Final Countdown
"Still not talking to me?" Punk asked the next evening once he had gotten home from work. April ignored him all morning and didn't respond to his messages or answer his calls while he was at work.
"Dinner is in the oven." She said simply as she kept her eyes on the TV.
"I'm sorry I snapped." He said sitting next to her on the couch. "I shouldn't have."
"I'm sick and tired of James Sawyer." She said annoyed. "I'm so sick of him! I'm sick of being afraid, I'm sick of fearing for my children's lives and my husband's life. This has been a two year battle and I'm ready to throw in the towel."
"I know." He groaned. "I feel the same way."
"I hate waiting. I'm constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop." She told him. "It's exhausting. It's mentally and physically exhausting and I'm not happy."
"You're not happy here?" He asked concerned. "Aside from the Sawyer thing I thought things were going good."
"They are but you don't have the weight of James Sawyer on you at home all day. You get out and go to work and you actively search for him and work towards a goal. I sit at home all day and just wait to hear he's been caught or wait for him to kill me and steal our kids." She told him. "It's depressing."
"I'm sorry." He said genuinely.
"Don't be sorry. I know it's not your fault and in spite of what I said last night, I know you're trying really hard to get him." She told him. "It's not your fault but I've reached my end now. I can't do this anymore."
"So, what are you saying? You want to leave?" He asked confused. "Leave me and our home?"
"No." She said shaking her head. "I love this home. I loved it the first time you took me to see it. Even though I didn't realize I'd be sharing this home with you or children for that matter, I love you and our children and our home. We're all a package deal. But I'd sacrifice the home if it meant my sanity."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Let's take the kids and go." She suggested.
"Where? For how long?" He asked.
"I don't know, anywhere!" She suggested. "Somewhere he can't find us. We can go into witness protection." She suggested and Punk gave her a sympathetic smile. She was desperate now. "It's a really good idea! We can go somewhere and start fresh! James would never find us and we can let our kids play in the front yard and they'll be safe."
"What did I tell you when John tried to push you into WITSEC two years ago?" He asked.
"You just didn't want me to go because you'd miss me so much." She said shaking her head. "That's the beautiful thing about this now, we're married and have children- we're a package deal!"
"What about our parents? They never see their grandchildren again? We'll never see them again?" he asked.
"Phil, our family- our family that we created- trumps everything and everyone." She reminded him. "They would understand."
"He's one man." Punk reminded her and she felt herself begin to dissolve. "He is one fucking mentally unstable man and we are not going to uproot our children and give up our families because of him. He's one man and we're an army."
"I just want to end." She cried dropping her head into his chest. "I don't know what it's like to be normal with you. I don't know how to not be afraid."
"He's one man." Punk kept reminding her as he held her. "We can handle one man. Before he had his father-"
"He almost killed you." She cried. "Don't you see that I'm scared for you too? I know there is nothing you want to do to keep us safe and that terrifies me too because I can't be a mother without you. I can't raise those babies without you. I can't even stand the thought of it-"
"Hey." He smiled. "Last time when he got the upper hand was a fluke. It won't happen again." He promised her. "Like I keep telling you, hes ONE man."
"I just don't know if I can stand it much longer." She confided.
"I'm sorry." He told her. "I let you down. It's just when things settled a bit we got married and then we had the kids and after he took Mya was gone. Things were so quiet for months." He explained.
"I know you and everyone else is working hard." She said to him shaking her head. "I'm not trying to sound ungrateful. I know so much has gone into him but if he's just one man why does he have such control over us? Instills so much fear?"
"We let him." Punk told her. "It stops now." he told her.
"He's just one man." She repeated his words.
"That's right." He encouraged.
"He's one man." She agreed, but more just trying to convince herself.
"I love you." He told her cupping her tear stained face. "I love you and I love our children and I love the life we built and it's going to get better." he promised. "You won't be afraid to go back to work, our kids are going to get to play in the front yard."
"I believe you." She whispered.
April leaned up and kissed him tenderly but he pushed her onto the couch so she was laying on it and his tongue never left her throat while doing so. She was thankfully wearing a button down loose summer dress he ripped opened and both gave into what they really needed...
Dean wandered down the stairs and saw Punk walking out of the living room without a shirt on and buttoning his jeans.
