The Right Person

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews as always! They're so appreciated. Shiv's going away party is coming up next!

"So, you made up? Everything is right in the world again?" Punk asked, getting home to AJ's apartment, which he had to kept reminding himself was actually now their apartment. AJ had filled him in on everything with her and Lyla on the walk home.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I think she's just stuck in a rut with Lewis and now that I know the truth, she's sort of realised how useless the whole thing is. I do feel bad for her because I can tell she genuinely does have feelings for him." She said.

"It's probably for the best if she moves on from him, though." Punk said, "It's probably hurting her way more than it's making her happy at this point. Cutting it off means she could start opening herself up to other situations. Other guys." He shrugged.

"Yeah, that's what I said." AJ nodded, "I don't think she meant what she said to me. About feeling like she had to come here. I think she was just hurting."

"Of course. She loves you. It's very clear to see that." Punk nodded to her, "You guys can just put this all behind you. The reason you got into such a big fight is probably just because you care so much about each other."

"I should bill you for my therapy." AJ scoffed as he smiled.

"You want some food?" He asked her, making his way over to the kitchen and opening the fridge, "I have something to say." He said.

"What?" She smiled over at him.

"I think we need to start eating like grown adults and not high school kids." He turned to her.

"Why? I like our dinners." AJ frowned sadly.

"It's not good for my physique." Punk shook his head as AJ rolled her eyes, "Instant noodles, Kraft's Mac and Cheese, sandwiches… how am I supposed to live in these conditions?" He shook his head, examining AJ's fridge, their fridge, which barely had much in it.

"We always have good breakfasts. We do eggs or oats and fruit." AJ said, "Who can be bothered cooking dinner after being on their feet all day?" She shook her head, "I'd eat French fries with ketchup every night for dinner happily."

"Well, that can't happen." Punk said, "There's a farmer's market here every Sunday, we should make use of our day off and stock up."

"God, your age is really showing right now." AJ nodded as he chuckled, opening up a cupboard and grabbing out some noodles.

"I should cook you a romantic meal for a change." Punk nodded, "Get some good nutrients inside you."

"I get plenty of good stuff inside me." AJ assured him as he chuckled to himself and nodded.

"You going for a shower?" He asked her.

"I'll go after." AJ said, walking over to him as he poured some boiling water into the instant noodle cups.

"Have you got everything ready for Shiv's party?" He asked curiously, "I had Daryl in my ear again today about not knowing what to get her." He rolled his eyes.

"I think it's sweet he wants to get her something." AJ said, "He obviously wants to get it right."

"He doesn't want to take any of my suggestions." Punk said.

"Your suggestions aren't that great." AJ told him truthfully as he gasped, "I think we've got everything ready. I've got the decorations. Alessio's is going to deliver us some pizzas for the night. Becca has made a playlist that she knows Shiv will like. We've invited all of her close friends and family." AJ nodded, "I think we're good to go."

"I take it her parents are coming?" Punk asked.

"I think so." AJ nodded, "Although, her parents are always out of town working. I get the impression they're not really present in her life."

"Really?" Punk said with surprise, handing her a cup of noodles.

"Yeah. And she's an only child." AJ said, "Seems like she's felt pretty lonely in that big house of hers. I don't blame her for wanting to go off to college."

"Normally kids who are neglected by their parents are easily spotted. Behaviour problems and stuff. I wouldn't have guessed it with her." He admitted.

"Do I have behaviour problems?" She asked with a small smile.

"Oh, many behaviour problems." Punk nodded as she chuckled, nudging him a little as they ate their noodles in the kitchen, standing side by side.

"Who made you child psychologist?" AJ scoffed.

"I'm just going by how I acted as a teen." Punk said, "Shiv is so… caring and bright. Happy and care-free. I don't know… you'd just assume that she was really loved as a kid."

"I'm sure she's loved." AJ nodded, "But she's also a people pleaser. Honestly? I think I see a lot of myself in her when I was that age."

"Yeah, I can see it." Punk agreed, "I don't know how Daryl is going to be once she leaves."

"He's just going to have to deal with it. There's nothing he can really do." AJ shrugged.

"He could tell her how he feels." Punk said, "And then at least he won't have any regrets."

"But telling her how he feels right before she's about to leave? Is that fair to Shiv?" AJ wondered, "I think she wants to go to college to move on from this place. To meet new friends and… new boys. If Daryl tells her that he still cares about her right before she leaves… that might mess with her." She worried.

"Or it might just clarify what they already know." Punk said, "Long distance relationships can work. She'll be back every two weeks."

"You really are their hype man, aren't you?" AJ smiled to him as he shrugged.

"I just think she brings out the good in him. I think certain guys need to find that someone special first to... really find themselves." He said.

"Certain guys?" AJ smiled as he nodded.

"Yeah." He nodded to her seriously, sitting his cup of noodles behind him on the counter as she looked up at him, "I feel like I didn't really know myself before I found you. Like I was just winging my way through life. You… make me a better person. You make me want to be a better person." He said as she nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I get that." She whispered, watching him take her noodles from her and sit them over on the kitchen counter.

"Feels like things only started making sense since I met you. Like before was just a warm-up, a trial run at life." He nodded as she smiled up at him.

"Yeah, I feel like I've really only started living my life since you came into it." She said.

"It's good we're on the same page then." He nodded as she chuckled, reaching up and cupping his cheeks.

"Yeah, it is." She smiled, leaning up on her tiptoes and kissing him softly as he immediately lifted her up under her thighs, her legs circling around his waist as he walked into the bedroom with her.

Shiv was in her bedroom later that night after getting off from work. Her parents were both out of town on a work trip and so she had the house to herself. She enjoyed a relaxing bath and was now in her pyjamas lying in bed reading her book.

