Head Up

"That… That doesn't mean anything." AJ shook her head, standing up from the sofa, trying her best to rationalise what she'd just heard, "I mean… he wouldn't know where to find me." She said.

"Your coffee shop has been in the newspaper. A lot." Punk pointed out as AJ looked at him, "I mean… let's not jump to conclusions. But it might be a good idea for us to notify Sheriff Peterson about your attack. And that Craig might have spent time with your attacker." He nodded as AJ ran her hand through her hair.

"I'm not… I'm not dealing with this again." AJ shook her head, "I won't… I'm not speaking about him or what happened to the police. I'm not doing it again." She began to cry with worry as Punk immediately approached her and pulled her into his arms, squeezing her tightly.

"Shh. It's ok." Punk said softly, kissing her head and rubbing her back in soft circles, "It's ok. You don't have to do anything you don't want to." He assured her.

"Why would he be trying to get to me?" AJ said, her face still buried into Punk's chest, his t-shirt getting a little damp from her tears.

"I don't know. We don't know for sure that it's him." Punk said, "It could still just be a coincidence."

"I doubt it." AJ said, "He's probably sent this guy to scare me. Scare me into changing my statement or… helping him get out early. Or he just wants revenge. How could he possibly want to take more from me than he already has?" She shook her head, almost speaking to herself as she tried her best to understand how this was really happening.

"What's his name?" Punk asked quietly, "You've never said."

"I don't like saying it." AJ sighed as Punk just nodded, "Todd." She told him anyway, still cuddling into him as he held her tightly.

"I promise you. He's not going to hurt you ever again. Not while I'm still breathing." Punk said.

"There's more ways to hurt a person beyond just the physical." AJ sighed, "Just the thought of him seeking me out is making my skin crawl. Regardless of how he's doing it. Using this Craig guy as his puppet." She shook her head.

"I could get Sophie to look into Todd. See what he's been up to for the past six years in prison." Punk nodded.

"How would she be able to do that?" AJ looked up at him.

"Lawyers have their ways." Punk told her, "I could maybe get her to find a connection between him and Craig. Help us to know for sure."

"She might get in trouble." AJ said, leaning her head back on his chest.

"She'll be fine." Punk nodded, "I promise. We're gonna get Craig, and he's gonna go back to prison for a long time. And that… rat who attacked you… he'll never get out." He said as AJ just nodded slowly.

"Can you call my aunt and Lyla? Tell them to come over here." She said, swallowing the lump in her throat as Punk nodded, kissing her head.

"Of course." He said.

"Do you think you'll tell AJ?" Daryl asked, walking Shiv back to her dorm after they'd gotten some take-away sandwiches, "About the email?"

"I want to." Shiv said, "I know it's the right thing to do but I just… I can't imagine how much it'll scare her. And what am I supposed to do? Come back for Christmas? Hey, AJ… here's your Christmas gift, oh and by the way, the guy who attacked me actually wanted to attack you. Merry Christmas." Shiv said sarcastically as Daryl scoffed.

"Well, it doesn't have to go like that, obviously." He said, "I think it'd be for the best if you told her. Maybe then you wouldn't feel like you're holding so much in. It's clearly affecting you pretty badly."

"Really? It's so obvious?" She asked.

"Very." Daryl nodded, "You should tell AJ. And Sheriff Peterson."

"What if I get into trouble for not telling anyone right away?" She asked, opening up the door to her building as Daryl followed.

"You've been terrified. You're not going to get into trouble." Daryl assured her, "But you can't keep it to yourself any longer. It could help us catch him. Someone above our pay grade could track the email or something." He said.

"You watch too many movies." Shiv rolled her eyes, climbing the last set of stairs to her dorm room, only now just realising he'd walked all the way up to her room with her.

"I can't remember the last time I watched a movie, actually. I'm a workaholic these days. Not by choice." He said as Shiv looked at him, unlocking her room door and walking into the room.

"Do you want to… come in and watch a movie?" She asked him, standing at the door as he looked over at her, placing his hands in his pockets sheepishly.

She didn't want to go back to the silence. She didn't want to hear her own thoughts and worries again. Although she acted like she didn't want him here, his company had definitely made her feel so much better. Seeing a familiar face, getting so much off her chest, feeling listened to… she supposed it made sense that she felt a little better now.

"I… I should probably go. It's pretty late." Daryl nodded.

"Or you could just stay." Shiv suggested, "You need to eat your sandwich, anyway." She pointed to the bag he was holding.

"Y-Yeah. Yeah, I guess I could stay for a little while." Daryl nodded to her, stepping into her room as she closed the door over behind her.

"But we're watching Harry Potter." Shiv insisted.

"Yeah, I figured." Daryl assured her, looking around her room which had a single bed against the wall, some dresser drawers and a desk by the window for studying.

"What do you think of the room?" She asked, taking her many layers off.