"What are you doing here?" Dean asked and Punk glared at him. "Oh, come on, you two don't live here alone."
"Did you sleep with my mom in my kitchen?" Punk asked mockingly.
"Fair." Dean agreed and April stumbled out of the living room next, buttoning up her dress.
"Are the babies up?" She asked.
"Nope. Sleeping like well, babies." Dean smirked
"I'm going to take a shower." She said hurrying past the two.
"You two made up." Dean smirked.
"Yea." Punk said running his hand through his now sweaty hair. "Were you going somewhere?"
"Yea. I noticed yesterday when we pulled in there was a car few houses down, ran the plates and it came back clean but I saw it again today. Was only here for a few minutes and took off. Want to check if it's still around." Dean told him.
"Did you get a look at the driver?" Punk asked.
"Yea some older guy, maybe his sixties wearing a hat. I've never seen him before." Dean shrugged. "It's probably nothing but want to keep an eye out."
"Thanks." Punk said to him as he thought about it. "You know, we keep fucking up when it comes to Sawyer. We're always so sure we're going to predict his next move but we're always off. Maybe we're off now."
"What do you mean?" Dean asked.
"We think he's on his own. That he's gearing up for war but what if he isn't alone? Call John and ask him to dig into associated of James Sawyer Sr in California." Punk told him. "Maybe he does have some outside help and we're overlooking it."
"Will do." Dean assured him then he stepped outside.
Punk wandered upstairs and checked on the twins before he would bust in on April's shower. He was surprised to see them in the same crib.
"They were impossible tonight." April whispered coming up behind him. "They only stopped crying when I put them together."
"It's cute." Punk smirked taking his phone out and snapping pictures. "We have to take pictures of moments like this so when they're older and fighting we can remind them how much they loved each other." he whispered.
"Good thinking." She smiled looking at her sleeping children.
"They're like angels." Punk grinned proudly.
"Your angel children got into a mini food fight today." She said seriously and he chuckled. "Then J.R was pulling himself up about to stand-"
"And you didn't get a picture or record it?" Punk asked her upset.
"By the time I was about to snap the picture, Mya knocked him over by grabbing his leg and pulling him back down." She told him. "I have a picture of a blurry J.R falling."
"Solid memory to keep." Punk smirked.
"Let's not wake the demons." She said pulling him out of the nursery.
"They are not demons." he frowned.
"They've been beating each other up all day and then the little monsters insisted on sleeping in the same crib." She said seriously and he laughed.
"I hope they always stay this close." Punk grinned.
"Let's go take a shower." She said grabbing his hand and pulling him across the hall.
The hit man was again parked on the block. It was night time but he needed to know the pattern of the family if he was going to get the upper hand on them. He had two associates flying in tomorrow and then he would do the job. He had taken out many people for a lot of money for many years but this was going to be difficult. He had never murdered an entire family like this. But he didn't turn down money.
"Lights still on." Hector Diaz muttered jotting it down in a little notepad. "Husband gets home at around 8 every night. Sometimes he's a wild card." he whispered writing that down too then he jumped when he heard a knock at his window. "Fuck me." he mumbled to himself and rolled down his window.
"Can I help you?" Dean asked the man as he peered around the car subtly.
"No you can not." Hector said stiffly. He knew Dean was a curious federal Marshal for sure.
"Why are you watching my house?" Dean asked curiously.
"I'm not." Hector chuckled.
"So, what are you doing?" Dean asked in a chipper but sarcastic voice.
"I'm lost." He lied and Dean smiled.
"Where are you from?" Dean asked.
"Milwaukee." he lied again and Dean knew it.
"Yea? Where are you looking to go?" Dean asked playing along.
"542 Noterdam ave." Hector said looking at his notepad but making up the address.
"That's not around here and I don't know where it is." Dean told him. "Why don't you hit the main road and ask for directions." Dean suggested. "So, where in Milwaukee do you live?"
"I've got to get going. Taking your advice." He said then sped off.
"Mother fucker." Dean muttered glaring at the car and pulled out his phone. "John, it's me. We have a problem."
After their shower Punk and April headed downstairs for a late night snack.
"I made you dinner." She reminded him as he ate cupcake.
