"Oh, well if it isn't the walking dead." Jack watched as Punk walked into the office, "Nice of you to show up after taking nearly half the year off." He raised his brandy glass as Punk just nodded, having prepared himself for the worst comments.
"I know. I Just… I needed to get away with April. I'm sorry." Punk apologised, "I'm here now." He put his hands up in the air, "Whatever you need I'm here." He said as Jack looked unconvinced.
Punk knew that he had to go through with this year or more whilst his father was breathing, and make him believe he was one one hundred percent in the game. The minute his father stopped breathing, he was leaving this place. He didn't care how bad that sounded.
"What's the catch, Phil?" Jack laughed, "You want weekends off? You want another few months off for the baby?" He asked.
"No." Punk said, "If you need a job done, I'm here. I just… I needed some time away." Punk said whilst Dennis smiled over to Jack, having told him that Punk would come back, ready to work after taking a break.
"How is April and my grandchild?" Jack asked, sincerely meaning it, more so for his grandchild.
"They're good." Punk nodded, "We're having-" Punk paused as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, taking it out and looking at all the missed calls from April, and the recent missed calls from Elise, "Hold on." Punk told his father, calling back his sister.
"Phil… Oh, thank God." Elise exclaimed down the phone, "AJ's gone into labour. I tried to take her to hospital but things are going to quick. I-I don't know what to do." She said as Punk shook his head.
"She's only eight months, she can't be-"
"Well she is!" Elise yelled, "I've called for an ambulance. But I don't know if she's going to be able to make it. You need to get here." Elise said whilst AJ's moaning and yelling was heard in the background.
"Ok. Ok… I'll be there as quick as I can, just… tell her not to worry." He said, hanging up as he looked over at his father, colour draining out of him.
"You look like you've seen a ghost." Jack chuckled whilst sipping on his brandy.
"April-Aprils gone into labour." He said in a trance as Jack sat up, standing up suddenly whilst Dennis looked at Punk.
"Is she in the hospital?" Jack asked whilst reaching for his coat.
"No… Elise is with her. Said she… she can't make it." Punk said as Jack shook his head at his sons complete daze.
"Well are you going to stand there all day or are you going to get a move on." Jack said, pushing Punk who stumbled forward and out the office door. He wasn't expecting the baby to arrive so early. Wasn't that bad? And even worse that AJ hadn't even made it to a hospital, where he would have felt much better if she was in.
"I know a quick route." Jack said whilst Punk got into the car, his father getting into the passengers side whilst Dennis joined in the back.
"Where is he?" AJ whined, sitting on the kitchen floor, already having sweated up a storm. Her forehead was damp and the sides of her hair were going wet. She was completely exhausted, and she was doing all she could just to stop the contractions from spiralling on.
"He'll be here soon. Don't worry about him. Just… Just focus on you. Focus on the baby." Elise said, dabbing a cool wet cloth over her forehead, "I'm here and I'm not going to leave. I promise." She said as AJ nodded.
"Oh, God! This is so sore." AJ yelled, feeling like her insides were ripping apart, rolling her head back against the kitchen cupboard, crying tears that no longer would come out. She really needed Punk right now. To hold his hand. To hear his reassuring words.
"Paramedics!" A woman yelled whilst walking into the house with her gear.
"In here!" Elise shouted, "She's in here." She said as the young woman walked in through the kitchen door, dumping her bags and crouching down beside AJ as Elise shuffled out the way and stood over a bit.
"Hi, April. I'm Jess. I don't want you to panic ok. You're gonna be ok, and I'm gonna get the baby out as safely as I can." She said as AJ nodded and gasped as another tight and sharp contraction hit, "How far apart are they?" Jess asked.
"Four or five minutes." Elise answered for AJ who was in no fit state to answer herself.
"Could you do me a favour..." The professional paramedic asked Elise, "Could you take out the blankets in my bag over there and boil some water to heat them." She asked as Elise nodded, "April, take deep breaths for me. You're doing wonderful." She said as AJ concentrated on her breathing, trying not to freak out like the paramedic was telling her, but it was hard to do anything when in this much pain.
"I'm gonna take a look to see how far you've dilated." She said as AJ nodded, rolling her head back whilst whimpering in pain as she took a look between her legs, "Ok. You're at seven just now, but things are going to start going quickly now. As soon as you feel the urge to push you have to tell me, ok?" She said as AJ nodded whilst Elise made sure the blankets were warm.
"Do you know what you're expecting yet?" The paramedic asked, trying to keep AJ as calm as possible whilst she put on gloves.
"A girl." AJ gasped.
"A girl, huh? You found any names yet?" She smiled as AJ shook her head.
"No… no, I haven't even looked… Oh. Oh my God." She groaned at another contraction.
"Ok. They're coming a lot quicker now. Just remember to breathe. Concentrate on your breathing-"
"April!" Punk yelled whilst practically falling in the door, "April!"
