Debt
AJ was at the seven month mark now and was about to graduate.
"Look at this." AJ groaned looking in the mirror at Kate's apartment.
"You look beautiful." Kate smiled walking by her.
"My dress doesn't fit." AJ frowned running her hands over her much larger bump.
"Who cares? You'll be under a gown." Maria scoffed from the couch.
"And my feet keep swelling they don't fit in my shoes." AJ pouted.
"You are such a baby. Just be happy you're pregnant." Maria snapped.
"Why are you here?" AJ asked annoyed.
"Ignore her." Kate said looking at the dress.
"I can't even zip it up and I don't have time to get another one." AJ almost cried.
"I can take it out." Kate told her. "Just take it off and I'll fix it."
"Are you sure?" AJ asked removing the dress.
"Yes." Kate assured her.
"What a waste this whole college thing was, huh?" Maria asked looking over to AJ as she put on the maxi dress she had come over in.
"What do you mean?" AJ asked.
"Now you're about to have a baby you can't work for months which means you probably won't ever." Maria pointed out.
"I'm going to work not only because I want to but because I have to." AJ told her.
"Jason told me work at the shop has slowed down since moving." Kate said to her.
"Phil is freaking out. I know he won't say it out loud because he's afraid of scaring me but it's getting bad." AJ told her.
"This has happened before, it will pick up again." Kate assured her.
"I don't know. Mike got an offer at Keith's shop across town and I think he's going to take it." Maria told them.
"He's just going to abandon Phil?" AJ asked disgusted.
"He needs to provide too, AJ." Maria informed her coldly. "I don't have rich parents like you have."
"How rich do you think they are?" AJ asked her. "You think they can bail out the shop? That's not possible."
"I'm sure they could." Maria snorted.
"We can't live off of my parents." AJ told her. "We have a baby coming in a few weeks he's going crazy. He thinks that moving put a jinx on the shop."
"The old neighborhood is shit now you couldn't stay there. The shop would have turned into a front or something." Kate told her.
"I'm worried." AJ admitted. "I can't keep working after next month I can't be on my feet like that."
"It's going to be fine." Kate assured her. "I'll talk to my father, maybe there's something open at the bank for Phil."
"What about Mike?" Maria asked.
"Mike isn't about to have a baby." Kate reminded her.
"He'd hate that." AJ said shaking her head.
"It's stable, it's secure, benefits for not just him but you and Hartley." Kate pointed out.
"He'll hate it and resent AJ for it." Maria said keeping her eyes on the TV.
"She's right." AJ said to Kate who frowned. "He's worked his ass off to help me get through school so I could realize my dream and I won't just flush his away."
"You have a baby on the way AJ." Kate reminded her.
"We'll be fine." AJ told her. "But thank you anyway." she rubbed her lower back and sat down.
"What's wrong?" Maria asked trying not to seem to interested.
"My back has been killing me." AJ groaned. "I ache so bad, is this normal?" She asked Kate.
"Yea honey." Kate frowned passing her a glass of water .
Over at Punk's house he was washing his car that he had finally finished. Literally finished it this week. It had been a year since AJ had given it to him and since he had so much downtime he was able to finish it up.
"I can't wait to ride it." Jason said rubbing his hands together.
"No riding it." Punk told him.
"I'm a better driver than you are." Jason pointed out.
"I'm not driving it either." Punk told him. "I'm selling it."
"Selling it?" Jason gasped. "No fucking way."
"I need the money." Punk told him bluntly.
"If you're hard up for cash you should come to me." Jason said to him.
"I don't want to take money from anyone." Punk told him. "I want to provide for my wife and daughter on my own. I'll make good money off of this, hopefully I'll make back everything I put into it."
"AJ isn't going to let you sell this car." Jason warned him.
"That's why I'm not telling her." Punk told him. "I already put an ad out online."
"Close the shop, take the money and it will get you buy until you get something else." Jason offered.
