so loud that she flinched.
"I wasn't sure it was him." She told him and he shook his head.
"You're lying!" he yelled pointing at her.
"Don't yell at me! You have no idea the amount of pressure I'm under!" She yelled back.
"That is the cheapest excuse I have ever heard." He spat. "If someone threatened you-"
"Nobody threatened me!" She screamed.
"The guy in the blue suit that you kept looking at didn't get to you?" Punk asked.
"It's done now Phil." She said trying to remain calm.
"You disappointed me today." He told her honestly. "And not just as a Marshal but as a boyfriend. You let someone scare you into lying and now you're going to be charged for this, do you get that? And worst of all you just helped a killer walk because even if I can fix this for you-"
"I don't want you to fix anything! I don't need fixing! I need to go home.!" She yelled and held her arm up for a taxi.
"Do you have any idea how bad you fucked this case?" He asked her trying to get in her face. "Months and months of work and you just flushed it down the toilet! I have to start back at the beginning again! Did you think of anyone but yourself before you stepped on that stand!"
"Leave me alone!" she yelled as a cab finally pulled over and she jumped into it.
April grabbed her cellphone as she sat in her empty apartment and called her mom.
"Hi I know it's late." April said to her.
"What's wrong?" Janet asked.
"I have to come home." She told her.
"Why? What happened?" Janet asked. "Did you have a fight with Phil?"
"Something like that." April said to her. "I just need to come home and I don't have money to fly home-"
"I'll get you a ticket." Janet offered. "When do you want to come home?"
"Tonight, tomorrow, the soonest you can get me a seat on a plane." She told her.
"Ok honey." Janet said to her. "Do you want to talk about it first?"
"No. I just want to come home." She told her. "I have to pack a bag."
"Ok I'll call you when I get the ticket." Janet told her and April hung up.
April grabbed a bag and began to stuff her clothes into it. She wasn't going to come back so she quickly put everything she could fit into it. When she walked out of the bedroom she screamed when she saw someone in the living room.
"What are you doing here?" April asked Phil coldly.
"I wanted to talk to you. You didn't go home." He said to her quietly.
"I'm going home." April said zipping up her bag. "You won't have to deal with me anymore."
"Home is across town, not New Jersey." He said surprising her. "That is where you're packing for?"
"You don't want me there." She said to him. "I ruined everything."
"Graves told me that the man in the blue suit was the Tribune. He didn't realize he worked for Sawyer until he saw him sitting there." Punk informed her. "Did he hurt you?"
"I can't talk about this Phil." She said avoiding his eyes.
"Ape." He pleaded quietly as he walked to her and forced her face to look at his. "Why didn't you tell me he approached you?"
"What does it matter anymore? It's done. I helped a killer get away with murder and now I'm probably going to go to prison for it." She told him.
"You're not. I spoke to the DA." Punk said sitting on her couch. "I begged and pleaded for him not to press charges."
"Why would you do that for me?" She asked him.
"Because no matter how pissed I am at you I don't want you in prison." He told her. "Then I found out Corey recognized the guy at the trial."
"You fought to keep me out of prison before you even realized what really happened?" She asked quietly.
"Of course I did." Punk said to her. "You have to tell me what happened."
"What's the point?" April asked. "He said if I told you he'd kill you." she told him and he rolled his eyes. "Don't roll your eyes and think I just did this because I'm a chicken. I think I've made it very clear that I'm willing to die. He had a picture of you from that morning and he knew my parents names and your mom's name and I wasn't willing to let all of you die!"
"Why didn't you talk to me?" he asked her.
"I just told you, he said he'd kill you!" she argued.
"He got to you at the Tribune?" Punk asked and she nodded.
"He followed me into the bathroom." She told him.
"Did he hurt you?" Punk asked and she shook her head.
"I'm not sorry James Sawyer is walking no matter how bad I feel about Ms. Paulson not getting justice it wasn't worth the lives of everyone I love." She told him bluntly and he just nodded. "I know you're a man of honor and I know what I did today was unforgivable so I understand you want me gone so I'm leaving."
"You just agreed to move in with me." Punk reminded her. "As mad as I am that you fucked this case and looking at you is difficult, I want you to come home." he admitted. "I don't know why your first instinct is to always run. I mean, ten years from now are we going to have an argument and then you're going to fly back home?"
"You see us together in ten years?" she asked curiously.
"Yea, I mean unless you're going back home." He said to her.
"I wouldn't be able to stand the sight of me if I were you." She said to him.
"I'm pissed." he told her honestly. "But I'd rather argue about it then just give up."
"If someone threatened my life, what would you do?" She asked.
"I lived through that already." Punk reminded her. "And I gambled my career and broke the law looking for you." He remembered. "I get it, ok?"
"Do you?" she asked him. "It's over though now." She said kneeling down in front of him and placing her hands on his knees. "No more James Sawyer! No more fear of him killing me! We don't have to look over our shoulders anymore."
