Every Breath Is A Bomb

Punk was outside his office, annoyed that he was booted from it while April had a meeting with someone from the Tribune.

"April kick you out?" Corey asked walking over.

"Yea she did." Punk said annoyed. "My office." he grumbled annoyed. "But this is important to her."

"So is this." Corey said passing Punk the paperwork.

"A warrant? How did you get a warrant?" Punk asked stunned looking at the legal document.

"A lot of pleading with the judge. The pictures you got of Jr. last night being there connects his father to the warehouse." Corey told him. "They're getting a team together."

"Great." Punk said reading over the warrant.

"One hour and we're going." Corey told him and he nodded.

Punk walked into his office just as the editor was leaving and saw April happily sitting behind his desk.

"Comfortable?" Punk teased.

"I do like this chair." She told him. "Maybe we can get one like this for my office at home since I'll be writing."

"Writing, huh?" Punk asked and she nodded.

"I'm writing a piece about my own experience during the Paulson murder trial." She told him.

"Just be careful." He warned her. "I don't want you pissing off Sawyer and you can't write that you lied on the stand or it will bring up the idea of pressing charges again."

"I know. I'm going to talk about everything before the trial." She told him. "If the piece goes over well I have a permanent job."

"That's awesome." He told her as she watched him collect some items from his desk.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"You are going to sit in this office, my mother is coming by. I am going on a raid." He told her.

"Oh, man." She groaned.

"No raid." Punk smirked at her and she waved her hand at him.

"Is it for the warehouse?" She asked.

"Yes." Punk told her and her face lit up. "Don't get too excited. This could be nothing."

"Or the start of something big." She added. "Be positive. I want this all cleared by the summer for our wedding."

"Summer wedding?" Punk asked and she nodded.

"Your mom and I think July would be perfect." she told him.

"My mom? What about what I think?" He asked.

"I think that you think what I want is what you want." She smiled hopefully and he leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

"You thought right." He assured her. "I have to go but you have to sit in here and-"

Just then his mom burst into the office and he went to greet her but sideswiped him and sat next to April.

"I have all the information on venues here." Karen said kissing April hello.

"Hi to you too." Punk said to his mother.

"Hi, honey." Karen said briefly looking up at him then opened a binder.

"Wow." April said in awe of the organized book.

"This scrapbook belongs to one of my clients. She just got married so you can hold onto this." Karen told her.

"It has everything in here!" April cheered. "Flower vendors, catering, venues-"

"And the dresses!" Karen cheered turning the pages.

"Don't you think Phil would look so good in a dark green tux?" April asked and Karen's eyes lit up and she looked towards him.

"No." Punk warned the two of them. "We got engaged two nights ago we can slow down."

"Why?" Both Karen and April asked at the same time.

"I have to marry you quickly before you realize what you've gotten yourself into." April said seriously and Punk let out a laugh.

"I know what I've gotten myself into." Punk assured her.

"I want grandchildren." Karen answered for herself and Punk glared at her. "I'm not a spring chicken." She shrugged.

"Before marriage, moving or babies we need to get April safe. Which is what I'm going to start." Punk told them. "Make sure she doesn't leave this office." He told his mother.

"Yea, yea, yea." Karen mumbled as she looked at the binder.

"Be safe." April told him and he just nodded and walked out of the office.

"He's good at his job." Karen assured her and April looked at her. "That look you have on, the same look I had when he started working."

"Yea it's hard to not worry." April confided. "His job is dangerous."

"It is. But like I said, he's good at it." Karen told her. "I used to worry when he didn't have anyone waiting for him. Now he has even more motivation to come home in one peace and not be so reckless."

"I know what it feels like to be shot. I know how dangerous his job his. It's been bothering me more and more." April confided. "I guess from when John told me he was shot it just stuck with me. I even managed to get him to take me on a stakeout last night."

"And you think following him to work will keep him safe?" Karen asked with a light smile.

"I could help." She shrugged.

"You're such a sweet, kind soul." Karen told her warmly. "But you can't keep him safe at work. You're going to have to learn to accept that this his career."

"I do accept it, I just don't like it." She sighed looking at the binder.

"Part of the reason you fell in love with him was his job." Karen reminded her.

"I know. And now I feel love in with everything else. The way he covers me with a blanket when I fall asleep reading and how he laughs at everything I say even when I'm not trying to be funny." she told Karen who let out a laugh.

"Trust in him. He can do his job, you just worry about what kind of dress you want." Karen said trying to take April's mind off of her worries.

"I really want something modern." April grinned flipping through the pages.

April was pacing back and forth in Punk's office while Karen wrote things down on a notepad.

"He's fine." Karen told her.

"This is an awfully long raid." April told her.

"What color flowers?" Karen asked.

"Black roses." April told her and Karen gave her a confused look. "I like black. I thought our wedding would be black and white themed."

"I like that. Very original." Karen smiled jotting it down.

Punk finally walked through the door and April tried to hide her relief.

"How did that go?" April asked. "What took so long?"

"These things take some time. There's evidence to collect and arrests to be made." He explained as he took off his gun and put it in his desk drawer

"Arrests?" April asked and he looked at her.