She jumped a little when she heard something tap against her window. She assumed it was just the wind and brushed it off, but then she heard it again, as if a rock or stone was hitting against her window.

She got up from her bed, making her way over to the window and shaking her head with confusion as she saw Daryl standing down below in front of her house. She opened up the window and stuck her head out.

"You can't just knock my door?" Shiv called.

"I didn't know if your parents were in." Daryl said.

"They're not." Shiv said, "What are you doing here?"

"I want to show you something cool." He said.

"It's late." Shiv scoffed, "And I'm tired."

"Trust me. You'll want to see this." Daryl called up to her.

"Do I need to change into proper clothes?" She huffed, "I'm in my pyjamas."

"Wear what you like. Just hurry up." He nodded.

"Fine. I'll be down in a minute." Shiv said, closing her window down and grabbing an oversized sweater from her closet to put over her pyjamas.

She made her way downstairs, opening the door and locking it behind her as she joined him out the front.

"Sorry it's late." Daryl said, "I just thought you'd want to see this."

"See what?" Shiv shook her head, "You could have smashed my window, you know."

"With a tiny stone?" Daryl questioned.

"Just knock the door next time." Shiv rolled her eyes, not realising she was hoping he would show up again like this. Also not realising she wouldn't be here if he did show up. She'd be at college.

"Come on. Let's go." Daryl said, heading over to his mom's car as Shiv ran to the passenger's side and got in.

"You're not going to tell me what it is you're so desperate to show me?" Shiv asked.

"And ruin the surprise?" Daryl questioned, "No." He scoffed, reversing out of her property and heading back down the small dirt road to get onto the main road of the town.

"Well, it better be worth it. I was just about to fall asleep." Shiv made clear.

"It's 7pm." Daryl scoffed, keeping his eyes on the road.

"We had a busy day at the shop." Shiv defended, "And I've been packing every night this week."

"You finished packing?" He asked her curiously.

"Not yet. I don't even know what it is I'm supposed to be packing." She shook her head.

"Clothes?" Daryl shrugged.

"Not just clothes… apparently I need to bring bed sheets and pots and pans." Shiv said.

"Pots and pans?" Daryl shook his head with confusion.

"Yeah. You know those things you use to cook stuff in." Shiv explained as he rolled his eyes.

"I know what they are. I just… I thought they'd be there already." Daryl said.

"So did I. But no… you gotta bring them with you." Shiv said, "It's all a bit stressful, honestly." She admitted.

"I'm sure it'll be fine once you're there. The thought of something new is always scary." He nodded as she turned to him, watching him look on at the road. She hadn't really thought much about what would become of them once she left. She was trying not to. Even though they'd spent the past six months disliking each other, these past few weeks had started to feel like it used to be between them.

"Ok, be quiet when you get out." He told her, parking up on the street.

"Why are we parked outside the florists?" Shiv shook her head, "Are you high?"

"What? No." Daryl shook his head, "Just trust me." He turned to her as she looked at him, their stare lasting a little too long as she eventually nodded.

"Ok." She said, getting out of the car slowly, shutting the door quietly as she followed him down the side alley of the florists, watching him put the torch on his phone on, "Well, this isn't creepy at all." She whispered, following closely behind him.

"Just down here." Daryl said quietly, walking towards an abandoned and broken shed at the back of the florist's shop where Shiv began to hear the tiniest of meowing coming from the abandoned shed.

"Is that-" Shiv began loudly.

"Shh." Daryl turned to her as she cringed and nodded, "I heard them when I was walking home from work." He told her, not realising he'd grabbed a hold of her hand to pull her over to the shed, crouching down as she crouched down with him, watching him shine the light into the shed where Maple was curled in a ball with four tiny little kittens around her.

"It's her babies." Shiv smiled quietly as Daryl nodded.

"This must be their spot." Daryl said as they both watched two of the little kittens fighting with each other.

"They're so cute." Shiv frowned.

"I brought them some food earlier before I came to your house." He said, "I got some cat treats in my pocket, though." He told her, passing her his phone to keep the torch on the kittens and their mama.

"This is where she must go when she's not outside Phil's shop." Shiv nodded, watching the kittens playing with each other whilst Maple was licking one of them.

"Here." Daryl said, passing her some cat treats, "They'll come over."

Shiv held out the treats in her hand, encouraging the kittens to come over as one by one they toddled their way over to them at the opening of the shed, taking the cat treats from her hand as Shiv giggled happily whilst Daryl watched her with a permanent smile.

"They look pretty good for strays." Shiv said as Daryl nodded.

"Yeah. They got a good mama." Daryl said, shining the light over to Maple who was lying comfortably, as if she knew her babies were safe because it was only Daryl.

"Are you going to call the vet?" Shiv wondered, smiling as the kittens pawed at her hand and licked it.

"I don't know. I want to because I want them to be safe but… they look ok here." He said.

"They won't be ok in the winter." Shiv said, "They'll need a home."

"Yeah." Daryl nodded, "I tried asking my mom but… she wasn't having it." He laughed a little.

"What about Mister Eckles? He has some cats. I could ask Becca to ask Patrick. His grandson." Shiv said as Daryl nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea." Daryl nodded, watching her as she played with the kittens, showing each of them some love with some scratches and strokes, "I just… thought you'd want to see this." He said as Shiv turned to him and nodded.

"Thank you for showing me." She smiled as he nodded, watching her continue to play with the kittens, both of them chuckling as one of the kittens fell over whilst another was trying to cling onto Daryl's hand where he was holding his phone.

"I think they like us." Daryl said as Shiv nodded with a smile. He couldn't take his eye from her, even with the cutest kittens surrounding them, he couldn't stop looking at her smile and her laughter.