AJ let a smile escape her mouth, looking on as Punk walked through the kitchen door, unzipping his jacket and throwing it over the table. She had never been more relieved to see him. She was so glad he wasn't going to miss this.
"Only one person in the room with her." The paramedic said as Punk looked over to Elise.
"Good luck." Elise nodded, walking by him and out of the kitchen, shutting the door over as Punk made his way over to AJ, sitting down beside her as she took hold of his hand.
"I thought you weren't going to be here." She moaned.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world." He told her, pressing a kiss on the side of her head at her temple, feeling her squeeze her hand as she let another contraction take toll on her body.
"Ok, April… we're getting there. On the count of three, I want you to push as hard as you can. Ok?" She asked as AJ nodded.
"You can do this, baby." Punk smiled, letting her squeeze the life out of his hand, dabbing her sweaty head with the cool cloth.
"One… two… three..."
When Elise had walked into the living room where she had left Toni to watch TV, she had noticed her father and Uncle sitting waiting.
"What are you two doing here?" She asked them.
"I gave Phil a shortened route to her. And I want to meet my gandchild. Is that such a problem with you, Elise?" Jack asked as Elise took a seat, turning back to where the kitchen was and cringing at the screaming coming from the room, the living room going silent.
"Didn't bother coming to visit Toni when I had her." Elise said.
"Because you pushed everyone away, Elise." Jack said, leaning forward and clasping his hands. He was nervous for his son, like any normal grandparent, and he did have a little bit of a heart, he did wish to meet his sons first child, "What is with you? One day you love me and don't want me to die. Next you can't stand the sight of me." He said whilst Dennis just sat in silence, shutting his eyes at the loud screaming coming from the kitchen.
"Can you to stop fighting." Dennis opened his eyes, "We're here to meet this new baby, who is a Brooks, just like you, Elise." Dennis said, "It's going to be a part of our family now, and we're here to meet it. So quit bickering." Dennis said as Elise and Jack went silent, watching suddenly as Dean and Sami coming through the door.
Elise's eyes shot up to Dean, turning away quickly as she focused her attention on Toni. She didn't have anyone in childbirth with Toni. She could have had him. She was fed up of living her life thinking about what she 'could have' done in the past. It was about time she told Dean what she should have the minute she found out she was pregnant.
"What are you two plumbs doing here?" Jack asked, shaking his head as they both trailed into the living room.
"We heard Punks girl was giving birth down at the club. Thought we'd come show him our support." Dean said, collapsing down on the couch beside Elise who shuffled away a little with Toni on her lap.
The room was silent for a good five minutes. All that could be heard was AJ's screaming and Punk's encouraging words from the kitchen. But suddenly, the whole place went dead silent after what they all assumed was one final push, given the scream nearly shattered the windows to pieces.
Jack tapped his foot anxiously whilst they all exchanged weary glances to one another, listening to the silence as it soon broke with the most joyous sound they could have all hoped for. A baby's cry.
"Congratulations." The paramedic smiled, placing the healthy, beautiful baby girl in AJ's arms after cleaning her up, "She's just perfect."
Punk looked down at the peachy, glowing, most beautiful little thing he'd ever seen in his entire life. She was very small, but very healthy and extremely loud, "Hi, baby girl." He stroked her cheek as AJ sobbed, looking down at her, not really believing she was here, after eight months of carrying her.
"She's beautiful." AJ cried, looking up at Punk with a smile, feeling him press his lips on her own as she fell against them, not sure if she could have done this without him, not knowing if she could ever feel so good, holding her precious baby girl.
"You're amazing." Punk stroked her cheek after pulling back from the passionate and meaningful kiss, "I'm so proud of you." He said, looking down at the wriggling baby girl.
"Dad, do you want to… have a hold whilst I help April out. Another few paramedics are on their way. They're going to come in and take them both to hospital. Make sure everything is ok." She said as Punk nodded, slowly scooping their baby girl from her arms, never feeling such an important presence in his arms before.
There was nothing like it in the world. He'd never felt so blessed to have this beautiful baby girl in his arms. He'd never been more proud.
"Can I go..." Punk stood up, keeping his eyes on the baby girl the full time.
"Don't go far." The paramedic smiled as Punk nodded, slowly moving out of the kitchen, through the hallway and into the living room, watching all of the people he cared about stand up as soon as he walked in.
"It's a girl." Punk said as Elise was the first to make her way over, gasping as she looked on at the beautiful baby girl. Of course Punk knew it would be a girl, it wasn't a surprise to him, but no one else knew, and they all looked thrilled to see such a healthy and happy baby. Even his father.
Awe! She's here! More to come. AJ and Punk name their daughter. Will Jack tell Punk he isn't dying? How will Punk react? How will AJ find motherhood? Is Elise at breaking point with keeping her secret from Dean? All coming soon. Thanks for the reviews. Stay tuned and keep reviewing!