It Was All A Dream

Punk and April arrived at the cabin Wednesday morning and she and Punk did a quick shop to stock up the kitchen for Thanksgiving. Of course shopping the day before the holiday meant they didn't get any Thanksgiving food. It was all sold out so they were going to improvise.

"So, no Turkey but we can have a roasted Chicken." Punk said unpacking it.

"And no fresh potatoes but we got instant." She shrugged taking them out of the bag.

"We could always go out." He suggested. "I know there's a restaurant opened tomorrow night not far and you can have your fancy Turkey dinner."

"No." She said unpacking more groceries. "This is going to be perfect. Besides I never want to leave this cabin." She said in awe of it.

The cabin was bigger than she thought. It had dark wooden flooring, floor to ceiling windows, and the walls that didn't have windows obviously had wood except where the fireplace was, that wall was all rock stone. It was absolutely gorgeous. The house itself was three levels. It had a huge backyard that she imagined looked gorgeous in the snow and a huge hot tub where they can warm up. There was front deck that overlooked the woods as well.

"You like it better than my home outside of the City?" He asked curiously.

"No!" She gasped. "That is an everyday home, this cabin is a special treat."

"I haven't been here in years." Punk admitted. "They changed the furniture."

"How come you don't come here more often?" She asked curiously as he unpacked the rest of the groceries.

"I've never had anyone I wanted to bring here." He said thinking about it. "It's really secluded here, I didn't want to be cut from civilization with anyone before."

"So, you want to kill me?" She asked and he laughed.

"You caught me." he smirked.

"I'm honored to be your first guest here." She said happily.

"You should be." He said to her. "I never take a weekend off either."

"Are you good to take the weekend for my parents?" She asked and he nodded.

"Yea I already called it in." He told her.

"So, are we going to talk about John and James Sawyer?" She asked him and he stopped what he was doing.

"I was hoping we wouldn't talk about other men while we were away." he smirked. "But I will say this then it's the end of the discussion while we're away. If you see James, call me." he told her and she nodded. "If John approaches you or tries to talk to you, ignore him and call me."

"So just call you no matter what?" She asked and he nodded. "What is he trying to do?"

"John is a moron." Punk said to her.

"I mean James." She corrected quietly. "I thought this was over. Were you right?"

"I'm usually always right." He teased but she frowned. She was scared again and he couldn't stand it.

"I just started feeling normal." She whispered. "Now I have to prepare to die again."

"Did I let you die when he came after you?" Punk asked.

"No." She admitted.

"You think I'm going to let him get you now?" He asked.

"You can't always be there, Phil." She said to him. "He seems pretty dead set on killing me for some reason."

"You don't know that's the reason." Punk said to her.

"You're right, I'm sure a man like James Sawyer just wants to thank me for getting him off." April mocked.

"I don't want you to think about it this weekend." He ordered her. "This is our time away from the madness and don't worry, James Sawyer nor John Cena will find us here and I don't want you thinking about it anymore because I'm not going to let anyone kill you." He said kissing the tip of her nose. "Ok?"

"Ok." She smiled.

Later that night Punk was waiting in bed for April anxiously. She promised him a surprise and he was anxious for it but she was in the shower and even though she turned the water off five minutes ago it meant another hour until he'd get to see her.

"Ape!" He yelled from outside the bathroom door that was connected to the bedroom. "I'm going to grab more fire wood."

"Ok! Take your time, I'm going to be a while!" She yelled back and he shook his head in annoyance.

"Really? That's so unlike you." He mocked quietly to himself.

"I heard that!" April yelled before he left the bedroom and he cringed.

As soon as Punk stepped outside into the backyard in search for more wood the front door opened and two people walked in.

"I have to use the bathroom." The woman told the man.

"There's one right here." Dan Brooks told his date opening the half bathroom for her. "I'll bring our bags up to the master bedroom."

"Actually, let me grab my bag." She said taking her small bag from him. The woman was younger than Dan, probably around April's age and blonde and busty. "I want to change into something less suffocating."

"Perfect." Dan grinned anxiously running up the stairs. He didn't noticed the kitchen was restocked since the lights were all off and didn't think twice when the bedroom lights were on. He just took their bags and flung them into the closet and rubbed his hands together anxiously.

Dan ran out of the bedroom and down the hall to adjust the thermostat which was way too high. Punk had kept it high in hopes of April removing her clothing sooner, it didn't work but it was worth a shot. Dan ran over to the fire place next after killing most of the heat and placed the only two logs left in it and pushed the button to start it.

