The Right Talk

"Where is AJ?" Dean asked, walking into AJ and Punk's house, finding Punk in the kitchen feeding Keala.

"Upstairs." Punk nodded.

"She still not feeling good?" Dean asked him.

"No. I mean, she's feeling better, for sure." Punk nodded, "But she's not herself. She's been going to therapy but she's just really tired all the time. She's not really spending much time with Keala." He said as Dean frowned.

"You think she's finding it difficult?" Dean asked him, taking a banana from the fruit basket and peeling it for himself whilst Punk sat over at the table feeding his daughter.

"I don't think she's finding it difficult… it's just her illness. Her moods just take over her and it's like she can't do anything until she's gotten out of the episode." Punk said, "It'll just take some time." He nodded to himself.

"Yeah." Dean nodded, "At least you both know how to deal with it." He said as Punk nodded.

AJ was still feeling pretty down and Punk was doing everything he knew that helped her. He knew that the episode would pass and she'd be back to her normal self again, but it was hard for him to see her so sad and down, especially when they had so much to be thankful for and joyous for.

"How is it going with you and Anna?" Punk asked as Dean wandered over to the table, taking a seat across from Punk whilst eating his banana.

"Uh… it's going ok, I guess." Dean nodded, "Kinda slow, but I guess that's what we agreed on, to try and make it work." Dean said, "She's not got much family, we can bond over that now, and I feel like I really know the real her now which is great, but I don't know, there's still some trust issues there, definitely." Dean nodded.

"Well there's bound to be." Punk nodded, "If it's meant to be it'll work." Punk said as Dean nodded.

"You know we were talking last night when she came around, and I thought of a really cool idea. Remember when we always said how annoying it was that we never had any like home videos of us when we were kids?" He asked.

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"Well I was thinking we could make one for Keala." Dean said, "I'm not talking videoing her every day but… the important stuff. Stuff you can look back on when she's eighteen. Stuff for her to look back on when she's grown up." Dean said as Punk smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, that's a nice idea." Punk smiled. It was thoughtful and an idea he really liked, because they both knew that every moment was precious. Punk especially.

"You don't worry about it. I will just… I'll take care of it." Dean nodded, "It'll be like a really long project." He smiled as Punk laughed and nodded.

"Ok, you're in charge." Punk nodded, listening as he heard AJ coming downstairs.

"Hey." AJ smiled to them, still in her pyjamas as Dean stood up and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"How you doing?" He asked her softly as she smiled up at him and nodded.

"I'm ok." She nodded. He really was just like her brother.

"Yeah?" Dean nodded, "Don't beat yourself up about this. She's not going anywhere." Dean said. He knew just as well as Punk did that AJ got angry with herself when she felt herself going into a depressive cycle. It was like she was mad for missing out on so much, but she couldn't help it, and they understood that better than anyone else.

"I know." AJ smiled and nodded, looking over to Punk who was feeding Keala.

"She's so greedy. I keep thinking she's choking but she's just gulping so much." Punk shook his head as AJ smiled, walking over and smiling on at the baby girl. She was feeling a little better every day, and felt her spirits being lifted with the help of her boyfriend. He knew the right things to do that would help her feel better and get back to her normal self.

"Dean, tell AJ your idea." Punk said as AJ looked over at Dean.

"I'm gonna make little videos for Keala to watch when she's older." Dean said, "And for you guys to watch too." He said, "Make sure to get those special moments." He nodded as AJ smiled.

"I hate how soft she makes the both of you." AJ laughed a little but smiled, "That's a lovely idea." She nodded to Dean, "We can watch it when she's eighteen and out with her friends clubbing." She nodded.

"Uh… clubbing? I think the fuck not." Punk laughed as AJ slapped the back of his head.

"Don't curse in front of her." She said as Dean laughed a little. It already seemed like AJ was getting back to her usual self by the looks of things, "Well if she's anything like me then she won't be clubbing, but who knows? She might fit in with people better than the three of us." AJ shrugged, walking over to the kitchen, "Dean are you staying for dinner?" She asked.

"If you've got enough going." Dean nodded.

"We always buy extra for you." AJ smiled to him.

"Well then count me in." Dean nodded as AJ smiled.

"I can give you a hand if you like. She's just about finished." Punk told AJ.

"No, it's alright." AJ waved her hand as he just nodded and watched her. Her ability to carry on and keep her head up reminded him of how lucky he was that his daughter had such a strong mother to look up to, to have as a role model.

Dean stayed for dinner, and once they ate, he headed through to the living room to spend some time with his niece. He liked to just sit and watch her. He planned on being Keala's first best friend. He wasn't quite sure if kids were going to be on his agenda, but being an uncle was already such an important role in his life, and he promised himself and his brother that Keala would always have him to depend on if she couldn't reach her mother or father.

