The Space Inbetween

"How bad does it look?" April asked him a week later pointing to above her eye where she had a few stitches just removed.

"It looks fine." he said to her as he packed his bag and sat up on the bed reading.

"If anyone asks this weekend, I'll just tell them you hit me." She said not taking her eyes off of the book.

"Thanks. I've always wanted to get murdered by your father." He mocked.

"You should be thrilled. My article is done and you now have my full attention." She said closing her book.

"I am thrilled. Even though I didn't mind you writing." He told her folding some clothes.

"Really? Every five minutes you bursting in here complaining about being bored and wanted to know what I was doing." She mocked.

"I used to live here by myself. Lived here for almost fifteen years as a matter of fact all alone and didn't have a problem. Then you burst into my life and I suddenly can't find anything to do around here."

"That makes me happy." She grinned. "You've become dependent on me."

"I'm not dependent." He scoffed in defense. "I'm just familiar with you now."

"I've just grown used to that nagging pain in my ass." He teased and she glared at him.

"I have a nagging pain above my left eye." She remarked.

"I'm sorry." He sighed.

"I know you are." She smiled happily. "You've sent me flowers everyday."

"I have and they aren't cheap." he reminded her.

"It was an accident." She told him. "It's fine. The doctor said it won't scar too badly."

"So, how big is your family?" He asked curiously as he zipped up his luggage.

"Decent size." She said closing her book.

"Helpful." Punk teased.

"I have a couple of aunts and uncles, they have a bunch of kids some of them have kids." She shrugged. "Probably about fifty if just the ones in the New Jersey area attend."

"Fifty?" He asked.

"Yea." She said to him.

"I have my parents and an aunt who has no kids." He said to her.

"And now you have fifty Puerto Ricans to add." She grinned.

"Cute." he smirked and she looked at him. "What?"

"My eye hurts." She said to him and he eyed her. "I need a back massage."

"Your eye hurts so you need me to massage your back?" He asked with a laugh and she nodded and rolled onto her stomach.

"Uh-huh" She smiled picking her head up and looking back. "We have to fly tomorrow and I've never flown before."

"Seriously?" he asked amused as he crawled onto the bed and straddled her back..

"I'm nervous." She confided. "When I was on the run we drove everywhere."

"You have nothing to worry about. It safer to fly than to drive anyway." He said lifting her t-shirt up and pulling it over her head.

"Do you really have to strip me?" She asked looking back at him.

"Afraid so." He replied innocently then began to gently knead her back.

"That's perfect." She moaned.

"You know, I did a twelve hour stakeout last night. I was on my feet for twelve straight hours." He pointed out.

"That's so nice dear." She said closing her eyes and smiling.

"I'm just saying I could use a massage myself." He defended lightly as he continued to massage her bare back.

"Well, you hit me in the eye." She responded and he groaned.

"I accidentally headbutted you." He defended. "I feel like shit about it."

"Well, you're making up for it now." She told him happily.

"You're lucky I like the feel of your skin." He said enjoying her velvet skin. "How is always so soft?"

"I moisturize." She said simply. "Keep going." she encouraged.

"You're awfully bossy for such a little person." He mocked.

"I told you my nerves are all over the place." She said to him.

"Flying is perfectly safe and it's a short flight. Only a couple of hours." He told her and she sat up causing him to hit the floor.

"Hours? Aren't planes supposed to be faster?" She asked. "I thought it would be like half an hour."

"Ape, it's an airplane not a fighter jet." He said standing up and rubbing his backside where he fell.

"I don't think I can sit on a plane for hours." She warned.

"Ape, it will be so easy." He assured her.

"I don't know. Can't we just drive?" She asked hopefully.

"No. Because you're an awful driver which means I'd be driving the whole time and we'd waste a whole day and I can't take anymore time off from work." He told her removing his t-shirt and kicking off his jeans.

"You'll hold my hand the entire flight?" She asked and he laughed.

"If that's what gets you through the flight, sure." he said tugging down her pajama pants.

"What are you doing? My massage wasn't over." She said eyeing him as he reached up and tugged her panties down next.

"I know." He smiled. "It just works better if we're both naked."