"I want dessert first." Punk smirked.
"Hey." Dean greeted in a serious voice as he walked into the kitchen. "Something is going down."
"What do you mean?" April asked alarmed.
"That car out there was watching the house." Dean confirmed.
"Car?" April asked.
"Dean spotted it yesterday and this morning." Punk told her but kept his eyes on Dean.
"The guy gave me a bullshit story. His plates are clean but they're from out here. Name its under is a fake." Dean told them. "Car was spotless from what I can see and he's old school, was writing everything in a little notepad."
"Why didn't you just arrest him?" April asked him.
"I can't arrest a guy for being parked on a public block." Dean told her and she frowned and looked up at Punk.
"This is good." Punk said and April eyed him.
"How is this good?" She asked.
"It means we know Sawyer isn't working alone. And you said he was in his sixties?" Punk asked Dean and he nodded.
"Old school hat on, tan, no accent though. Said he was from Milwaukee but he was definitely not from Milwaukee." Dean told him.
"Sounds like a professional. If he was out here taking notes it was to know our routine." Punk told him. "And this was his second night here so he's being meticulous."
"Hired help." Dean agreed.
"Hired help?" April asked confused.
"A professional hit man." Dean told her and her face fell. "I wonder who the target is."
"Probably all of us." Punk said looking at Dean.
"All but the kids." Dean corrected as April looked horrified.
"We're one step ahead of him, fucking finally." Punk said relieved.
"He knows I'm onto him but I don't think I scared him off good." Dean told him.
"Don't we want that?" April asked.
"No. We want him to act. If he's been hired James Sawyer it means he's in contact with James and I assume James had to pay him some amount." Punk noted.
"And they do that in person." Dean nodded.
"We want to catch him." Punk told April.
"How do we do that?" April asked.
"I have a feeling he hasn't acted out because he realizes he's outnumbered." Dean told Punk.
"We need them to come in." Punk told him and April's face dropped.
"We have two babies!" April argued.
"We're moving the babies out." Punk told her. "As a matter of fact pack a bag. I'll call my mom and she'll meet you at a hotel-"
"I'm not just running." April said to him.
"You're not. Because I'm going to need you." Punk told her. "We don't want him to know we figured it out."
"You're going to have to play the part." Dean agreed. "We can fake out the kids being here. Dolls are easy, but we can't fake you out."
"We could get an undercover actually." Punk said to him. "That would make me feel better."
"Are we going to have time for that?" Dean asked. "If he thinks I'm suspicious he's going to realize his time is limited."
"How can you two just assume all of this? This is quite the story you've created from just a few words with him." She said to them.
"It's our job." Dean informed her.
"Pack the kids up." Punk told her. "I don't know if he's back watching the house or someone else is so we have to sneak the kids out."
"April's car is in the garage. We put them in and April and throw blankets over them as we pull out." Dean suggested. "We'll come back tonight and fake him out in the morning."
"We're going to have to stay here tonight." Dean told Punk who nodded in agreement.
"And be sitting targets? I think not." April said to hem.
"We're going to have a fucking army of Marshal's here." Dean told her. "When we drive back tonight we'll stop and pick some guys up, sneak them in the same way we snuck the kids out."
"Alright." Punk agreed.
"But you need me here for the morning." She pointed out. "I have to stay tonight with you."
"No. I'll sneak you back in or something." He told her.
"He'll figure it out if you keep going and coming." She told him. "But if I'm not spending the night with the babies and your mom is I want them at the Marshal office." She told him. "We'll put up a bassinet for them but that's the safest place for them."
"Alright." Punk agreed. "Call the Chief, John and Corey." he told Dean who nodded.
"I've never left the kids for a whole night." She said nervously.
"You were right about the Marshal office. No one can get in there. But I really wish you'd stay there with them. I don't need you here tonight." He told her.
"I need to be here." She told him firmly. "If this brings us closer to James Sawyer then I have to be here."
"It could be dangerous, Ape." He warned.
"You'll let this creepy hit man hurt me?" She asked looking up at him.
"You know I won't." He said kissing her forehead. "Pack the kids."
"Ok." She said. "And Mya has some dolls-"
"We'll need them." Punk told her. "I don't know how long this is going to be." he warned her.
