A/N; Trying to fit as many chapters as I can in before the madness of Christmas really begins. Will probably have the story on hold from Wednesday onwards, so bare with me. Thanks to those who review. It means everything. Enjoy this chapter!

Punk had came to the fact that he was actually stranded. He had no money to rent a place for the night, or book a hotel room, and he wasn't sure how he could go about knocking on someones door, when everyone that was close to him, believed he was dead.

He figured that everyone would figure out sooner or later, so he headed to his brothers, forgetting that it was actually the middle of the night, nearly sunrise.

He walked all the way to his brothers house, giving him some time to think about everything AJ had said before leaving. He couldn't believe she was being so defiant and firm with him. He understood she was mad that she had suffered a lot this year for nothing it felt like, but what had happened wasn't out of his choice, and she really didn't have to go making such rational decisions, like kicking him out of her life. It seemed so wrong, and he wasn't sure what had gotten into her. But then again, he knew she'd be all over the place. She'd been told to believe he was dead all this time, and here he was, live and in living colour.

He knocked on his brothers house door, standing on the steps and waiting for someone, anyone to come and answer the door. He'd missed his little brother, a lot. He couldn't imagine how he would have felt when he was told he was 'dead.'

He waited around five minutes until he seen a shadow through the stained glass of the door, figuring out it was Kerry who looked like she was in her work uniform, having just got in from the night shift. She opened the door, quickly pulling it back and dropping the can of soda she was holding on the ground, staring at him with blank eyes before letting out a piercing scream that shook the whole house, and Sean from his bed.

"Hey, hey… Kerry, it's alright. It's ok." Punk tried his best to calm her but she insisted to continue to scream her lungs off until Sean came rushing downstairs with a baseball bat, ready to swing at him whilst he put his hands up. It seemed like everyone was ready to kill him.

"Sean it's me…. It's Phil. I'm not dead. I'm not dead." He said quickly, "Put down the damn bat." He snatched the bat from his brother, watching him and Kerry look at him like he had two heads.

"You… I… what..." Sean shook his head, not being able to speak whilst looking on at his brother, who he thought he'd never see, ever again.

"I know." Punk nodded, "Just let me in. I'll explain everything."

"Harleen, baby don't make anymore mess please." AJ sighed whilst both babies sat in their high chairs at the kitchen table the next morning. They were up bright and early after a good night sleep, which their mother hadn't got, and they were insisting on making as much mess as they good with their breakfast that AJ was feeding them.

They had been eating solid foods for quite a while now, and although it was much messier, and half of the portion was sometimes on their face or the kitchen walls, AJ preferred it. She felt like it was much more healthier and they seemed to enjoy it much more than their bottle.

"Ma… ma' ma..." Caleb banged his fists of the high chair table whilst Harleen looked across at him with disapproval. It was fascinating to watch them, as their mother. They were only one and they already got on each others nerves.

"What do you guys wanna do today?" She asked them whilst finishing off the rest of their breakfast, giving Caleb a spoonful, and then giving Harleen hers, sitting in between them as they enjoyed the messy activity.

She couldn't really think straight. All night she sat up, replaying everything in her head, pinching herself every now and then incase she was still dreaming. It was crazy to wake up and realise she actually wasn't alone. Her boyfriend was alive. The father of her children wasn't dead. Taking it from that point of view, it was wonderful, but thinking about the downside, the fact that Punk could possibly bring more danger to them now he was back with them, it scared her.

Although she had made her feelings very clear, she still wanted Punk to spend time with the twins. She didn't have any right to take them from him. She wasn't that cruel. But her decisions she made last night were final. There was no relationship between them anymore. She didn't want to risk being hurt again like she was this past year. It was done. She wanted to move on.

"Will we go see daddy?" She asked them, "If there's one other person that loves you just as much as momma does, it's daddy." She told them, "He loves you guys so much, and mommy doesn't want to hurt him, but I can't let anything happen to you guys. He'll always protect you. We both will. Just… not together." She told them as they watched her, completely oblivious to her words, only interested in when the next spoonful of breakfast was coming their way.

They were the light in all of this. They made her smile and laugh when she had no other purpose to.

