"I thought I said I wanted today off." Punk said whilst sitting on his fathers couch, having barely got any sleep. He never slept well after carrying out a deed for obvious reasons, it was why he asked for today off to catch up on any sleep he'd lost.
"Despite you not getting on with her, Phil. She's still your baby sister." Jack warned, "And we're supposed to protect her. Your mother sacrificed herself, so she could have Elise. She would expect us to be looking after her." Jack said as Punk just sunk down against the couch.
"What's the problem anyway?" Punk asked.
"I think someone is following her." Jack said, "She was out last night with Toni and some other girl, a friend no doubt, and when she parted ways from the girl, a black car was following her all the way to her house." He said with thought.
"You're really still following her? After she came and bet me up." Punk sighed, "She can handle herself. She's tougher than you think." Punk in-putted.
"She isn't tough. She's a single mother living on her own. She's an extremely easy target, my boy." Jack said, "I need you to go talk to her. Ask her if anyone is looking to hurt her." He said.
"The girl hates me." Punk said, "Why would she talk to me about anything." Punk rolled his eyes.
"Just do it." Jack said, slapping the back of Punks head with a paper as he sat up, holding the back of his head and groaning, "She'll either be at work, in her house, or at Toni's ballet class." Jack said, "Check them all out."
Punk drove all the way to where Elise was at, parking his car outside her work, slamming the door shut and walking into the studio, climbing the stairs and bursting through the door, looking at the 'on air' sign as many people looked at him with anger.
"Where is Elise?" Punk asked without consideration, not even fussed that he was probably heard on the radio at the moment.
"Picking her daughter up from her ballet class." Someone said, "Get out!"
Punk left, leaving the door opened and running back downstairs, getting into his car and driving around slowly to figure out where the hell this stupid ballet class was. He didn't know why Elise was even bothering letting Toni do ballet. What would ballet help the little girl in life with? She had to be protected and taught from her uncle and grandfather.
He found the studio in which he parked outside at, bursting through the large wooden doors, looking around as he seen his reflection across in the mirror. A big, scary man like himself standing where such beauty was made himself feel even worse about himself.
"Elise!" Punk yelled, hearing his voice echo the room, walking further in as he looked around, "Elise get your ass out here!" He yelled.
"She isn't..."
Punk silenced the voice behind him, turning around quickly and pushing the girl against one of the mirrors, watching her look up in fear, "Where is she?" Punk asked, gripping the girls shoulders tightly as she looked up, wincing, trying to wriggle out of his grip, "Tell me right now." Punk said.
"Not until you tell me who you are." AJ spat, never being so scared in her life, yet not being so dumb as to slip out to this dangerous and terrifying man where Elise and Toni had gone.
"Are you fucking with me?" Punk stared down at her, "Tell me. Where. She is." Punk spat slowly, watching as the young girl looked up at him, turning away with shame.
"She left to go home five minutes ago." AJ said, "Now take your hands off me." She managed to wriggle out of his grasp which he loosened, throwing his hands away with disgust and looking up at him. He had the exact same eyes as Elise, and he could see the resemblance when looking up at him. It was her brother. Clearly.
"Wouldn't that have been easier if you just told me the first time." Punk said.
"Wouldn't it been easier if you just asked me nicely. Instead of throwing me against the wall." AJ folded her arms as Punk raised his eyebrows. In all his years of having to ask people for information, women in particular, no one had ever put up as much of a fight as this one.
"Trust me, sweetheart. Any girl would be lucky to have me throw them against the wall." He looked down at her, pushing by her as she watched him leave the studio, making a huffing sigh and rolling her eyes.
Elise really wasn't kidding when she said her brother wasn't worth knowing. He seemed like a right jerk. She could feel her shoulders bruising already just by the grips of his hands. A dainty ballerina like herself wasn't used to such violence. He had no right to put his hands on her.
She supposed she'd better warn Elise before he got to her. She quickly pulled out her phone and dialled her number.
Punk had arrived at Elise's house, walking up the steps and knocking lightly, not banging heavily to give his presence away, watching as Toni came to the door, looking up at him with fear. She had never met her uncle or grandfather, this would be the first. Elise always made sure Punk or Jack never got around her.
Punk couldn't help smile. She was beautiful. And he couldn't deny she was a Brooks, "Hiya, sweetheart." Punk said, "Is your mom there?" He asked as she ran away quickly, leaving the door opened behind her as he walked in, shutting the door over and walking through the living room, watching Elise walk out of the kitchen with her phone in her hand, having just got off the phone with AJ.
"Why the hell are you here?" Elise asked, looking over at Toni who sat on the couch looking up at her mother and uncle, "Baby, go upstairs and look out some clean pyjamas. I'll be up soon." She told her, watching the four year old run away as Punk watched her, "Don't you look at her." Elise pointed, "Why are you here?"
