"Standing Your Ground"
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.
This is the sequel to "Finding Home". You can probably follow this if you haven't read it but you might get confused. There will be "M" rated content in this story in accordance with what you see when watching the show.
A/N: Here we go again. This is a work in progress so updates will most likely be once weekly. Please enjoy. Review if you're so inclined :)
Chapter One
Madeline ducked behind the large recycling container at the edge of the Charming High School property and lit a cigarette. She sighed and brought her phone to her ear. "You have one new message." The recorded voice informed her. She listened and hoped to hear her favorite raspy voice but instead it was her electrician. "Hey Ms. Walker. It's Randy. Sorry to say that you're going to need to be at the hotel another night." Madeline cursed and missed the rest of the message. She'd just replay it later.
She continued to smoke, enjoying the silence after spending the morning in a class room full of hyper active teenagers. There was not enough money in the world for her to ever even want to go back to being that age.
The phone rang, not her regular line but the prepaid that she always kept in her pocket with the ringer on. It could only be one person. "Hey."
"Hey." Happy sounded tired. Tired and stressed. "You doing okay?"
"I'm..." She held back from regaling him with how much she hated work right now. He didn't need to hear that. "I'm pretty good. It's the same shit really. There is one thing with the house. Turns out that it wasn't a short in the bathroom, the entire place needed rewiring. I thought that I'd be back today."
"Back?" He demanded.
"I've been staying at the Charming Inn for the past two nights because there's no power. I was going to tell you but you haven't called."
"Why didn't you go to the club house?" Happy demanded. The idea of her alone in a hotel did not sit well with him, especially considering the reason that Jax has sent him off on this run to begin with. In a hotel anything could happen. At the club house he knew that his Brother's would keep her safe.
Honestly Madeline had thought about going to the clubhouse but hadn't because she wasn't sure that it would be okay. After all it wasn't like she was an Old Lady or anything. "Is that okay?"
He sighed, loudly. "Of course it is Mad. What the fuck? Go there. Tonight." It was clearly an order and he very rarely issued those to her.
"Okay, I'll go right after school and get my shit." She promised. "Miss you."
He fell silent for a moment. "Yeah. Same here. I got to go. Better do what I told you."
"Be safe." She wasn't sure that he'd even heard her before he hung up. It didn't bother her that he was so abrupt on his calls. That was him. That was fine with her. She tossed her cigarette and headed back to class with a smile on her face just because she'd heard his voice. That was all it really took to make her day brighter.
:) :) :)
Happy shoved the phone back in his pocket. He looked over at Quinn and the Nomad president smiled. "You good to go now?" The man questioned.
"Yeah." Happy replied. He took his lighter out and picked up the gasoline filled bottle with a rag for a wick. The hair salon had already been soaked with gas, the bodies inside would incinerate along with the structure. He flicked the lighter, set the bottle aflame and tossed it inside with accuracy. "Let's go."
:) :) :)
"What's up Maddy?" Juice spotted her first thing as she walked in the door and grinned at her.
Out of all of Happy's Brothers he was the one that she felt the closest too. Maybe because they were close in age or maybe because he was just so damn goofy that he was hard to resist. "Hey Juice. I just got out of work. I've got no power at the house. Hap said to come by, stay in his room."
"No power?" Juice cringed. "Got bags?'
"They're out in the car."
"I'll get them." He jumped up. "You can head on back if you want. Bobby's back cooking dinner."
"I'll see if he needs a hand." She offered immediately because she loved to cooking and cooking with Bobby was always fun. He enjoyed having someone to cook with him. And she enjoyed not feeling out of place.
Even though it had been four months or so since she and Happy had started seeing one another there were times when she felt like people still looked at her and wondered what the hell they were doing together.
Sometimes she'd wonder that herself but the answer always came to her quickly, simply. She loved him and he loved her or she was pretty sure that he did. The words didn't seem to be something he'd say easily and that only made the things he did say and do matter more.
"Sweet. Maybe you can make something for dessert. Those brownie things?" He asked hopefully.
"We'll see."
"Cool." Juice told her. "Hey, up for a little car racing later?"
"As long as it goes along with a few beers."
"You've got a deal." He took off towards the door and Madeline started for the kitchen but then a voice stopped her.
"Shouldn't be flirting with him." The woman at the bar told her. Her nickname was Butter because her legs spread that easily. She was one of the women who'd been around the club a long time, happily being passed from Brother to Brother. "Can't imagine that your Old Man would like that."