"I still can't get over it." Sean shook his head, still dazzled by his brothers revelations. In fact, he was still completely shocked that his brother was actually here, talking to him. It felt unreal, but unlike AJ, his brother was welcoming him with open arms, completely relieved that he wasn't dead, and it was all just a set up, "You seen AJ?" He asked. He was too busy asking questions about the set up, and the Witness Protection, that he forgot to ask Punk if he had reconnected with his children and girlfriend again. He knew AJ would be so relieved to see him.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Last night before I came here. She was happy at first. Bet me up a little. Happy again. Oh, and then she told me he didn't want me in her life anymore." He said as Sean raised his eyebrows.

"What?" Sean said.

"She said that I've brought too much danger to her over these past few years. She's still letting me be apart of the kids lives, but she doesn't want to be with me." Punk just shrugged whilst picking at the banana he was eating.

"I'm sure she was probably in a lot of shock last night. I mean, she's been thinking you were dead all this time." Sean said.

"Nah, she looked serious." Punk shrugged, "She went on about how much she'd missed me, and how much she'd wished for me to come back, and now I am back, she doesn't want anything to do with me." He shrugged.

"She's been through a lot, man. She's probably on another planet right now." Sean said, "Give her some time. She'll come around soon."

"I hope so." Punk said, "She seemed pretty serious last night. Talking about, how my job prevents stability for her and the twins, and that she thought it was best we just went our separate ways. Said that we should never have taken the relationship any further than the affair." He shook his head, "It was like she was wishing I'd never came back."

"Don't be stupid." Sean shook his head.

"I'm telling you, man. That's what it felt like." Punk said, "I know that my job has always made it hard for us to live normally. But I mean… she's scaring me with this sort of talk. She thinks that the twins could be in danger, and that I wouldn't be able to protect them." He said, "It's like she doesn't know me."

"She's thought you've been dead for the past year. Trust me… she needs time." Sean said.

"How has she been? Truly? Paul has just been giving me half assed answers. I know you've been looking out for her." Punk said.

"She's been ok." Sean nodded, "First few months were rough. Me and Kerry had to go round every day, just to make sure she ate something. She was finding it hard looking after the twins by herself, especially since they were so small when you'd left. We helped her a lot." Sean nodded, "But she's doing great on her own now. She's a great mom." Sean smiled, "She's never went back to work, but she's been doing some charity work here and there. She found it tough, but she turned a healthy corner half way through the year." He said, "How have you been?" He asked.

Punk had told him all about what happened the night he was taken, and why he was taken, but he hadn't mentioned about how and what he'd been getting up to this past year.

"Fine." Punk shrugged, "Counting down the days until I could come home." Punk said, "I've missed her and the twins so much. And you. I thought it would be different when I came back. I thought she'd come running into my arms, and I thought we could learn to be a family again, but it's like she just doesn't want me anymore." He shrugged.

"Give her space." Sean suggested, "It's different with everyone else, because… well we can all adjust and understand you being in Witness Protection. We can all just thank God and get on with our lives. But her… she's been made to believe she's lost her full life this year. She's been told that the father of her kids was killed on the streets. But now he's back..." He said, "She's bound to be a little off. Just give her space."

"You think?" Punk asked.

"I know." Sean said.

"I don't know. She looked really serious. I don't think she's going to change her mind about everything she said. You know… ending it with me." Punk said, "I don't know what I'm gonna do if she really wants to part ways." He shook his head at the thought.

"If I'm gonna say anything about it all, it'll be… she does have a point." Sean hated to say, "I know how dangerous your job is. And she finally knows how dangerous it is." He said, "There's a reason you used to use girls and throw them away. There's a reason you were a loner for so long. Because your job feasts on those who you love." He said, "Until it destroys them." He lowered his voice, "She's been through a whole lot this past year. Just imagine being in her posistion. Imagine you were told she was dead." He said.

"I know. But I'm back now. Can't we just forget about it?" Punk asked him as Sean shrugged.

"It's not my memory to forget about." He said, "You can stay here until you sort things out with her. You're always welcomed here." Sean told him, "My clothes will probably fit you, so help yourself." He told Punk.

"Thanks." Punk smiled.

"Unfortunately, I gotta go to work." Sean hopped down from the stool he was sitting on in the kitchen, walking by Punk, pausing and wrapping his arms around him tightly, as tight as he ever had, hearing Punk laugh quietly above him, "So glad you aren't dead." Sean spoke with a crack to his voice. It was like all his prayers had been answered.

Punk just hugged him back tightly, feeling him pull away as he patted him on the back. He never wanted to hurt any of his family this year. But it wasn't his choice. He didn't know how many times he could say that. He guess he just had to take Sean's advice and gave AJ some space. She really had been through a lot.