"Yes, perfect." Dan grinned.

Dan heard a door open and closed and realized his date was ready for him. Dan eagerly ran up the few stairs that lead to the hallway of bedrooms and ran all the way down to the master bedroom. He opened both doors eagerly.

"Happy Thanks-" April began to greet from the bed. She was wearing no top, no bra- completely opened on top and just a string thong around her waist with heels on. Her hair and makeup that she spent so much time putting together looked great. As she was sprawled out on the bed with her legs already spread she realized it wasn't Punk and let out a scream so loud that Dan began to scream in fear himself.

"I'm sorry!" Dan yelled opting to cover his eyes with his hands rather than close them.

April grabbed a pillow and placed it over her chest as Punk ran into the room.

"What is-" Punk froze when he saw his father looking horrified behind his hand and April looking ready to cry.

"Oh my god." April groaned and ran into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

"What are you doing here?" Punk asked his father who refused to move his hand from his eyes.

"Is she gone?" Dan asked.

"Yes." Punk said annoyed slapping his hand away. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I come here almost every year for Thanksgiving!" Dan argued. "What are you doing here?"

"I took April away for the holiday, obviously." Punk said annoyed. "You have to go."

"Why do I have to go?" Dan asked offended. "Why can't we be here together?"

"Because I'm already here together with someone and that someone isn't you." Punk said annoyed.

"I've left you messages." Dan insisted.

"I don't want to hear your shit." Punk told him honestly. "You don't like April-"

"I don't even know April." Dan scoffed. "She's the one from your loft, right?"

"Yea and the one you just walked in on." Punk said to him.

"She's beautiful." Dan grinned and Punk glared at him. "I know you've been seeing her, your mother does keep me updated on things." he said annoyed. "I was giving you some space."

"I'd like some more of it so I can spend the weekend with her." Punk told him.

"I flew out here. I can't just go back." Dan argued. "We can have a fine time together."

"I'll go elsewhere than." Punk said to him walking over to suitcase.

"Don't be stupid you'll never find a place." Dan said to him. "Give me a chance to get to know your girlfriend better."

"Hi." April greeted walking out of the bathroom feeling ashamed but she was wearing a sweatshirt and sweat pants now.

"I'm sorry I startled you, dear." Dan said sticking his hand out. "I also think we got off on the wrong foot."

"It's alright." April said shaking his hand.

"I look forward to spending this weekend with you." He told her and April wasn't sure how to respond.

"I'm ready daddy." The blonde greeted walking into the room next and she as wearing even less than April was.

"Jesus Christ." Punk groaned but couldn't help but look at the woman until April elbowed him.

"Out." Dan smiled to his date. "We'll be next door." he said ushering the woman out of the room.

"Did she call him daddy?" Punk asked April.

"Could you have looked at her any harder?" April asked annoyed.

"A naked woman walks in the room, I'm going to inquire." he told her and she rolled her eyes. "Ape!" he yelled after her as she walked back into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

Punk had apologized for 'looking too much' at his fathers date and April finally left the bathroom.

"Put on what you had on." Punk grinned laying back on the bed.

"Your dad is next door." She whispered.

"So?" Punk asked confused.

"So? He's already seen me topless with my legs spread-" She began to explain.

"Don't ever and I mean EVER bring that up to me again." he warned her coldly.

"I don't want him to hear us." She said cringing.

"He won't hear us." Punk said to her. "Take your sweats off."

"I mean, it's not like I could possibly embarrass myself anymore than I already have." She mumbled taking the sweatshirt off first and Punk licked his lips then watched her kick off the pants.

"Come here." He demanded in a raspy demand waggling his finger and watched her crawl across the bed on her hands and knees and up his body.

"You are so-" Punk began but froze.

"What is that?" April asked hearing a noise herself as she froze hovering over Punk's body.

"Oh my fucking god." Punk groaned disgusted and they realized it was coming from the room next door.

"Your dad is having sex." AJ whispered and he pushed her gently off of him.

"And the mood has been killed." He said annoyed getting out of bed.

"Where are you going?" She frowned reaching for her sweatshirt.

"Somewhere where I can't fucking hear my dad." He said cringing as he got dressed himself. "We should pack up and leave."

"I heard him talking to you, he wants to spend time with you." AJ pouted.