She said Old Man with enough sarcasm to make Madeline's jaw set in a hard line. When it came to labels she and Happy avoided them for the most part. She was his girl. She knew that. The Club knew that. That was all the recognition that she needed. It wasn't who she was to chase the crow.
"He knows he's got nothing to worry about when it comes to me." Madeline spoke with a smile but her voice was hard. "And just so you know, talking is not flirting. Unless you fuck anyone who speaks to you." She waited a second. "Oh, wait. You do."
Madeline despised ninety nine point nine percent of the women who took the term crow eaters and made it their own. It wasn't because they slept around, women were entitled to do that if they chose. It was because most of them did it in the hopes that opening their legs would get them to a higher social standing within the club.
"Least I don't walk around looking like a mousey ass soccer mom with a stick up her ass." Butter replied.
The conversation was now drawing attention from everyone else in the room. Madeline let out a laugh. "I'd rather look like a soccer mom than a cheap hooker."
Someone laughed, Madeline wasn't sure who. Butter let out a growl and jumped off of the chair. She was probably feeling bold because Happy wasn't around. She lunged forward and Madeline knew that a fight was about to happen.
"The fuck you think you're doing?" Tig spoke as he snagged Butter by the back of her hair. The woman winced and froze. "I know that you're not fucking with Madeline."
"No, I was just leaving." The dye job blonde stuttered the words. The minute that Tig let go of her hair she sprinted for the door.
He chuckled as he watched her go but his expression was serious when he turned back to Madeline. "Can't let those bitches talk to you like that. Letting them disrespect you is the same as them disrespecting Hap. That shit isn't tolerated." Lecture over, he grinned and looked her up and down. "You do look like a soccer mom though, a really hot soccer mom."
"Pervert." She told him with a quick roll of her eyes. "Thanks Tiggy."
"Whatever." He replied. "Just remember what the fuck I said."
:) :)
The Indian Hills club was solemn. Another "regular" was missing. Calvin Dennis was trusted enough that Jury had intended to ask him to prospect for the club but he'd gone home one night and never come back. There was no answer on his phone and he hadn't been to work.
No one expected to find him alive. Not after what happened with the women. Three of Jury's stable had gone on a shopping trip. They'd never come back to work their shifts. The following morning they'd been found in the grassy area in front of the building, at least their heads had been found tucked neatly into the shopping bags with their purchases. Knowing that they were in over their head Jury had called Jax.
The charter president had wasted no time sending Happy, Quinn and three of his Nomads to check out the situation because they would be best equipped to deal with it. Happy had seem a lot in his life. He'd done a lot, crazy shit that would make others puke just to hear about it but heads in shopping bags? That was some seriously twisted shit but he could see how it was a great way to deliver a message.
There were more questions than answers but they were starting to make progress. They'd found one man creeping around the club house and once he'd been interogated he'd told them who they were up against. He'd admitted to a part in the killings of the women and had paid for that part with his life after leading them to the hair salon.
Happy was glad to deal out the justice that Jury and his crew wouldn't have the stomach to. As a Nomad he'd done worse. Hell, he'd done worse just since he'd been in Charming.
"Hey." A sultry female voice spoke from next to him. "You want some company Killa?"
He turned to look at her. There was something familiar about her voice and when he saw her face he knew that he'd seen her before. The question was where. "Nah, don't need company just get me another drink."
"Sure Baby." She sashayed away and he shook his head.
"That one there?" Quinn motioned to the woman. "She could suck chrome off of a pipe and she is up for anything." A deep rumble of laughter escaped his lips. "Trust me Brother, I mean anything."
"So why aren't you following her?" Happy asked.
"Got my eye on something else." The bearded man replied. "You should go after her. Relieve some stress. Know you need it Brother."
Happy finished his beer and set the empty bottle down. "Not into her."
"Hell Hap, we're in a fucking whore house. If you aren't into her than there should be some sweet young thing here that catches your eye. Unless of course you left your dick back in Charming. Don't tell me that you're waiting to go back to your bitch and get off." Quinn looked at him as if he'd lost his mind when Happy just shrugged. "Christ, never thought that I'd see the day you went soft."
"Ain't soft." Happy said with a slight growl to his voice. He slugged Quinn in the shoulder to prove his point, smirking as the man winced.