"I've never heard of that." She said rolling back onto her stomach and Punk was on her in a second. "Phil." She warned feeling him laying across her body and kissing the nape of her neck.

"This will be great." he assured her.

"This is not the kind of massage I was thinking of." She smiled to herself as his lips worked her back.

Punk's hands finally went to work but they were not her back, they were on her upper and lower front parts and she began to arch her ass into his growing erection.

It only took Punk a few minutes before he slid into her from behind and she grinned. His kneaded her breasts even though she was laying on them.

"This is the kind of massage I wanted." he told her.

"This is the kind of massage I needed." She moaned happily.

The next day Punk and April were in their seats on the plane and she was gripping his hand before takeoff.

"Ape." Punk said quietly as she sat like a statue. "Babe." he said a bit louder.

"Huh? What?" She asked not even looking at him.

"You're digging your nails into my skin." He whispered and she looked down and saw she was in fact digging her nails into the flesh of his hands and loosened her grip.

"Sorry." She said looking up at him now.

"It's fine." He said in slight pain. "You'll love flying after this. Besides, how did you think we were going to take our honeymoon?"

"I thought we'd drive there." She shrugged.

"Drive? I want to go somewhere warm, tropical and expensive." he informed her.

"Expensive?" She asked. "Your dad and my mom are paying for it."

"No my dad is and he can afford it. It will be payback for him sleeping with my mother." He said coldly.

"Say that sentence again out loud and really hear yourself." She smirked.

"I don't want to say it again. He should leave my mother alone." Punk said stiffly.

"Maybe they've found their way back together. I think it's romantic." She said in a dreamy voice.

"Yea? I don't. I think it's stupid." He said to her.

"Don't be like that." She said then sat back as the plane began to take off. "What is happening?"

"The plane is taking off." he laughed. "Just think happy thoughts."

"Like what?" She asked fearfully.

"Think about the wedding." He said to her and she shook her head. "Is that not a happy thought?"

"Of course it is." She said to him. "It's just I'm a little distracted at the moment."

"Like I told you, it's safest for you to travel by plane." he reminded her.

"What if there's engine trouble?" She asked loudly and people looked at her.

"She's just nervous." Punk told the people looking over. "Ape don't say that on a plane."

"Why? It's not like I said bomb." She said just as loud and he groaned.

"It's fine everyone." He told the concerned people then held up his badge. "I'm a US Marshal, she's just a first time flier." He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "April, there are certain words and phrases you don't say on a plane- ever." he warned in a low voice.

"I'm sorry." She sighed. "I'm nervous and you know when I'm nervous-"

"-you ramble." He muttered. "Yea I remember. Just be cautious about you ramble about."

"I don't know if I can." She sighed.

"Oh, hey." He said pulling out the newspaper that was next to him and passed it to her. "I see they published your article."

"They published it already?" She asked stunned as she snatched the paper from him.

"Yea. I was going to read it-" He began as she narrowed her eyes at it.

"This is all wrong." She said shaking her head. "They twisted my words!"

"What?" he asked taking the paper from her.

"They added their own commentary!" She said pointing. "They imply I lied under oath!"

"Well, you did." Punk said to her.

"Can this get me into legal trouble?" She asked him.

"No this is just an opinion. They're careful with how they worded it. Doesn't mean it won't piss people off." He said to her.

"This isn't right." She said to him. "Why would they do that?"

"Because they want to sell papers." He said reading it over again.

"Can I sue them?" She asked.

"I don't think so." he said as she peered over his shoulder to read it. "I wanted to get my first published framed so I had something to show my children one
day. Now my kids will read how their mom was a chicken who let a crazed killer get away with murdering a poor helpless old lady."

"There's more to the story than that." Punk reminded her.

"When I was a little girl I wanted to be a hero now everyone in Chicago is going to think I'm an accomplice." She said bitterly.

"No one is going to look twice at this." He said to her and she glared at him.

"Why? Is my writing not good?" She asked offended.

"It's not your writing. Your writing alone would have been amazing but them adding their own commentary and turning it into a basically one-sided interview." he said to her. "People will see right through it."

"I'm going to be the most hated woman in Chicago." She warned him.

"No you're not." He laughed. "And who cares if you are? I'll still love you." He said and she rolled her eyes. "Ouch."