"I'll pack enough." She said to him. "Is it long enough that I should them to Jersey with my parents?"
"I doubt that but I also don't want them out of state since I don't know what state James Sawyer is in." He pointed out.
"Good point." She agreed then ran up the stairs.
Although this was a high pressure situation he couldn't help but smile a bit, he knew this was James Sawyer's screw up. He was going to get him and he knew it.
After sneaking their sleeping children into the car and covering them with a blanket, Dean rode in the spacious trunk of the SUV as Punk and April drove into Chicago to bring the babies.
"Ma." Punk greeted seeing she arrived first. "I'm sorry to do this but the kids love you and-"
"Anything I can do." Karen said hushing him and kissing his cheek.
"They're still sleeping." April whispered as she held one car seat and Dean the other.
"There's a cot set up in your office for your mom and we moved your desk out to make room for a bassinet for the kids." John told him.
"Help me set them up?" April asked Dean and Karen who followed her into the office.
"I'm going back to your house." John told him. "Me and Corey."
"Corey cleared for field work?" Punk asked.
"Yea. And trust me, he wants James Sawyer just as badly." John told him.
"We need this guy alive." Punk reminded him. "Without him we have nothing."
"I know this." John said annoyed. "Did you get an undercover for April?"
"April is coming back with us." Punk told him.
"Are you sure about that?" John asked skeptically.
"I can't get an undercover identical to April by the morning. Believe me I tried to talk her out of it too but she isn't having it." Punk told him.
"I suppose it's more realistic." John had to admit. "By the way, we got a picture of your mystery man off a street camera. We're running his picture through databases now so hopefully we have an ID in a few hours."
"Good." Punk said nodding. "This is all coming together."
"Finally." John said to him. "It's been a long fucking road."
"That it has." Punk had to agree. "But this is the end, I can feel it."
"Me too. It's like I know what's about to happen is fucking crazy and can go wrong but I can't help but smile because I know it's a means to the end." John told him.
"Same feeling." Punk said told him. "We have to keep April out of harms way too." He whispered.
"I assume this guy is an independent hit man, he'll have what? One or two more guys with him? We'll get him. Put April in a vest just in case."
"We all wear vests." Punk corrected. "You too. I don't want any more casualties."
"Wow, you want me to live. I'm flattered." John teased.
"It's not that, I just don't want you to die in my house." Punk said honestly.
"Ok. They were still sleeping but they're settled or as much as they can be." April said to Punk. "Want to kiss them goodbye?"
"Yea." Punk said to her. "Get her fitted for a vest." He told John.
"A vest?" April asked.
"Just precaution." John said waving for her to follow him. "Nothing is going to happen to you. Don't worry."
"What if we do all of this and this guy is just a flake and nothing comes of it?" She asked.
"This is the opening we needed. This is the break we've needed for years." John told her. "This will work. Trust me."
"Don't do that in front of me." Punk said disgusted as he walked back over with Dean following.
"I wasn't thinking. It was just a kiss." Dean reasoned.
"She's my mother." Punk reminded him in a warning voice.
"Are you scared?" April asked Punk.
"No." He told her truthfully. "This is going to work and before you know it, it really will be over." he promised her. "You know, if you didn't spot that car we would have still thought James was working alone." He told Dean.
"It's my job." Dean shrugged.
"I didn't notice him." Punk pointed out. "That was really good work."
"Again, this was my job." Dean told him. "Don't worry about it."
"Thank you." April smiled and kissed Dean's cheek.
"No reason to kiss him. He gets plenty of kisses from my mom." Punk mocked as he playfully tugged April away.
"Ass." Dean grunted then walked off with John.
"Before we go back to the house you have to promise me you'll do everything I say." He said to her and she narrowed her eyes at him. "I mean as it relates to this, we both know who's the king of the castle."
"Me." She grinned. "And yes, for this one occasion I'll be a perfect little witness."
"You're not a witness." He pointed out and smirked. "But I remember you saying you'd be a perfect witness many times before and it was bullshit." He laughed. "I need you to mean it this time."
"I do." She nodded.
"We have two kids who need their mother. Not that I plan on you being anywhere near these guys, still." He told her.
"It will be fine." She assured him.
"It will be." he agreed and kissed her.