"Alright, ok." AJ nodded, taking in the situation, opening her tired eyes wider and helping Paige, "Ok, one step at a time, you're alright." She soothed, almost forgetting how to soothe someone in need, normally it was her daughter she said soothing and reassuring words to, and she hadn't done that in what feels like forever.
"I begged him to stop. I… I told him I didn't want the money, that he could just… that he could just forget about it, but he-"
"Shh..." AJ stroked her face, "I know. I know." She nodded, placing her down on the couch, "What did he do to you?" AJ feared to ask, watching as Paige just burst into tears, hugging her body as AJ ran her hand through her hair.
"Please don't tell my mom." Paige shook her head.
"I'm not gonna tell your mom, sweetheart. I'm gonna get you all cleaned up, and I'm gonna call Phil." She said as Paige nodded, "Let's get you in the bath." She said, helping Paige up and helping her up the stairs. The young girl may have done wrong by her fiance, but she was young and in need for money for her sick mom. AJ couldn't fault that. And once she had done the right thing by telling the police she was forced, she had actually been punished for it, in what she could only describe as the most horrific ways.
AJ ran the bath and let Paige sit on the toilet seat as she went away into their bedroom to call Punk. He sounded like he was in his car anyway, and told her he would be there soon. She didn't tell him much, just that Paige had landed on their doorstep pretty broken down and beat up. That was enough for him to cut his drive short and come back.
"Ok, let's get you in." AJ said, trying her best to be as calming and soothing as possible. She watched as Paige just sat, hugging her body away, "We're all women here." AJ forced a smile as Paige nodded. She was really just a child, and AJ's heart went out to her. If she couldn't go to her own mother about this, then AJ was happy to help.
She helped her out of her clothes and eventually in the bath where she sat in the warm water, hugging her knees. AJ had helped her wash in the places that were to sore to do so on her own behalf, and had also helped wash her long hair. She was now just letting Paige have a moment to herself as she sat across on the toilet seat.
"You should report this to the police." AJ told her as she looked over at her.
"He'll get away with it. I'm soaking in the evidence." Paige said as AJ nodded, knowing that to be true.
"He forced himself on me once." AJ remembered, "Bent me over a bed and lifted up my dress." She nodded, "Didn't get any further than that."
"Phil?"
"Yeah." AJ nodded, "And you'd think that Punk would have disowned him for life. But here we are, still running around after Jack Brooks." AJ sighed to herself, "It's like he has to have this security from his father."
"I'd say no father is better than that man being your father." Paige shook her head, "I'm sorry I came here. I had no where else, and my mom-"
"It's really ok. I'm glad to have helped. I know how it feels to be controlled by that man." AJ said, looking down at the ground.
Paige sighed, looking up at AJ who was leaning against the wall whilst sitting on the toilet seat, shutting her eyes over in exhaustion. As far as Paige knew, their baby girl still wasn't found, and she couldn't imagine how it felt. That was why she had to tell her.
"I'm scared to tell you this incase… incase he comes back to hurt me. You… you promised me he wouldn't find out the last time that I told you he forced me-"
"I had a lot on my plate. It slipped my mind." AJ said, "What is it?" She asked.
"It's Liesel." Paige said as AJ sat up slowly, "When Jack took me to his house and..." She shook her head at the unimportance to the story, "He left the room to take a phone call. He was giving out Liesel's details. Her birthday, her place of birth, her full name, and you and Phil's names." She said, "He seemed pretty angry, as if… as if the person on the other line couldn't speak English." Paige said, "I was pretty out of it, my head was thumping but..." She looked across at Paige, "I think he was speaking to an orphanage."
AJ raised her shaking hand to her mouth at this revelation, "How… how do you know?" AJ shook her head. It was the best news possible. The worrying could end, at least she knew that their baby girl was safe, despite her being somewhere foreign obviously.
"Well he was saying stuff like, her parents can't take care of her now, and he was sure she'd fit into a new home with her being so young." Paige said as AJ let a tear slip down her cheek, "I'm really sorry he's done this to you-"
"No, don't be." AJ shook her head, "At least she's safe, and… well it's a start. Thank you." AJ sighed, reaching over and kissing the young girl's head, "Thank you so much." AJ whispered, "And I promise, I'll make sure he doesn't put his hands on you again." AJ said, hearing the front door open and Punks footsteps wonder around downstairs, eventually coming upstairs, bursting through the bathroom door.
"Oh, shit. Sorry." He immediately closed the door, not knowing Paige was undressed and in the bath.
"You ok here?" AJ asked Paige who nodded, "I'm gonna make you something to eat, I'll set up the couch for you to sleep on." She said as Paige smiled.
"Thank you." Paige said, a lump still in her throat, still traumatised from the nights events. She had no clue what she had gotten herself into, and she was so scared, despite being in safety with Punk and AJ, who even though didn't know much about her, would keep her safe anyway.
AJ slipped out of the bathroom and into her and Punks bedroom where Punk was sitting on the edge of the bed waiting.
"Little warning that she was in the bath." Punk said, "What happened to her?" He shook his head.