"Dad sent me. I didn't want to come." He admitted.
"Why did he send you?" Elise asked, "Did you just go down to a damn ballet studio and put your hands on the teacher?" Elise asked him.
"She looked a bit young to be the teacher." Punk said, watching Elise grit her teeth.
"You can't just do that, Phil! You can't just walk into places and put your hands on people like that." She shrieked as Punk just rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, look… dad wants to know if you have anyone out to hurt you?" Punk asked.
"No." Elise said, "And if there is, you two will be the last to know about it." Elise said, "Get out of my house." She demanded.
"Why do you insist on hating us so much?" Punk asked, "All I'm here for is to make sure you're alright and you're just being a whiny little bitch like always." Punk said, "I don't know why I bother."
"I don't know why you bother either, Punk." Elise said, "You're just a coward. You… you have the power to leave dad and go… make something of your life."
"Oh, like you? Because making something of your life means moving house, working for a shitty radio and getting knocked up the first minute you're out of our watch." Punk nodded as she folded her arms.
"At least I'm not involved in that poison you call a job." Elise said, "I'm safe out here, and believe it or not I'm happy." She said, "I don't need you watching me anymore or pretending you even care." She said.
"I do care." Punk said, "Look… I've already lost my mom. I don't wanna lose you too. Because then… then it's just dad who I've got left and… well he isn't much to get excited about." He said.
"Don't pretend you care, Punk. It doesn't suit you." She said as he rolled his eyes.
"You are literally the worst." He shrieked, "I do care. I know I don't show it. But I do. Would it be easier if you weren't here? Yeah, because then I'd still have my mom, and I wouldn't have to deal with your ungrateful ass. But would it be better? No, because I wouldn't have a sister." He said as she just looked away, disconnecting their eye contact as he looked at her, "I'm sorry I'm like this. But I've had no choice. You're lucky you were born a girl. Because had you been a boy, dad would have forced the exact same shit on you that he has with me." He said, "I don't want to do what I do, but it's all I know." He said.
"You have a voice, Punk. Use it."
"It's easier for me just to get on with it." Punk said, "Now please, answer my question. Is there anyone trying to hurt you?" He asked.
"No." Elise said, "Not that I'm aware of." She told him as he nodded.
"Thank you." Punk said, "I think dad was just overreacting anyway." He said.
"Can you get out now?" Elise asked as Punk nodded, turning his back, "Shut the door on your way out."
"She's fine." Punk said, returning back to Invictus later that night, sitting with his father in the corner as he nodded.
"I think it was just a misunderstanding." Jack admitted, "I'm sorry, son. I just… I worry about her out there by herself." Jack said.
"I do too. But she's fine." Punk said, "So can we please just leave he alone? No more watching her. No more spying. Just let her live her life." Punk said as Jack nodded.
"Yeah. You're right. She's a grown woman." Jack nodded, "I'll lay off the watchers." He nodded.
"I'm sorry about my brother, AJ." Elise apologised the next day after picking Toni up from class, "He's just a child with no self control." She shook her head as AJ just nodded.
"It's alright." AJ nodded.
Elise noticed that AJ was wearing a cardigan today, which was unusual. She never wore a cardigan, "He didn't… please tell me he didn't hit you." She said.
"No." AJ shook her head, "Just… I bruise like a peach. When he grabbed me it left a few marks." She shook her head, "It's no big deal." She said.
"I'm so sorry." Elise said, embarrassed from her brothers lack of regard for anyone but himself, "I don't think he's going to bother me anymore, thankfully." She said.
"Good." AJ nodded, "No one needs that type of person in their life." AJ said. She was still a little shaken up from last night. She'd never been in such a position where someone was looking down upon her, trying to scare her. Her shoulder still ached from the grasp he had on her, and she could still smell his strong clone. It wasn't a position that she was used to being in, and she was terrified it would happen again.
"I know." Elise said, "He's just… his head is on another planet." She admitted, "But I'm glad you're ok. I'll make sure he doesn't lay a hand on you again." Elise said as AJ nodded.
"Thank you." AJ smiled, "I was going to stop by for some coffee on my way out. I could use some company." She smiled as Elise nodded.
"Sure." Elise smiled, taking a hold of Toni's hand as they left the studio, locking up and heading for some coffee.
AJ wasn't sure what type of family Elise had really came from, but she knew she wanted no part of it. She didn't even want to know about it now that she'd encountered her terrifying brother.
Not the greatest first impression he's given himself. Will Jack really leave Elise alone? Will AJ and Punk bump into each other again? All coming soon.