"No way. That's David's shop." Punk reminded him. "Also I'm not qualified or trained to do anything else. The only thing I know how to do is fix cars."
"That's not true." Jason argued. "You learn. I work at a god damn bank."
"Your father-in-law got you that." Punk reminded him. "My father-in-law is a heart surgeon I don't think he can get me in." he mocked.
"We'll figure something else out." Jason urged.
"I'm still paying back the money for the house and I'm still paying a mortgage on it." Punk told him. "I can't afford to figure things out right now."
"Talk to Hugh, I'm sure he wouldn't mind you holding off on some payments." Jason insisted.
"No." Punk said stubbornly. "The last thing I want my in-law's to know is that I'm failing their daughter and granddaughter."
"You guys depend on AJ's paycheck and tips, what are you going to do when she's out of work?" Jason asked him. "You can't live off the car money forever."
"I'll figure something out." Punk stated again.
"Hugh would help you out, he wouldn't even tell AJ. I'll help you!" Jack shouted. "I won't tell AJ or Kate for that matter. It's my sister and niece too."
"I've got this but thank you." Punk said to him.
"You're too stubborn." Jason warned him.
"I don't even want to think about any of this right now. AJ is graduating tomorrow and she's been fighting for this day for a long time now and I'm not ruining it." Punk told him.
"Yea I guess." Jason sighed. "Did your in-laws get into town yet?"
"Tonight." Punk told him. "They're insisting on staying with us too."
"Cozy." Jason teased.
"Enough, help me cover this up before AJ sees it's done." Punk said grabbing the car cover.
"At least ride it once." Jason insisted.
"I won't know what I'm missing if I never ride it." Punk told him and Jason shook his head.
"AJ worked her ass off to get you this car. She's going to be crushed." Jason warned him.
"She'll feel better knowing we have working lights, running water and food." Punk remarked.
"Doubt it. She's just as stubborn." Jason smirked.
"I have a few more weeks. I'm going to do some more advertising for the shop and sell the car and I should be good." Punk told him.
"Alright." Jason said shaking his head.
AJ was laying in bed when Punk got in next to her.
"Are my parents sleeping?" AJ asked.
"They're very comfortable." He mocked. "They like 'slumming' it here. They say it's cozy."
"Yea." she mumbled with her eyes clenched.
"What's wrong?" Punk asked her.
"I'm having those braxton things." She said keeping her eyes closed.
"You mean contractions?" Punk asked.
"No it's not real contractions. I had this last week, remember?" she reminded him opening her eyes and smiling just for him to assure him she was ok.
"Yea ok." He said concerned. "You look like you're in a lot of pain AJ maybe I should just drive you over to the hospital." he offered.
"I'm graduating tomorrow." She reminded him.
"If it's nothing you'll be out in time for it." Punk assured her.
"It is nothing. I went last week and they warned me this would happen it's ok." AJ said to him. "Just turn the light off so I can sleep."
"How are you going to sleep when you're in so much pain?" He asked her. "Hey, Hugh is a doctor let's ask him." He suggested getting out of the bed.
"I'm fine Phil." She said grabbing his wrist. "Please just get back into bed."
"Fine." He said to her.
"I actually have to go to the bathroom so keep that light on for me." She said rolling out of the bed and Punk's face fell.
"AJ." He whispered horrified.
"What?" She asked nervously and looked down and saw her side of the bed covered in blood and her pajama pants were now covered in blood. "Get Hugh." She said to him terrified unable to move.
"Hugh!" Punk yelled out as he jumped out of the bed and ran over to AJ. "Hugh!" He yelled again as AJ doubled over in pain.
"What is-" Hugh stopped speaking when he saw AJ's condition.
"What's happening?"AJ cried as Punk helped her stay on her feet.
"It's ok just relax." Hugh said to her and walked over and helped her sit on the bed. "Get the car." He told Phil.
"Am I having the baby?" She cried.
"We don't even have her overnight bag packed" Punk told him nervously.
"Just get the car and I'll help AJ out." Hugh told him calmly. "I know you're both scared but stay calm it's going to be ok."