"I'm sorry. That means a lot, it really does." She said to him. "It's just not how envisioned being published."

"You want me to talk to them?" He offered.

"Do I want my boyfriend to go down to the Tribune and yell at the editor for being mean to his girlfriend? No thanks. I'm embarrassed enough." She remarked sarcastically.

"First of all, I'll always yell at anyone who upsets you." He told her causing her to give him a genuine small smile. "But I can go down there as a United States Marshal and tell them to print a retraction. Their opinions could cause you issues with James Sawyer down the line."

"You think so?" She asked.

"It's possible. I'll take care of this." He told her folding the paper up.

"No." she said taking the paper from him. "I'll get them to print a retraction on my own." she said firmly.

"Alright." Punk said to her. "If you need me, let me know."

"I will." She promised.

"And look at that, you survived takeoff." He told her and she smiled.

"I did." She said proudly. "I just have to survive potential hijackers or a colliding plane."

"Ape!" He yelled as heads turned.

"You said not to say bomb!" She yelled back and he glared at her.

Punk and April were at baggage waiting for their luggage to come through now.

"That wasn't so bad." She told Punk.

"Says you." He scoffed. "I had to convince the Marshal on the plane that you weren't making threats."

"Innocent mix up." She said brushing it off.

"Excited to be home?" He asked as they waited.

"Excited to see my parents, yes." She told him. "But this isn't home anymore. Home is with you in Chicago. Speaking of that, we really need to start furnishing the new home."

"We will." He assured her. "Wedding first, that will cost enough."

"It's not going to be that expensive." She assured him.

"Oh, yea?" he asked arching a curious brow. "I looked at your little binder."

"You did?" she asked amused.

"I was bored." he defended. "The flowers alone are a couple hundred."

"Kofi is giving us a great deal on food." She pointed out. "The most expensive parts of the wedding is going to be the venue and my dress."

"Why do you need an expensive dress?" He asked as he grabbed April's luggage then his.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I mean it's just a party." He said to her. "Wear your mom's dress or mine." He shrugged.

"I hope you're kidding." She said to him.

"All I'm saying is we can save a few bucks on the dress that's all." he shrugged.

"This is the most important day of my life. I need to have a new beautiful dress. I'm not wearing my mom's or yours." She scoffed. "Since when are you worried about money?"

"I do worry about money." He said to her. "And it's just our tiny wedding seems to be taking a big turn and we have a bran new house to buy stuff for too." He pointed out.

"I'll pay for the wedding." She said to him.

"That's not what I meant, Ape." He groaned.

"It is what you meant. You think the house is more important than our wedding." She said to him.

"I didn't say that but I agree with it." He said honestly.

"My parents savings and my own savings will cover my dream wedding." She told him annoyed.

"I didn't mean it like that all I'm saying is I don't see why you need a new dress." he shrugged. "Or such an expensive one."

"I plan on getting married once." She informed him as they walked through the airport. "And I plan on wearing a beautiful dress just like the dress I always imagined wearing since I was a little girl. A woman's wedding is the day they're supposed to feel like the most important and most beautiful woman in the world."

"You already are." He said with a cheesy smile but she glared at him. "You are!"

"Do you care at all about the wedding?" she asked.

"Not really." He admitted. "It's just a party and we're not religious so it's not going to be in a church."

"Oh, about that- it will be." She told him and he eyed her.

"Excuse me?" He asked amused. "I'm not getting married in a church."

"Phil, your mom and my mom are expecting it." she explained.

"I'm not marrying either one of them." He said to her simply. "Have your big party, spend all of our money on it- but don't expect me to get married in a church."

"Phil-" She began.

"No, Ape." he said cutting her off. "No church."

"But Karen and my mom-" She began.

"Don't care." He said honestly. "This day is about us, not them." he reminded her. "When was the last time you were even at church?"

"Ten years ago." She admitted.

"See? Stupid." He said to her.

"I had no idea you had such little interest in our wedding." She said surprised.

"I'm a guy." He shrugged. "I care about the money not the party."

"Stop calling it a party, it's a ceremony where the people we love can watch us commit our lives to each other." She explained.

"I don't care about any of them." He said to her honestly.