"Ape, I can't even fucking think." He spat then stormed out of the room.

April was sitting in the room and then jumped out of bed when things next door got too loud for even her to tune out.

Punk was in the kitchen with April and the two were drinking coffee when Dan walked inside.

"You two kids still up?" Dan asked with a grin. His robe was open and he was in silk boxers.

"Do you fucking mind?" Punk asked gesturing to April who was looking the other way.

"Sorry, dear." Dan smiled closing his robe up.

"It's alright." She said sipping her coffee.

"Couldn't sleep?" Dan asked them.

"Not with you next door." Punk mocked.

"Sorry." Dan grinned. "I wasn't expecting company this trip."

"I told him to call you." April tattled and Punk glared at her.

"It's as much his cabin as it is mine." Dan assured her. "I just wouldn't have intruded on this weekend."

"So you're leaving?" Punk asked anxiously.

"Yes." Dan said and Punk was relieved. "Tomorrow after Thanksgiving dinner."

"Fuck." Punk groaned.

"Why is spending some time with your old man such a hardship? I couldn't get tickets out until the night away." Dan shrugged.

"We're cooking but it's not going to be good. We couldn't get much food." She warned Dan.

"I'm having it catered." Dan laughed. "There will be plenty of food."

"Oh good." April smiled. "Right?" She asked Punk and kicked him under the table.

"Right." He forced out.

"Why are you so grumpy?" Dan asked him. "I barely looked at her."

"I'm not discussing that- EVER." He warned his father.

"I'm going to go to bed." She said standing up.

"I'm glad you're here." Dan said to April who just smiled and stepped out of the kitchen.

"Let it out." Punk said to him.

"Let what out?" Dan asked taking April's seat that was across from Punk.

"Bitch about how she's Hispanic and how I shouldn't mix work life and personal life." Punk said to him. "Let it out now so I don't have to deal with it tomorrow."

"I have nothing to say." Dan shrugged. "Your mother told me you've been very happy. Mentioned Ms. Mendez even saved your life after a car accident."

"She did." Punk confirmed.

"I just want you happy, son." Dan said to him. "And she is a gorgeous thing." He grinned and Punk glared at him. "With clothes on." He clarified. "So, why did you bring her up here?"

"Why not?" Punk asked.

"You've never bought a girl up here before." Dan said to him. "I thought she was out of trouble."

"Her being in trouble isn't why I bought her here. I wanted some privacy with her. Privacy has been difficult." Punk muttered.

"I'll by gone after dinner." Dan assured him. "If you're thinking about proposing I have your grandmothers ring-"

"Proposing?" Punk asked annoyed. "You're a year ahead of me."

"Well, when you're ready." Dan said to him. "She the one?"

"She could be." Punk had to admit. "I mean, she's drives me fucking crazy most of the time but-"

"But what?" Dan asked casually sipping his own coffee.

"I kind of like it." He smirked and Dan laughed. "I look forward to coming home from work- I actually come home from work I should say."

"You're in deep." Dan warned. "Good for you. She seems like a sweet girl. Your mother mentioned she's a journalist?"

"She is but she lost her internship when we had to put her in protective custody and it just hasn't been easy since." He confided

"How so? Doesn't the Marshal service offer help?" Dan asked curiously.

"She lied on the stand." Punk told him. "The man we spent months protecting her from she let walk because he threatened my life if she didn't."

"Wow." Dan said slightly taken back.

"So she's kind of ex-communicated." Punk told him.

"I have a friend at Chicago Daily, I can talk to him." Dan offered.

"Yea?" Punk asked hopefully and Dan nodded.

"Sure." Dan said to him. "I'm playing golf with him on Sunday as a matter of fact."

"I'd appreciate that." Punk almost painfully forced out.

"So, what's her family life?" Dan asked.

"Normal." Punk shrugged. "Parents, her brother passed away."

"Ah." Dan said to himself. "You can relate to that kind of heartache."

"She knew her brother a lot longer than I knew mine." Punk pointed out.

"Still hurts." Dan said to him. "You haven't been around his grave."

"How could you possibly know that?" Punk asked annoyed.

"Because I know." Dan shrugged. "It's just me and your mother."

"I'm busy and I don't believe in that shit." Punk said and Dan shook his head.

"Bite your tongue. I hate that shit." Dan scolded.

"You choose to believe in God and I choose not to." Punk shrugged.