"It's got everything you need, I suppose. I wouldn't be on board with the shared bathroom, though." He said.

"Yeah, that's a bit of a pain." Shiv agreed, "You think you would have fit in with college life?" She asked curiously, pulling her bed covers back and climbing inside once she'd put her oodie on, which Daryl was still staring at.

"You can't be serious with that." Daryl said, in awe.

"What?" Shiv looked at him, dressed in a Sully from Monsters Inc Oodie, "It's Sully. Keeps me warm."

"It's a bit ridiculous." Daryl said.

"Shut up." Shiv said, grabbing her laptop and opening it back up to where her Harry Potter movie was paused, "You going to just stand there?" She asked.

"Uh… no." Daryl said, pulling out the chair beside the desk as Shiv watched him.

"Just get over here. Stop being weird." Shiv rolled her eyes, moving over on the bed towards the wall as Daryl scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "You've literally seen me naked. You can sit next to me on a bed." She shook her head.

"But you look so ridiculous." Daryl said with a smile as she looked over at him, trying not to smile back, but she couldn't help it.

"Just don't spill your sandwich on my covers." Shiv told him as Daryl sat down on the bed beside her, leaning up against the pillows whilst she put the laptop between them.

"Do you think I would have fit in with college life?" He asked her curiously.

"Of course you would have." Shiv said, "You were the most popular boy in school."

"Yeah, well things change." Daryl said, "School is different. I like to think I've grown up in the last year."

"You have." Shiv agreed, turning to him as he looked at her.

"I'm not going to let you stay here on your own over Christmas." He said, "You know that, right? I mean… I'll come back here and drag you into my car if I have to."

"I know you will." Shiv nodded, opening up her sandwich and pressing play on the movie.

"Do you think you're fitting in with college life?" He asked her curiously.

"What do you think?" She turned to him as he looked at her in her ridiculous blue oodie, eating no doubt her first meal of the day whilst watching her comfort movie.

"No?" He questioned.

"Sometimes I feel like I am and then… I don't." She said.

"What's the end goal for you, anyway? You're doing business and marketing, right?" He said.

"Yeah." Shiv said, "I'd like to open my own business back home."

"Please not another café." Daryl said worriedly as Shiv chuckled.

"No. Not a café." Shiv chuckled, "I'm not sure what kind of business. I'd just like to have something of my own. Something I've built from scratch. I've watched how AJ and Lyla did it. How easy they make it look but… I know it's difficult."

"You're more than capable. You're the most determined person I know." He said as Shiv just smiled to herself, looking on at her laptop screen.

"Can you turn the light off?" She asked as he nodded, reaching behind him and flicking the switch, the only light now coming from the movie.

"How's your sandwich?" He asked her whilst tucking into his.

"Good." She nodded, "I'm just so tired. I haven't slept properly in so long." She admitted.

"I wish you just told me. Or told someone." He said quietly.

"I've told you now." She whispered, gently leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I can't believe this is what you're making me watch." Daryl shook his head, looking at the laptop screen, "I just don't get the hype." He said, "What's this guy's name again?" He pointed to the screen where Snape had just found Harry roaming the Hogwarts corridor with the Marauders Map, "Shiv?" He said, looking down at her and noticing she was fast asleep against his shoulder.

"She is in no position to be stressed like this." Nico said worriedly, standing in the kitchen with Punk who was making some tea for AJ.

"I know." Punk said, "And I feel like I can't say anything to make her feel better."

"No one can." Nico nodded, "We just have to be there."

"I… I'm still kinda shocked, too. This scumbag is in prison for twenty-five years for what he did to her, right?" Punk turned to Nico.

"Yes." Nico said.

"So, if he's behind this. If he's the one pulling the strings… why?" Punk said.

"You're asking a stupid question." Nico said bluntly as Punk looked at her, "There is no… explanation for what that man is capable of. But I know. I saw what he done to my baby. I saw her in the hospital." She said, shaking her head to get rid of the awful image, "A person who is capable of that, is capable of anything." She said.

"So, he's looking for revenge? Or AJ thinks he's going to scare her into making a statement to ease his sentence." Punk said.

"I don't know what he wants. But I know he's not going to get it." Nico spat angrily.

Once Punk had called AJ's aunt and Lyla, they'd both arrived within five minutes. Lyla was in the bedroom talking with AJ, trying her best to calm her down, to ease her worries, even just a little.

"Do you know anything about him?" Punk asked, "Todd?"

"Don't say his name." Nico shook her head as Punk nodded, "No. I don't know much. I know he was at the same college as April. I know they went on two or three dates. I know he's from a rich background which is why the court process was so… awful. But that's all."

"I won't let anything happen to her, you know that, right?" He said seriously as Nico nodded.