"It's not that simple. I know you want to think that this was one small sacrifice and it was for the greater good but these people know you. James Sawyer seemed very interested in you in the woods, remember that?" he asked and she nodded. "I'm always going to be on high alert but since you didn't report the threat and just acted that means no more Marshal at our front door, no more protection detail for you." he told her. "There are so many things that go into this. It isn't just letting him walk."
"I'm sorry." She frowned. "But it really is over." She told him encouragingly.
"I want to believe that." He said to her. "For your sake. I want you to not live in fear I just don't think that's what you did today."
"How? I fixed everything!" she told him.
"You didn't, babe." He sighed running his hand over his exhausted face. "Your heart was in the right place and I understand that. You thought you were protecting me and your family but it's just so much more complicated than that. Why didn't they kill you in the loft all those months ago?"
"The night you were shot?" She asked and he nodded.
"Grazed, technically." He interjected.
"I don't know." She shrugged. "Because they didn't have time."
"You shot a gun, it takes a second to kill somebody." He reminded her. "I was out at first and you were in the corner, why did he grab you and not kill you?"
"I never thought about it." She shrugged.
"I've thought about it. I've thought about it constantly since it happened." He informed her. "Why in the woods did James not kill you? Why did he let you talk then decide to chase after you? Why was he excited to chase you down?"
"I don't know Phil, all I know is that I have nothing to do with him anymore." She told him.
"I really hope after you helped him walk that he leaves you alone." Punk said to her honestly. "If there is one good thing to come out of this I truly hope that is it."
"I'm sorry I disappointed you but protecting you comes first." She said simply.
"I think that's sweet of you." He had to give her half a smile. "I've never had anyone blow such a huge case for me." he said and she sighed. "But like I said, I know your heart was in the right place. Everyone else doesn't see it but I do."
"They're mad?" April asked.
"I spoke to the Chief and he's not pleased at all. But he's happy Adam will still pay." Punk told her. "John is pissed." He admitted. "Might want to steer clear of him for a while."
"That's not a problem." She said to him.
"They uh-" Punk began nervously.
"What?" She asked.
"I was able to convince the DA not to press charges against you but the Chief doesn't want you back in the office, that means you're fired." he told her.
"That's ok." She said to him. "I can get a job somewhere else."
"People are going to mad at you, and me for supporting you." he warned her.
"I don't care who's mad as long as it's not you." She said to him.
"Oh, but I am mad." he said to her. "I just can't stop loving you though. So I can either get over you blowing a case that I spent months to build or I can get over you and getting over you isn't something I think I can do."
"Even though I keep complicating your life?" She asked him.
"You do keep me on my toes." Punk remarked a tad bitterly. "Now call whoever you called to get you a ticket back home and cancel it." he said standing up and she did as well. "And pack whatever else you need to bring to the loft."
"Thank you." April said giving him a kiss.
"Don't thank me, just stop running out on me." He said to her.
The next morning Punk woke up to the smell of breakfast. April was in the kitchen and had her hair braided to one side and was in yoga pants and a short top that she had worn to bed.
"I made you breakfast before work." She told him as he sat at the counter.
"What is it?" He asked curiously as she placed the dish in front of him.
"It's scrambled eggs." She frowned. "And toast."
The eggs didn't look scrambled and they were definitely burnt, as was the toast. April also placed a cup of coffee in front of him.
"I don't really have time to eat." He said nervously looking at the food and she frowned. "But I'll try." he smiled quickly. "What's this?" he asked picking up a piece of paper.
"I woke up early to work on my resume." She told him proudly and he picked it up to read it.
"It just says your name." He said reading it.
"I didn't want to put the Marshal office down since I was fired from there and that would be hard to explain." She told him. "And the internship I was only there a few weeks and that didn't end well. But I added working at my dad's diner which I did do."
"That makes you qualified to be a waitress." Punk remarked. "You have a college degree."
"I know but I need a job now and while I waitress somewhere I can look into something in journalism." She shrugged.
A knock at the door stopped their conversation and Punk walked over and opened the door and John walked in with Corey.
"We need to-" John stopped when he saw April in the kitchen. "What is she doing here?"
"She has a name and April lives here. Where else would she be?" Punk asked.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" John asked him. "She fucked our entire case. One that I spent months working on."
"We all worked on that and April took the most abuse." Punk reminded him calmly.
"She also helped her attacker walk." John said to him. "Great job, princess." he said grinning at April who looked ashamed.
"Ape, can you give us a minute?" Punk asked her.
"Yea, I have to shower anyway." She said excusing herself and walked into the bathroom.
"Don't ever walk into my home and disrespect her like that again. I don't care how pissed you are, she's with me." Punk reminded him.
"Why?" John asked him. "Do you know how bad this is going to make you look? People are going to think that you're in on this with her. Are you?"
"I don't have to defend myself to you." Punk reminded him. "I don't owe you or anyone else an explanation as to why I'm with April."
"It's my fault." Corey reminded John. "I should have followed her to the bathroom."