"Hugh." AJ sobbed.
"It's ok." He said cupping her cheek.
"Oh my god." Pricella gasped walking into the room as Punk ran out to start the car.
"Help me get her out to the car." Hugh told Pricella who was far too nervous to move. "Please Pricella your daughter needs you."
"Why is she bleeding?" Pricella asked helping AJ up with Hugh.
"I'm going to ride in the back with AJ, you'll ride in the front with Phil I need you to call the hospital and tell them we're on our way." Hugh told Pricella calmly as AJ held her stomach and cried in pain.
"It's ok honey." Pricella said fearfully.
"It really hurts." AJ cried. "You need to call Jason." She told her parents as Larry followed them to the door. "Phil will be a wreck he'll keep him calm."
"We'll call Jason." Hugh promised her.
Punk was in the waiting room with his elbows on his knees and hands on his face. Jason was sitting next to him quietly as Pricella flipped through every magazine. She had only been inside for a few minutes but it felt like an eternity.
"Phil." Hugh said waving him over but Pricella stood up. "Just Phil."
"She's my daughter." Pricella reminded him. "If something is happening I want to know."
"She's going to have the baby." Hugh told them.
"It's too early." Punk told him.
"She's thirty weeks in." Hugh told him. "Your daughter is going to fight and be just fine but they're prepping her for a c-section and you should be there."
"Why is this happening?" Punk asked.
"It's hard to tell but the doctors believe she has a bacterial infection." Hugh told him and Punk shook his head in disbelief. "Go get suited up." he told him.
"Are you coming in?" Punk asked him.
"Yea I'll go in." Hugh told him.
"Hugh." Pricella cried.
"The baby is strong." Hugh assured her.
"What about my baby? What about April?" Pricella cried.
"She's going to be fine I'll make sure of it." Hugh told her. "You'll stay with her?" he asked Jason.
"Yea of course." Jason said to him. "Take care of my sister."
"Hello, beautiful." David greeted and AJ turned around to see her dead father.
She ran right to him and wrapped her arms around him.
"Hi daddy." She cried into his chest. "I've missed you so much."
"I would say the same but I'm with you everyday." David smiled wrapping his arm around her shoulders and walked ahead in a beautiful garden.
"What's going on?" She asked. "Am I dead?"
"No." David told her. "You're close to it."
"I was fine." AJ said to him. "Where's Hartley?"
"At this moment she's meeting Punk for the first time." David told her.
"She's ok?" AJ nearly cried.
"Yea. She's going to be." David promised her.
"That's all that matters." AJ said relieved.
"It's not." David said to her. "You need to fight."
"I am fighting." She shrugged. "Did I do something wrong? Is that why this is happening?"
"No honey." David said shaking his head.
"Do you know what she looks like?" AJ asked him.
"She's beautiful." He assured her closing his eyes. "Looks just like you when you were born."
"But it's so early." AJ frowned.
"She's going to fight." David told her.
"I want to see her." AJ pleaded.
"You're not ready yet." David told her. "I need to speak to you."
"About what?" She asked and they sat at a bench.
"You're going to be ok as long as you fight." David informed her.
"I don't even know what I'm fighting." AJ insisted.
"That's what scares me the most." David frowned.
"If I could just wake up I'll fight off whatever is wrong with me." AJ told him.
"It's not physical April." David said to her.
"Just tell me." AJ begged.
"You and Phil are going to be challenged." David warned her.
"Why do you keep saying that? Is something going to happen?" She gasped placing her hand over her heart.
"I'm proud of you, both of you." David smiled. "You two are strong and smart and I know you'll come out the other side just fine"
"I wish you would just tell me." AJ said to him. "Is that why I'm here? You're warning me about something?"
"No you're here because you're sick." David told her. "I'm taking the opportunity to speak to you. I can't believe I now have three gorgeous grandkids. They're going to be best friends."
"Are they?" she asked hopefully and he nodded. "Do you see more children for me and Phil?"