Meanwhile AJ and Punk were in the kitchen, sitting at the table with the empty plates.

"How you feeling?" Punk asked her, sliding his hand across the table and taking his in hers as she smiled and played with his hand.

"Ok." AJ nodded, "Better than the past few days." AJ told him, "I don't wear sleepless nights, stress and post-partum well, do I?" She smiled to him.

"Hey, it's not been easy." Punk assured her, "What are you stressed about?" He wondered.

"Trying hard to be a good mom." AJ nodded, "Ever since everything happened with Anna… I've just been constantly thinking about my relationship with my mom. How toxic it was. How much she… she wanted me to be someone else, feeling like she wouldn't love me for who I really was." She said, "I can't do that to Keala."

"You won't." Punk said, "You and your mom are completely different people, AJ." Punk reminded her, "There might be similar genes there but you're not your mom." He said, "You're amazing with Keala. She already loves you." He said.

"What if I'm not cut out for it? I mean… I'm pretty sure my mom stepped into motherhood trying to be the best mom and… she just lost it. What if I do too?" She asked him.

"You won't." Punk said, "I know you. I know how much you love Keala, and how much you want her to have a mom and dad that you never had." He said, "And we'll give her that." He said, "Dean is right, you can't beat yourself up about this." He shook his head as she ran her hands through her hair, playing with his hand with her other hand.

"I just don't want to let her down." AJ said.

"You won't." Punk said, "She's only a few weeks old. We've got a lot of time to be the best parents we can be." He nodded.

"Sometimes I just feel ill." AJ shook her head.

"What do you mean?" Punk shook his head.

"Like, literally like I'm sick in the head." She said, "It's not like I've got a broken leg that I can rest, or a tummy ache that I can take some tablets for." She said, "The whole thing just makes me feel like an alien." She told him truthfully.

"You are not an alien." Punk said, "Everyone is struggling with something. Your bipolar disorder is part of who you are, and it's a part that I love just as much as the rest of you, because I know I can be there for you, and it makes you stronger." He said as AJ smiled across at him, "You know, a girl once told me that our differences are what makes us all unique." He nodded as she smiled.

"They do." AJ nodded as Punk smiled.

"Yeah, they do." Punk said, "I love all of you, and what you go through only makes you stronger. Keala will see that, and she's gonna think you're the coolest person in the world." He said as AJ smiled to herself. He always knew exactly what to say to make her feel better.

"I think she's gonna think you're the coolest." AJ disagreed with a smile.

"No." Punk shook his head, "She's gonna look up to you and she's gonna learn how to be brave and strong and fierce." Punk said, "I'm just here to put the diapers on backwards." He smirked as AJ laughed as Punk smiled. He loved that laugh. He loved hearing it. To think there was a time where he thought he would never hear that laugh again was terrifying.

"Maybe." AJ smiled to him, "How do you have the patience for me?" She asked him truthfully.

"Because I love you, April. And it's not a case of me having patience for you. I know what you go through isn't easy." He said, "But you'll get through it, you always do" He nodded, squeezing her hand as she smiled.

"I love you." She nodded to him as he smiled.

"I love you too." He said, "Go on into the living room, I'll clear up in here." He said as she smiled and nodded, making her way into the living room where Dean was sitting holding Keala.

"Should I teach her how to kick or slap first?" Dean asked with a smile as AJ laughed a little and sat down beside him, looking on at her tiny beautiful daughter fast asleep on her uncle's chest.

"Neither." AJ said, "Teach her how to hug and be kind."

"No one gets through life hugging." Dean laughed, "You know that."

"I don't want her to go through life the way we did." AJ told him truthfully and seriously as Dean nodded and smiled.

"No, she won't." Dean said, "She'll have the best childhood. I'm almost jealous." He smiled as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, stroking her daughter's soft cheek, her eyes catching over to the hip flask sitting beside Dean behind one of the cushions as she tilted her head and looked at him, "Dean." AJ shook her head whilst Punk walked into the living room.

"Uh… there's ice-cream in the freezer if anyone wants some." Punk told them, collapsing down on the couch whilst AJ looked on at Dean, watching as he shook his head once noticing what she was about to say.

AJ watched as he slid the hip flask into his pocket, shaking his head desperately to her as she turned back around to Punk who was flicking through the TV channels.

"Uh… yeah, I'll go take it out." AJ said, looking on at Dean as she stood up, leaving the living room and heading into the kitchen with concern. She questioned why he was hiding the drink, and then wondered if she really wanted to question that.

A/N: Let me know what you think! Keala's name is pronounced kee-la. Just incase anyone is having trouble making out what her name is. I thought it was sweet. Let me know what you think! More to come.