"Is that what happened?" John asked Punk who remained silent. "Of course you won't speak and risk incriminating your girl." and that was true. Punk knew if he said anything John could think up of new charges and talk the DA into changing his mind. "You're picking her over your own team?"
"One has nothing to do with the other." Punk told him. "And she gave her testimony and for whatever she did what she did, it's over and can't be changed. So, suck it up."
"It's easy for you to say. Maybe my opinion on her would be different if I was banging her too." John suggested.
"You'll never know." Punk shrugged. "Get out of my place and don't come back here. This is my home not an extension of my office."
"She knows she's not to show her face in that office, right?" John asked and Punk glared at him. "April." He corrected.
"I spoke to her." Punk said in a calm voice. "You can get the fuck out now."
"And no more protection for her." John said to him. "If they kill her, she-"
"Don't go there with me." Punk warned him. "I'm letting a lot slide because I know you're upset but you can only push me so far." he said to him.
"We'll see you at the office." John said to him then left with Corey.
"I'm sorry." April said walking out of the bathroom.
"You don't have to apologize for his shitty attitude." Punk said putting on his jacket.
"I don't want people to think less of you because of me." She said to him.
"I don't give a fuck what people think." He said giving her a kiss. "Be careful today." he warned her.
April went to six diners and finally got a job. It wasn't the best but it was a paycheck and she was in desperate need of one. She couldn't help herself when she stopped by the Marshal office though.
"What the hell are you doing here?" John asked looking up from his desk.
"I know you're mad." She said and he lifted his phone. "Just hear me out for one minute then you can have security pull me out." she pleaded.
"I know why you did what you did April." John said looking at her. "But you could have trusted us."
"Like I was supposed to trust Adam?" April asked him. "A man you let protect me knowing he was dangerous and working with the men trying to kill me? But you were building a case so you didn't care if I got hurt."
"Don't turn this around on me." John warned her.
"It's true though." She said to him. "My trust in some people in this office dropped after taking one to the chest. But that man followed me in the bathroom and pushed me-"
"I can't hear this because I'm obligated to report it." John warned her.
"Off the record." She said annoyed sitting down across from his desk. "He told me he was going to kill Phil and he had a photo of him leaving for work. They know where he works. He had pictures of my parents and Phil's mom and I thought I was protecting everyone. Phil spent months protecting me and I was just trying to return the favor."
"What you did was stupid." John told her bluntly. "You helped a murderer walk. You are now risking the lives of other innocent people. We could have protected Punk and your family."
"Like you protected me?" April asked him. "I'm not asking you to understand or forgive me but I don't want you to or anyone else to think that Phil had anything to do with this or that he was happy about it."
"You should have spoken to him first." John told her. "You wasted our time and resources and worst of all if anyone else gets killed, it's on your head."
"That's not fair." April said shaking her head.
"No what isn't is that I had to explain to Ms. Paulson's grandchildren that she wouldn't get justice because her next door neighbor chickened out." John said simply. "Nobody really blames Punk. But you're putting his career in a shitty place so maybe you can consider it that the next time you decide to play hero."
"I will." She said standing up. "I'll leave before he sees me-"
"You can go see him." John stated simply. "Just don't speak to me ever again."
"Ok." She said a lot to cheerfully and John looked up annoyed as she walked out of the office.
"What are you doing here?" Punk asked as April walked into his office.
"I came to apologize to John." She told him and Punk glared at her.
"You don't owe him an apology." Punk reminded her.
"Yes I do." She told him. "He didn't accept it and never wants to talk to me again."
"How do I get that deal?" Punk asked himself seriously.
"I also wanted to tell you I go a waitressing job." she told him and he smiled.
"Good." he said to her. "But I promised I'd help you find something in journalism and I still plan on doing that."
"Don't worry about that right now." She told him. "Point is I have a job and I start in a few days."
"Good for you." He smirked.
"And I know you're still mad at me." She said to him.
"That's not going to just go away, Ape." He told her honestly.
"Well I'm going to start my apology tonight." She promised him.
"Sex isn't going to fix what you did. Or make it better." He warned her.
"I know." She frowned. "I should just return what I bought-"
"Wait, what did you buy?" he asked very curiously.
"Doesn't even matter." She said brushing it off. "Sex doesn't make things better, you're right. I have to earn your trust back."
"I mean yea that has to be earned but don't return anything." he said innocently. "I mean, it might make me feel a little better. What did you buy?"
"Some stuff." She shrugged and he grinned.
"Yea, hold onto it and let me be the judge of it. I mean if you wearing something makes us both feel better-" Punk began.
"It's not just something to wear, there's other items." She admitted teasingly.
"Yea?" He asked as his eyes widened. "Well, it would be a shame to return any of it."
"What time will you be home?" She asked him.
"Seven." He told her. "But I have a lunch break now-"
"No." She laughed and walked over and kissed him. "I'll see you tonight."
"Maybe six-thirty." He said to her as she walked out the door. "Or six!" he yelled but she was already gone.