"What do I look like sweetheart?" He chuckled. "A psychic?"
"You know so much." AJ said to him.
"How about you just make it through this first birth." David smirked.
"Do I?" AJ asked him scared. "I feel like I'm already dead and you're welcoming me to heaven or something."
"Oh please, heaven is much better than this." He laughed.
"Can you tell me what's happening?" AJ asked him.
"It's happening really fast. Hugh is with you too." David told her. "He loves you like you're his own, considers you his own. Don't be afraid to ask him for help."
"What's happening?" AJ begged. "Is Hartley ok?"
"She's ok. She's little so the doctors are helping her. 3 lbs 2 oz." David told her. "Phil is torn. He wants to stay with you but they still have to work on you so he has to go with the baby."
"He should go with the baby. Tell him that." AJ ordered sternly.
"It doesn't work like that honey." David smirked. "Hugh is going to stay and help you, Phil is going with the baby."
"Good." AJ said then frowned. "He needs to stay with Hartley."
"He's always questioning himself." David told her. "He just wants to do right by you."
"He does." AJ told him.
"I know that." David said to her. "He worries so much that he's not good enough for you and now your daughter."
"He's the best." AJ said to him.
"He's going through a rough time too." David warned her. "You'll help him."
"I will as long as I can wake up and be there with him." AJ told him.
"You're going to wake up." David told her. "It's way too soon for you to stay which is why I need you to keep your eyes open. Not everyone is sincere."
"What?" AJ asked but David just stood up.
"You have to go now." David said taking her hand and helping her up. "I'm sorry I missed your graduation, and wedding and birth of your daughter but I promise you I watch from afar."
"Wait I need you." She said to him. "I need you to tell me what the hell it is you're talking about and if-"
"I have to go." He said kissing the top of her head. "It's been a few minutes for us but hours for them waiting for you. I love you sweetheart"
"Dad wait." AJ insisted but he was gone.
AJ's eyes shot open and saw her husband sleeping in the chair next to her bed. She was in a lot of pain but was more confused than anything. She placed her hand over her stomach and realized Hartley wasn't in there anymore.
"Phil." AJ said as loudly as she could but he didn't open his eyes. "Phil." She begged reaching for his arm.
"Huh." He mumbled sitting up and saw it was AJ. "AJ." he said relieved.
"Where's the baby?" She asked him.
"She's in NICU." Punk told her and her eyes widened. "She's small." he told her.
"3 lbs 2oz's?" She asked and he was stunned.
"Exactly that." He murmured. "How did you know that?"
"David told me." AJ said and Punk was now more confused then ever. "I need to see her." She said trying to get out of the bed but hissed in pain.
"You had surgery you need to sit back." Punk instructed her.
"Phil I have to see her." AJ cried.
"You will. I'll take you but you need to calm down." He told her.
"Why did this happen?" She cried, clearly hormonal.
"You contracted some kind of bacterial infection and it got into your blood stream and it rejected the baby or something." He told her. "Hartley is amazing." he assured her. "Her lungs are a little weak but her heart rate is good. They're going to keep her for a few weeks here to make sure she's ok."
"A few weeks?" AJ asked.
"Yea." He said to her. "It's for the best."
"How did she look to you?" AJ asked.
"She's beautiful." Punk told her and her eyes widened happily.
"Yea?" She asked and he nodded with his won smile.
"She looks like you. I mean tiny and all." He teased. "Your mother said she looks just like you when you were born"
"David told me that too." AJ said to him and he brushed off the odd comment. "You should be with her." she told him.
"Your mom is with her." Punk told her. "Jason and Kate are next."
"They're here too?" She asked.
"Yes even Maria and Mike." Punk told her. "You've got a room full of people waiting to see you and Hartley."
"I want to see her so bad." AJ said to him.
"I know that but you had surgery. After the c-section the doctors had to clean the infection out of you." he told her and she nodded, showing him she understood what he was saying.