"I know, sweetie." Nico nodded, placing her hand on his shoulder, "But she has already lost so much of her life because of that man. And she finally seemed to be doing a little better. She's very in love with you, and she has two babies coming. She's successful with her business." Nico said, "I refuse to see her curl back into that ball she spent so much time in." She shook her head.

"We won't let her." Punk nodded, "She's surrounded by people who love her. He has nothing. He'll never win."

"You must remember, that is not how April sees it. He's always winning in her mind. Anytime she thinks about what happened to her. He's winning." Nico said as Punk looked at her, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"I just… I feel like I don't know how to help her." He shook his head with frustration, running his hand through his hair.

"I know." Nico understood. She understood all too well, "She needs some rest. A good night sleep. Tomorrow we'll discuss going to the sheriff." She said as Punk just nodded.

Meanwhile, AJ was lying in bed in the bedroom with Lyla lying beside her. Many tears were shed as Lyla embraced her and did all she could to reassure her friend that they were all here for her.

"What if he gets out of prison?" AJ asked quietly, her mind spiralling out of control.

"He won't." Lyla said fiercely.

"Rapists have gotten out within six years before." AJ said, "This could be his plan. Send someone to intimidate me into making a statement. To retracting my old statement."

"Well then he's wasting his time." Lyla said, "He is not getting out of prison, April. And as for Craig… he'll get caught eventually, and he'll be headed back to a cell."

"You don't know that." AJ said.

"I know that he's not going to get to you." Lyla said.

"So, in the meantime I have to be babysat? Treated like some fragile little doll? Just like before?" AJ said angrily, "Why would he do this after six years? Why now?"

"Maybe he saw us in the newspaper." Lyla said.

"Maybe Craig was at our college, and we just didn't know him. They could have been friends." AJ wondered.

Lyla sighed, watching her friend's mind spiral right in front of her eyes was devastating. Especially since she'd found so much new happiness as of late, which was everything she deserved. To think this man was still taking so much from her, even after six years, it infuriated her. She'd never be able to explain how angry it made her.

"You wanna know something?" Lyla said as AJ turned to her, "I've been getting it on with Carlo. From Alessio's." She said as AJ raised her eyebrows.

"Does this mean we can get free pizza now?" AJ asked as Lyla chuckled, "You like him?"

"Yeah, I like spending time with him." Lyla nodded, "It's been hard. You know… since Lewis. But it's nice getting to see someone every day. And I think he likes me. Which is a plus."

"Yeah, that's always a big plus." AJ agreed, "So you're smitten with the pizza man?"

"I wouldn't say I'm the smitten kitten yet." Lyla said, "But… I'm having fun." She nodded.

"I already knew you were staying the night with someone." AJ said, "Aunt Nico let it slide that you hadn't come home a couple of times."

"Nothing gets past her." Lyla scoffed, "But I was going to tell you anyway."

"You're just telling me now to take my mind off of everything that's going on." AJ said, "You know all I want is for you to be happy." She said as Lyla nodded.

"Yeah, I know. Ditto." Lyla smiled.

"What am I supposed to do?" AJ asked, "I feel sick thinking about going to the sheriff and… bringing everything back up."

"I know." Lyla said, "But we're right here with you. Maybe I could talk to the sheriff. Explain everything. How Craig might be connected to… Todd." She said, "Maybe you don't have to say anything."

"C'mon, Lyla. Of course I will." AJ said.

"I could tell him about the possible connection and maybe he could look into Todd's prison time. See who his cell mate was. Get some information from the wardens there." Lyla said, "You're not going to be put in a room with people taking pictures of your body or taking swabs from everywhere. That's never going to happen again." Lyla said, taking AJ's hand and squeezing it tightly as AJ shut her eyes tight.

"I can't let him take anything else from me." AJ shook her head, "He's taken enough." She said as Lyla nodded, "I'm not that broken, scared little girl anymore. I won't let my kids grow up in a world where people like him get the last laugh." She spat as Lyla nodded.

"You already planning your second?" Lyla smiled, nudging her as AJ looked at her.

"The second is already there." AJ said as Lyla looked at her with confusion, "It's twins." She nodded as Lyla sat up.

"Stop." Lyla said, "You're joking."

"No. There are two babies in here." AJ smiled a little, patting her stomach as Lyla gasped.

"Oh my God." Lyla placed her hands over her mouth, "Oh my God, you're having twins? Oh my God, AJ." Lyla smiled, collapsing on top of her friend and hugging her tightly as AJ smiled.

"Only you and Nico know now." AJ said, "We were going to tell people after my next scan."

"I can't believe it." Lyla said, "Gosh, these babies are so lucky. They have the strongest mom in the world." She said as AJ smiled, looking down at her stomach, thinking about the babies in there, how much she wanted to protect them from everything. How much she wanted to be an example for them. She knew what she had to do.

"I'm going to go to the sheriff tomorrow." AJ said, "They need to find this guy."