"There were a lot made but I personally arrested and booked James Sawyer Sr." He told her and she threw her arms around him and hugged him.

"It's not the James Sawyer I wanted first, but it's a win for you." He assured her and she pulled away.

"It's one step closer." She told him.

"Feel better?" He asked her and she nodded eagerly.

"I have to get back home." Karen said to him. "Now, April has told me you two plan on paying for your own wedding."

"We do." Punk told her. "Ape's parents have had money saved for her for it and I make enough."

"Well, your father and I want to pay for the honeymoon." Karen told them. "As a wedding present of course."

"Since when do you and dad agree to do anything?" Punk asked.

"You're the only son we'll get to see get married." Karen reminded him with sadness lacing her voice. "We want to contribute in some fashion."

"We appreciate it." April smiled gratefully.

"You don't have to do that." Punk told her.

"She wants to." April said looking over her shoulder and glaring at Punk.

"Fine." Punk said sitting behind his desk.

"I'll come by in a few days with those samples." Karen said kissing April goodbye. "Phil, dinner soon." she ordered and Punk just nodded.

"This wedding is very important to your parents" April scolded Punk.

"What I do?" He asked innocently. "And why? It's my wedding."

"Because you're the only child they have left." April reminded him. "I'd elope if it wouldn't hurt them all so much."

"Really?" He asked.

"Yea, I mean there's something very romantic about running off together and swearing our lives together." She said to him. "But, I really do like the wedding planning too." She had to admit.

"I have a lot of work to get done." Punk warned her turning on his computer.

"Me too." She said placing the wedding binder on his desk and he glared at her. "You're the one who insists I stay here." she shrugged.

"Look, this stuff with Sawyer- it's a good thing we arrested his father because he has no one to hide behind now." Punk told her and she nodded. "But, it's also a curse." he warned her and she frowned. "Because now he has no one to keep him in line."

"Are you telling me that was James Sawyer being 'kept in line' when he murdered Ms. Paulson?" She asked.

"Yes." Punk told her honestly. "Hyper vigilance." He told April.

"I'll be careful." She promised him.

"We have a feeling he's going to go into hiding anyway." He told her.

"Well, that's good." She said to him.

"It's not just us that want him, turns out he's pissed off a lot of daddy's associates and employees. He's a marked man." He told her.

"Good. He knows how it feels now." She told him.

"Just because we can't see him doesn't mean he won't pop back up." He warned.

"I get it, I get it." She sighed. "So does this mean we could go to New Jersey? You can meet the rest of my family and friends?"

"Sure." He said unwilling to let her down. She had spent the last two months away from her parents and him, all alone. The least he could was endure a weekend to New Jersey and let her see her family and friends.

"I'll call my mom." She cheered jumping up and kissing his cheek.

Punk looked at his desk and narrowed his eyes at the frame that was now resting on his desk. He had to let out a laugh when he picked up the picture of his April that she clearly had framed and put up herself. Ten minutes later April walked back inside and Punk held up the picture and showed her.

"It suits your office, don't you think?" She asked cutely sitting on the edge of his desk.

"I find it distracting. You did notice that I don't have anybody's picture framed here." He pointed out.

"Yes of course I did. But I'm not just anybody." She reminded him smugly.

"That I have to agree with." He grinned.

"I like it. Reminds you to come home to me." She told him.

"I don't need the picture to remind me." He said placing it back on his desk where she had put it. "But I'll keep it."

"Good." She said to him. "My parents are excited to have us."

"Good." he told her.

"We can stay with them." She told him.

"In your old room?" He asked warily.

"Why?" she asked.

"It's small. It's a small bed." He pointed out.

"I'll just have to sleep directly on top of you." She shrugged.

"You should be a sales a person." Punk teased. "You can sell me on anything."

"I'm so glad you say that because I've been thinking-" She began.

"No." He said quickly and she frowned.

"You didn't even let me finish." She said narrowing her eyes at him.

"It's just going to be a no." He said with a shrug.

"Oh, good." April said standing up. "I didn't really want to lay across the kitchen table covered in whipped cream and strawberries for you." She said and he perked his head up. "I just thought you'd like it." She shrugged innocently.

"I didn't mean no to that." Punk said seriously as April walked to the door.

"I'm getting coffee." She said.

"Ape!" He yelled standing up. "I didn't mean to say no!" he yelled after her but she ignored him and kept walking. "Pain in my ass." he grumbled sitting back down and looked at her photo. "You are." He scolded the picture.

Punk and April walked back into their loft and she tossed her purse to the side door chair and jumped onto the couch.

"Don't get comfortable." He warned her and she eyed him.

"Why?" she asked.

"We're going out." he told her and her face dropped in shock and he let out a laugh.

"As in outside?" She asked and he nodded.

"As in go put on that little red dress because I'm taking you for a double celebration." he told her and she jumped up. "Celebrating our engagement and locking away James Sawyer senior."

"I get to dress up? And do my hair and makeup?" She asked anxiously jumping into his arms and spider monkeyed around his body.

"Yes you do." He said and she kissed him tenderly.

"Are we going to the bar?" She asked and he laughed in her face.