"You're up." Hugh smiled walking into her room.
"Hugh helped save your life." Punk whispered to her.
"Thank you." AJ said holding her hand out and Hugh took it and kissed her hand.
"I was just in with your beautiful daughter." Hugh informed her. "She's doing so well. She's a little fighter like her mom."
"She's going to be ok?" AJ asked him.
"It's all looking good." Hugh assured her.
"Mr. Brooks?" A nurse asked waving him out of the room.
"I'll be right back." Punk said standing up.
When he stepped outside the door the nurse walked him over to the desk.
"We're having some trouble with your wife's insurance." The nurse told him..
"What do you mean?" Punk asked. "She's on my plan."
"She is but your insurance was canceled two weeks ago." The nurse said to him and he shook his head.
"That can't be." he insisted shaking his head.
"I suggest you try to get in touch with them in the morning because this is going to be costly stay for both your wife and daughter. Unless your wife has another card I can just ask her." The nurse offered
"No." Punk answered quickly. "She doesn't. This is her only one. I'll uh- I'll figure it out I'll call them in the morning."
"We can't let her stay in this hospital if we don't have some form of payment. She'll be transferred to county." The nurse warned him.
"No this is hospital is the best." Punk said to her. "It's the best for her and the baby."
"I hate this I really do." The nurse sympathized. "Uninsured people with long term care needed just can't stay here unless it's an emergency."
"I'll take care of it." Punk said to her. "What if I pay for it out of pocket?"
"Again, that's expensive." The nurse reminded him.
"I'll figure it out." He promised her. "I can't have her moved I need her to get the best possible care."
"You have until the morning Mr. Brooks." The nurse told him.
"I just heard." A voice said and Punk turned around to see Jack.
"It's the middle of the night you didn't have to come here." Punk said to him, clearly exhausted.
"Jason called." Jack said to him. "I came as soon as I could, I've been in the waiting area but spotted ya. How are they?"
"AJ just woke up and the baby is hanging in." Punk said resting against the wall outside AJ's room.
"I couldn't help but overhear." Jack said to him and Punk shook his head in annoyance. "I know you like to do it all yourself but I can help. Let me help."
"How can you help?" Punk asked him seriously.
"I have some money saved away that can help with the bills." Jack told him. "It's yours."
"I'm sure whatever you have won't be enough if I can't get this insurance shit figured out." Punk groaned. "I keep letting her down." he said in disbelief. "My garage is going to be shut down in three months if it doesn't pick up, I don't know how I'm going to pay my mortgage next month and now my wife and daughter are going to be thrown out of the hospital-"
"They won't throw them out." Jack whispered so AJ wouldn't hear inside the room. "You need to put all of focus and energy onto AJ and that baby. Let me handle the money."
"I fucked up." Punk said to him. "I didn't plan anything out right and now I'm fucking broke and AJ doesn't even know the extent of how bad it really is."
"You can't worry about money right now." Jack informed him sternly. "You have a wife who just had a surgery and a newborn hooked up to machines let me do my job for once, let me help you."
"I don't know how you could I've dug myself in so deep." Punk said to him. "I wasn't expecting any of this to happen. I didn't know moving the shop would kill David's lifelong business, I didn't know AJ was so sick- how did I not fucking know?"
"You couldn't have." Jack said to him. "You just got dealt a hand of the Brooks bad luck but you also got some good. You have a baby girl who is depending on seeing your face and hearing your voice and wife waiting in there for you to tell her everything is going to be ok and it will be."
"AJ is asking for you." Hugh said to Punk who ran his hands over his face. "Everything ok?"
"Yea." Punk lied. "Hugh this is Jack." he introduced the two. "My father."
"Nice to meet you." Hugh smiled sticking his hand out to Jack. "AJ speaks highly of you."
"You as well." Jack forced out.
"Could you take him to see the baby?" Punk asked Hugh who nodded.
"This way." Hugh nodded and Jack patted Punk on the back before he walked back into AJ's room.