"Your father happened." AJ said, "But Phil..." She began getting teary eyed just thinking about it, "She heard your father overtalking on a phone call. He… he put Liesel into an orphanage." She said, clasping her hands over her mouth as Punk tilted her head.
"What?" Punk shook his head.
"Your father took our daughter, sent her across seas, and put her into an orphanage." AJ repeated as Punk shook his head.
"And she told you this?" Punk pointed over to the bathroom, "She who lied about me raping her?"
"Because your father made her." AJ spat, crouching down in front of him, taking a play out of his book now and being the convincing one of the couple, "She's ok." AJ nodded, knowing that the fear of Liesel being hurt in anyway could now settle, "She might be far away and in a different country, but she is ok." AJ nodded, "Your father took her from us. He is trying to take us down, one by one. He tried to put you to prison for life, he sent Liesel away, and I can only assume he was coming for me next." AJ said, "This ends."
"She's ok?" Punk swallowed the lump in his throat, the lump he was swallowing over for a month now.
"She's ok." AJ nodded, watching as Punk's smile faded slowly.
"You know he's dead." Punk said. He wished he had only listened to his fiance instead of backing his father. His two faced, scumbag, bastard of a father, who he would end once and for all, all in good time.
"Good." AJ said supportively, "Tomorrow, we both go and see him. I want to know where our baby girl is and what orphanage. I will not have her be given to some other family." AJ spat in disgust. Liesel belonged here with her parents.
"Why not tonight?" Punk asked with cruel intentions. He was ready to beat answers out his father. He wasn't sure he wanted to do it in front of his fiance, but they were getting their daughter back together.
"Paige is in a pretty rough state. I know you don't care for her much, but she didn't ask for this. Your father preyed on her, and now she's in this vicious circle, just like we are." AJ said, sitting up next to him on the bed.
"What'd he do to her?" Punk asked, not sure if he wanted to know in that case.
"He hurt her in a woman's worst nightmare." AJ said, "Only, she isn't a woman. She is a young girl, and she didn't deserve any of this." AJ said, "I'm gonna go make her something to eat, put her up for the night. She's too scared to go home to her mom." AJ said as Punk sighed. His heart went out to the girl. He didn't think his father was one to beat on a woman or force himself onto one, but he also didn't think his father would want to steal away his baby girl. A lot had changed in come into his perspective tonight. One being that Jack Brooks' time was up from meddling and fucking with people's lives. It all ended her, and he and AJ were going to take their daughter back to where she belonged. It was a blessing to know that she wasn't hurt. At least he could rest easy knowing that she was somewhat safe.
"Hey..." AJ walked into the living room the next morning as Punk stood behind, looking over at the young girl sleeping on their couch, opening her eyes.
"Hey." Paige woke, "Sorry, do you guys want me out?" She asked as AJ shook her head and crouched down beside her.
"Of course we don't." AJ shook her head, "We're going out, and we might be away for a few days." She told Paige, "I want you to stay here until you feel better. Call your mom, make sure she knows you're safe. There's things in the kitchen, and you're welcomed to the bed upstairs. It'll probably be more comfier." She said, "I left a number on the fridge, it's Phil's sisters boyfriend. You call him if anything happens." She told the young girl who was overwhelmed by the gesture.
"Really?" Paige shook her head. No one had been very nice to her in these past few months.
"If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't know what happened to our baby girl." AJ said, "But we're gonna go get her now-"
"What if-"
"Don't worry." AJ said, "Jack will never know that you were the source to us finding out. I promise. For real this time." She said, "In fact, I say by the end of this week, Jack Brooks won't even be a problem for you anymore." AJ said as Paige nodded, "Here's a spare key." She gave into Paige's hand, "I've left our numbers on the fridge too if you need anything." She said.
"Thank you. So much." Paige said. She knew they both didn't have to do this, and it was such a sweet thing. She was so happy she could help two great people get their daughter back. She wouldn't have lived with herself if she didn't tell them anyway, and a part of her was glad last night happened, despite the roughness and abuse, because she managed to help them in their discovery of their lost baby girl.
"You get some rest, alright." Punk nodded to her as she smiled gratefully. They were more like parents to her than friends. It felt nice to have good people look out for her.
"I hope you manage to get Liesel." Paige said as they both forced smiles. They only hoped too.
They headed out of the living room and out of the house, trusting that Paige would be ok watching their house while they were gone, despite the argument they had about it earlier when they woke. Punk was uncertain to trust the girl, considering that they didn't know her at all really. But AJ knew she wouldn't betray them. She could see it in her eyes last night when she was in their bath. How scared and confused she was. How one mistake out of desperation had left her in this state at the hands of Jack Brooks. AJ knew she would be fine, and Punk trusted her.
"You sure you wanna come? I can go myself." Punk said, not sure if AJ was just forcing herself.
"No. I want to see the look on his face when he knows we've figured him out." AJ said, "And I want to hold my baby girl as soon as I can." She sighed, "I feel like this is a dream, and I'm gonna wake up soon."
"We'll get her back." Punk said, "I promise. We just gotta get through my dad." He said as AJ nodded.
"I want him to suffer." AJ spat as Punk turned the car engine on.
"Yeah, me too."