"No more." Dan said shaking his head. "I don't want this trip ruined."

"How old is your lady friend?" Punk asked him changing the subject.

"Probably older than your girlfriend." Dan grinned smugly.

"April just turned 26." Punk shot back smugly knowing that his father's friend was not younger.

"Really?" Dan asked seriously. "She looks like shes 20."

"She's 26." Punk assured him.

"Maybe I need to start seeing Latina's." Dan grinned and Punk glared at him. "Darcy is 22."

"22." Punk repeated shaking his head.

"Cut me some slack." Dan said brushing it off. "When you're my age you'll kill to be with a 22 year old."

"Not if I have April waiting for me at home." Punk remarked.

"Well, I have a feeling she's going to look 20 for a long time to come. Are you sure she's 26?" Dan asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Punk said standing up.

"Blessed." Dan said raising his coffee mug to him in toast and Punk just shook his head and waked out of the room.

Punk walked into his home after a long day of work. It wasn't his loft, it was his big home right outside of the City. He made this house a home with April. He removed his badge and gun and left it by the door then kicked off his shoes and climbed up the stairs.

"Ape?" he asked walking into the bedroom but didn't see her.

Punk walked into the bathroom where the shower was running but it was empty. He turned off the water then ventured out.

"Ape! You left the shower running again!" He yelled out then saw the door that lead to the attic was opened.

Punk slowly climbed out the stairs. He heard April breathing and ran up the stairs but it felt like forever until he reached the top. April was laying in the far corner where they had made love for the first time and saw her looking at him. He smiled at her but her eyes were wide with terror.

"Run." She mouthed to him and that's when he saw Jeremy Sawyer standing over her.

"I told you I'd play with her outsides first then her insides." Jeremy grinned holding a knife.

"No!" Punk screamed but watched as Jeremy dug his knife into April repeatedly.

Punk wasn't sure why but he wasn't able to move. April's eyes were wide open still looking at him but there was no life behind them. He watched as Jeremy continued to stab her, as he had done with and other previous victims.

"She's so tiny. I keep hitting bones." Jeremy scoffed and wiped his forehead of the sweat, causing him to smudge April's blood across his forehead.

"Stop!" Punk begged.

"It's funny." Jeremy smiled looking at him as he still stabbed April. "She sacrificed everything to save you. I wouldn't be able to do this without your help." He told him amused. "She gave her life for yours and knew it. Thought you'd put up more of a fight though. I was actually scared you were going to let her go in order to keep her away from me. Thank god you're a selfish son of a bitch."

"Please." Punk cried.

"I'm just getting started." Jeremy told him then raised the knife above her face and dropped it.

"Phil!" April yelled shaking him and his eyes shot open.

Punk was drenched in sweat and his heart was pounding so hard he thought it was going to rip through his chest. He placed his hand over his chest to feel it beating and gasped for air.

"Phil!" April cried and he looked up and saw her concerned face. "I'm calling 911." She said about to get off the bed but he grabbed her by the wrist tightly.

"It was a dream." He told her as tears fell from his eyes. "It was just a fucking dream." He said crying to himself.

"Phil." She frowned leaning over him. "What happened?"

"Just stay here." He said trying to sit up but the best he could do was lift his head and April placed it in her lap.

"It's ok." She whispered to him running her hands through his hair. "Just breathe." She encouraged.

Punk gripped onto her knees as he tried to catch his breath. The dream felt so real to him. He had nightmares before but nothing ever like this. Was he going to get April killed? Was this a big warning sign? Was he being selfish by letting April live in fear? Was he really just in denial thinking he could protect her? Was he going to be the reason she ended up dying?

The questions kept flooding his brain over and over as the realization hit him that he wasn't going to be able to keep April out of harms way from James Sawyer and his family. The threat was ALWAYS going to be there. Even if she had testified against James, his father would have had her killed. She knew that too which was why she made the deal she did. But now James Sawyer was after himself, he was infatuated by the woman who survived everything he had thrown her way. Part of Punk didn't even blame him.

"Phil." She whispered and he sat up after twenty minutes in her lap. "Baby, are you ok?" she asked him but he didn't respond. "You want to tell me about the dream?"

Punk looked at her directly in the eyes then grabbed her face and kissed her. He gently laid her onto the bed and then laid over her body. She wasn't sure what he had dreamed about but if this would calm him, she would gladly give him this moment...