"Do you care about me?" she asked and he eyed her.

"Of course I do." He forced out annoyed. "And if getting married in a church was something you truly wanted, I would do it. But it's not. It's what my mom wants and you can say your mom all you want but I know your mom and she's not religious either." He remarked and she rolled her eyes. "I'm not getting married in a church, end of discussion."

"End of discussion?" She asked with a laugh.

"Yea." He said sternly. "You always get what you want, but this is me putting my foot down."

"Cheap dress, no church- what's the point of even getting married? Why don't you just throw me back on a plane and we'll get married by some Elvis impersonator in Vegas?" She asked mockingly.

"Really? That sounds awesome." He said happily and she shot him a glare and began to walk ahead. "What's wrong with Elvis!" he yelled chasing after her.

When they arrived at her parents house April was already annoyed with him and ignoring him.

"Get used to it." Robert said passing Punk a bottle of water as he sat in the living room watching the hockey game.

"I don't even know what I did." Punk defended. "She said she wanted to get married in a church."

"What?" Robert laughed. "Janet and I didn't even get married in a church."

"It's my mother talking her into it." Punk said to him. "She's religious. I don't want her to talk April into that. She also was upset that I complained about how much she wanted to spend on her dress."

"Oh." Robert laughed. "It's best to never comment on that stuff. Clothing and pricing of clothing."

"I just don't want her to waste money on a dress she's only going to wear once." Punk said to Robert.

"Maybe I'll wear it to my second wedding too." April spat as she passed by the den.

"She's something else." Robert laughed as Punk turned his head and caught April's glare.

"She drives me a tad crazy." Punk admitted freely.

"That means you love her." Robert smirked. "Janet does the same thing to me. But you want in on a Mendez woman secret?"

"Please." Punk requested eagerly.

"Let them vent." Robert told him. "Let them get it all out of their systems because once they do and you're just standing there looking innocent they immediately change their minds and go along with you. But right now if you're arguing with her she's just going to fight you on it because it's in their blood. They are naturally competitive. They want to have the last word- give it to them."

"I like having the last word." Punk muttered.

"We all want the last word and we get it when they change their minds which they always do." Robert explained. "I try to think of something else while Janet rambles, usually sports."

"I can do that." Punk said thinking about it.

"The more you fight her on it, the more you'll push her in the opposite direction." Robert told him and he nodded.

"Phillip." April greeted from the den door and he cringed because he could tell by her tone she was still pissed.

"Yes, dear?" he asked putting on a smile to look at her.

"Can you help me get some things from the top of the closet?" She asked

"Just do it." Robert coughed subtly and Punk stood up.

"My pleasure." He smirked.

Punk followed April into her old bedroom and pointed to the top of her closet.

"There's some cloths mom needs for the party tomorrow up there." She told him and he reached up and knocked over a few things from the top of it.

"Sorry." He said bending over to help her.

Punk eyed the items that fell from the box and saw a teddy bear, a mixed tape, a few letters that were rubber banned together, movie ticket stubs, and photos.

"I got it." She said throwing the items in the box.

"What is this?" he asked picking up a picture and it was April and another boy.

"My old boyfriend." She said taking the picture from him and putting it back in the box.

"Why do you have this stuff?" He asked.

"I don't know." She shrugged putting the items back in the box and he stood up. "Really? You're mad I have an old box in a house I haven't live in for a year of an ex-boyfriend?"

"I don't know Ape." he shrugged.

"You said you don't get jealous and you said you didn't care about my past." She pointed out. "Remember I tried talking to you about it at dinner a week ago? You said it didn't matter who I had been with in the past."

"It matters when you keep a box of his stuff." He remarked defensively. "I don't have old pictures or movie stubs."

"He was my first boyfriend." She said standing up with the box and placing it back in the closet.

"And you're still keeping it?" He asked.

"I don't even live here anymore." She laughed. "You sure get mad over stupid things."

"I wasn't mad about the church thing, I know you and I know you don't want it anymore than I do but I am a little thrown off by your box of memories." He admitted.

"It's just a stupid box." She said to him. "And you were right, we shouldn't get into our romantic pasts."

"I didn't say that." He remarked and reaching for the box and she slapped his hand away.