"No, babe." he told her. "You're getting a nice dinner."

"But I thought I was still hiding?" She asked tilting her head.

"You are hiding but like I told you earlier, James Sawyer is underground so we have a few free weeks to enjoy us. Besides, I think he's going to be a tad busy hiding from people himself." He told her. "I want you to have a normal engagement at least."

"I'd like that." She said kissing him again.

"Please don't start this." He pleaded pulling his face away. "Because if you kiss me again like that we'll never make it out of here tonight." He practically threatened and she jumped off of him.

"I'm going to shower." She told him.

"We have reservations in half an hour." He warned her.

"Ok I'll just skip the shower. I can work with this." She said referring to herself and she ran up the stairs.

Punk let out a breath and watched his happy fiancee skip up the stairs.

Punk and April walked into the restaurant that was in the neighborhood where he had grown up. The only decent memories he had of his parents not fighting were here. His father's friend owned it and his son took over, who was also one of Punk's oldest friends so he had no problem getting a reservation here on such short notice.

"This place is so pretty." April whispered as the waiter pulled out April's chair for her for her to sit.

"A friend of mine runs it." Punk told her.

"A friend?" She asked.

"Yea, a friend." He laughed. "I do have a few."

"I didn't know that." She said seriously as she picked up the menu.

"Well, I do." he said to her and she frowned. "What?"

"It's just maybe I don't know all about you." She said to him. "And we're getting married."

"You know my personality and I think that's the most important thing." Punk told her sipping a glass of water.

"Yea I know." She told him. "But aren't you as curious about my past as I am about yours?"

"Not really." He smirked reading the menu and sipping his water again.

"How many sexual partners have you had?" she asked and he spit his water out and she frowned.

"Ape" He said coughing and grabbing his napkin to clean up his face.

"What? As your future wife that's something I should know." She insisted.

"I don't know, Ape. I didn't keep count." He told her honestly.

"You've slept with so many women you can't remember them?" She asked and he just shrugged. "You're a pig." she said and he laughed.

"Ape, I was young and didn't believe in relationships." he told her. "It was a fair amount."

"More than a hundred?" She asked.

"I wouldn't say that." He laughed.

"Less than fifty?" She asked.

"I wouldn't say that either." He said quietly picking up his menu and reading it over.

"Don't you want to ask me?" She asked with a smug smile and he peered over his menu.

"Nope." he smiled then went back to looking at the menu.

"Really?" She asked stunned.

"I know you pretty well. I can take a guess." he said putting his menu down. "You've been with five men besides me."

"Wrong." She told him quickly. "Jerk." She mumbled and picked up her own menu.

"Less?" He asked and she glared at him and he smiled. "I don't care about your past." He told her grabbing her hand. "I only care about your future and my part in it. I don't care who you slept with because I know you're only going to sleep with me for the rest of your life."

"That is true." She admitted and gave him a faint smile.

"Stop ruining this evening." He warned her then kissed the top of her hand.

"Is this the drop dead beautiful fiancee you've told me so much about?" a man dressed as a chef asked.

"Yes." Punk said standing up to shake his hand. "Ape." He said and she stood up next.

"God damn." the man whistled and Punk smirked.

"April this is my friend Kofi." Punk introduced and he shook her hand.

"It is lovely to meet you. Punk brags about you constantly." Kofi said shaking her hand. "And now I can see why."

"He does?" She asked with a smile and Kofi nodded.

"Oh my god he doesn't shut up about you." Kofi laughed.

"She gets it." Punk said annoyed.

"You don't want to sit with your parents?" Kofi asked Punk who looked at him.

"My parents?" Punk asked and Kofi pointed to the back and sure enough there were his parents squeezed into a tiny booth together.

"That's so sweet!" April cheered.

"No it's not." Punk said to her. "Stay here." he told her and she rolled her eyes.

"Leave them be." April warned him.

"I just want to see what they're up to." Punk said to April then headed off to the back.

"I have to get back into the kitchen, this place doesn't run itself." Kofi teased.

"What do you recommend?" She asked him quickly.

"The salmon." He told her. "I'll send you out a sample."

"Thanks." She smiled. "It was nice meeting you."

"You too." Kofi smiled and he left too.

Once Kofi was out of view April sat down and she saw someone else who Punk had his back to. Sure enough there was Adam and Beth enjoying a nice dinner. They were probably celebrating his freedom. It infuriated her like nothing else. It wasn't just the fact that he shot her and had no guilt over almost killing her but he also betrayed Punk and he didn't trust easily. The other night she was terrified of him and now she was angry. She grabbed her purse and opened it to make sure her gun was in it. The gun that Punk specifically told her not to put in her purse and carry around because although she was licensed for it there were still laws, she couldn't just walk into a crowded restaurant with a gun but with Adam out, which scared her more than James, she needed to have it for her own piece of mind.

April looked back and saw Punk was bickering with is parents then saw Adam stand up and head towards the bathrooms. She knew Beth nor Adam spotted them since the place was pretty crowded. She stood up and straightened out her tight red dress and grabbed her purse casually and made her way to the back of the restaurant where the bathrooms were located...