"Was it about the baby?" AJ asked him.
"No it was Jack looking for me." He told her sitting back in the chair. "Hugh is taking him to see the baby."
"Everyone is getting to see the baby but me." AJ frowned.
"I'm going to take you in a little bit but the surgeon just has to come in and look you over first." Punk told her.
"We're parents." She told him with a weak smile and he just nodded. "You're so pale honey." She frowned. "I'm sorry if I scared you."
"You have no idea how scared I was." He admitted. "I've never been more scared in my entire life. Both of my girls lives hanging on the line."
"But you said Hartley is ok, right?" AJ asked and he nodded. "And I'm fine so it's over now."
"It's going to be a long road." Punk warned her. "You can't just jump back on your feet and we can't take her home with us."
"I know." She frowned. "But she's ok and that's what's most important."
"Yea." Punk agreed, relieved for that at least.
"I saw David." AJ told him and he looked at her. "It was like a dream. It felt like five minutes. He told me that you're going through something."
"It was just a dream." Punk reminded her taking her hand. "I was going through a rough time with you on that table but now I'm all good."
"I thought I was dead." She admitted. "Why else would I see him?"
"You're not dead and you weren't." he assured her. "It was just a dream."
"He told me how much she weighed." AJ pointed out.
"You probably heard the doctors. You were in and out of it." Punk told her.
"He said I have to keep my eyes open, not everyone is sincere." She said to him.
"Like I said, it was just a dream." He repeated.
"Just tell me you love me." She requested.
"I love you." He said without question.
Another hour later Punk helped AJ out of the bed and with the IV in her arm he helped walk her down to the NICU. They stepped inside and the nurse nodded and she saw Hugh over by one glass and knew her daughter was there. He promised to stay in town for as long as the baby needed and he meant that literally, he'd be right by her side.
"This is her." Punk whispered stopping in front and she nearly fainted but Punk caught her.
"She's ok." Hugh told the nurses helping Punk get her on her feet.
"She's so small." AJ gasped pressing her palms to the glass.
"She's strong though." Hugh told her.
"Oh my god." She cried staring down at her daughter who was hooked up to wires.
"She's ok." Punk promised her. "She just needs a little help for a few weeks, right?"
"Four maybe three." Hugh told her. "She's very lucky."
"She's small but beautiful." AJ said looking at her then looked over to Punk. "Isn't she pretty?"
"So pretty." Punk agreed looking at his daughter for himself. "She looks like you."
"No. She's a perfect mix of us both." AJ said looking at her closely, practically pressing her face to the glass. "When can I hold her?" she asked Hugh.
"Tomorrow." He told her. "Right now she needs to rest and so do you."
"She needs to be held." AJ insisted. "She's not going to know us."
"She already does." Hugh assured her.
"Can I stay with her?" AJ asked him..
"You can stay for a little bit but you have to get some sleep." Hugh told her. "I'll give you both a few minutes."
"Thank you." Punk mouthed to him and he nodded and walked off.
"I want to take her home so bad." AJ said looking at the baby.
"I know you do but this is something you have to patience." Punk warned her and she nodded strongly. "You're not going to like it but this is helping her."
"I know." She sniffled now trying to sound strong "Hi Hartley." She greeted into the glass. "Mommy is here and so is daddy. He's going to spend every moment with you that he can and he's going to make sure you're safe because that's what he does."
"I think she hears you." Punk said to AJ.
"I hope so." She sighed. "Look at what we made together."
"She's pretty perfect." Punk admitted admiring her holding back his own tears. "Nah, she's definitely perfect."
"How could she not be?" AJ teased through her tears. "How is it possible to love someone so much who is so small?"
"I was just thinking the same thing." He said in awe of the small being in front of them.
AJ rested her back against Punk's chest and he kissed the top of her head as they both stayed for as long as AJ could physically stand and watched their daughter.
A/N: Baby is here! Punk is in serious debt, Jack is being a dad and we'll see more Alex! Thanks for the reviews!