"Don't be nosy." She warned him. "If it makes you feel better, I'll throw away the box."

"I mean it's your stuff." He remarked with slight relief. "I would never be so insecure as to tell you to get rid of it but if you wanted to that would be your decision."

"It is my decision." She said grabbing the box. "And you can call your mother and tell her we're not getting married in a church because you were right about that too." She told him.

"It would be my pleasure." Punk grinned. "See? Was that so hard?"

"Don't push it." She warned him.

"And as a compromise even though you didn't want the church wedding, I want to pay for your wedding dress." He offered.

"Don't be ridiculous." She told him. "My parents will pay for it-"

"I want to do it. They can chip in on something else. I don't care how much it is either. I want you to have the best and I want to provide it to you." He told her.

"That's some real old fashion thinking." She remarked. "You know I'm capable of paying for my own dress."

"I do know that but I still want to buy it for you. When you put that dress on and feel beautiful and are glowing because it's the happiest day of your life I want you to know that I plan on providing that feeling to you for the rest of your life." he told her and she grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss.

"You're amazing." She told him and nipped his lips one more time. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." he told her and she picked up her box.

"I'll throw this out. You bring those sheets to my mom." She told him.

April stepped outside in the backyard and took the lid off the garbage pale and placed her box of memories with her first boyfriend inside. She turned her head when she heard rustling in the trees. It was dark out so it was hard to see. She stepped closer to the trees.

"Hello?" April asked poking around. "Hello!" She yelled louder.

"What are you doing?" Janet asked stepping outside. "It's freezing."

"Someone is out here." She told her mother.

"What?" Janet asked stepping over to April and looking for herself.

"I saw him." She told her.

"Saw who?" Janet asked peering into the trees herself. "No one is here."

"He was here." She told her mother sadly.

"What are you doing?" Punk asked stepping outside next.

"Get your gun." She ordered Punk who eyed her.

"I didn't bring my gun." he told her.

"Do you have a gun?" April asked her mother.

"Ape, what's going on?" He asked.

"He was in the trees!" She explained pointing.

"Who?" he asked her.

"I don't know! The guy who was in our apartment!" She yelled.

"Oh, Ape." he sighed running his hand over his face.

"There was a man in your apartment?" Janet asked.

"She thought there was." Punk told her.

"I'm not crazy." She told her mother and Punk. "I saw him! Same eyes!"

"Was it James?" He asked.

"I don't know." She admitted.

"April, come inside and we'll have some coffee." Janet said putting her arm around her.

"No, there's someone in your yard!" She explained resisting going inside.

"I'll check the yard." he told her.

"You don't have your gun." She told him.

"What is with this gun fascination you have?" Janet asked her daughter.

"Just take her inside, I'll look around here." Punk told her.

"You'll be careful?" she asked Punk with panicked eyes.

"Yea." He assured her softly.

Punk went back inside and April was sitting at the table staring at her cup of coffee.

"My mom thinks I'm crazy. She's inside the den telling my father that right now." She said not even looking up at him. "You think I'm crazy too."

"I do not." Punk said sitting across from her and grabbing her hand. "You're shaken up."

"Was anyone out there?" She asked.

"No but there was a raccoon." He told her. "That probably what you heard. And I'm sure you saw someone at the loft. But I do think we have to get back to finding you someone to talk to."

"See? You do think I'm crazy." She said sadly.

"I really don't. I think you're jumpy." He told her. "And that's normal."

"Is it really though?" She asked almost desperately.

"Of course it is. Forget the fact that you were shot, forget the fact that you were chased through the woods during a car accident- you also witnessed a murder. You've been on the run since and the only time you were in a place for a long time was when you were in the hospital." He reasoned. "I'm surprised you're this put together."

"But I feel fine." She pointed out. "I don't jump at my shadow or flinch every time I hear a noise. I really keep seeing somebody."

"Well, it can't be the same person from the loft because we just got here and no one knew we were coming here." He told her.

"I guess you're right." She said looking back down into her coffee. "Don't leave me because I'm crazy." She sighed and he smiled.

"You're not crazy, but even if you were, I dig crazy chicks." He told her with a grin.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! This was a long chapter but it was just filler to the party, which is next chapter! Enjoy!