"Whatever you say." Quinn rose to his feet, shook his head and mumbled something under his breath as he walked away.
Happy let him go. The man was right about one thing, he needed a release for everything that had built up inside of him. Sure, it would be easy to grab one of the sweet butts milling around just begging for it but easy didn't mean it was what he wanted to do.
:) :)
Madeline was content to leave the after dinner clean up to the crow eaters, noticing with some satisfaction that Butter hadn't come back. She joined Juice for a drink and as usual they ended up at his computer playing games. He was better than she was but she could hold her own in most of the games.
She sat back and let him play some war game. It was surprising how low key the night was especially for a Friday night. Normally she'd only be able to take a few hours of the party before she'd head back to Happy's room or end up sitting outside with several beers enjoying the fresh air.
For the first time since Happy had taken off on this run Madeline felt completely relaxed. "It's so quiet tonight."
Juice's head snapped towards her. "Don't say that! It's the biggest jinx in the world."
"Sorry." She told him as she took another sip of beer. "Forget that I said anything."
"Already have." He paused the game. "I need another drink."
"Okay." She watched him walk away and enjoyed the rest of her beer. It was so strange to see everyone there except for Happy.
"Jax needs me to do something for The Club." Happy's voice cut through the quiet of the darkened bedroom.
"Can I ask?" Madeline shifted her head to look up at him.
"Not yet." He reached out and pulled her to him. "Be gone for a few weeks." His hand stroked over her arm.
"Alright." She swallowed hard and curled against him. She'd gotten familiar with his runs though this seemed like it was going to be the longest one. "Who's going with you?"
"Some guys from another Charter. My old Charter."
"The Nomads."
"Yes." He looked down at her, smiled at the expression on her face. "Nothing for you to worry about Girl."
"Okay Hap." She pressed her lips to his bare chest and did her best to erase her concern from her face. He'd told her not to worry so if she did it would just piss him off.
Madeline wondered again what had been so important to The Club that Hap had to deal with it. She wasn't stupid between being called Killa and what she knew that he was capable of she had a pretty damn good idea what it was he did for them.
She carried her empty bottle to the bar. "Hey Darling." Jax leaned on the wood next to her. "Good to see you."
"How's it going Jax?"
"Real good." He replied with one of his trademark smiles. "How about you? You know that you can stay here as long as you need to. I hope you know that."
"Thanks. I'm hoping it's just through the weekend. I miss being at home."
"You let me know anything you need. It'll get taken care of." He was suddenly serious.
"Appreciate it." She told him. "Hey, how are Tara and the kids? I haven't seen them in forever."
"They're great." He smiled widely as he always did when his family was mentioned. "They'll be around tomorrow. I know that they'll all love to see you. Tara's been bitching about needing a girls night."
"I can certainly help her with that."
"Jackie Boy!" Chibs wandered over. "Hello Lass."
"Hey Chibs." She listened to the two of them talk for several minutes and then wandered away. She looked around for Juice but didn't see him anywhere. Most likely some scantily dressed crow eater had caught his eyes and his attention had wandered. It had happened before when they were hanging out and she took no offense.
Madeline found a stool at the bar and sat to enjoy her drink and the music. An hour later when she was feeling just a little tipsy she decided that it was going to be best for her to head to bed. "Night Bobby."
"Night Sweetheart. I'm making cranberry almond muffins in the morning."
"Nice." She grinned. "I'll be looking forward to that."
She slid off of the stool and looked over as the door flew open. "Jax!" Juice shouted as he barreled into the room. The only word she could think of to describe his expression was panic. "We got a problem." He took a few steps and then threw up all over the floor.
"What the fuck!" Jax demanded. "Dude, if you took something again I'm going to personally kill you."
"Get everyone out." Tig was much more composed as he strode through the door. "Through the back." He added.
"Everyone out!" Jax ordered and chaos followed as everyone without a patch and all the women began to file towards the back exit. This sort of departure happened every now and then and no one questioned it.
Madeline didn't either. Club business was club business. She started for the door but Juice grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?" He asked, his normally tan skin pale.
"Jax said..."
"That doesn't mean you Madeline." Tig told her. "Go to the room. Stay there."
:) :) :)
Happy looked away from the two strippers gyrating up and down a pole feet from him. He slid the prepay out of his pocket as it rang. "Yeah?"
"We have a problem." Jax told him. "Just got an unexpected delivery."
"Fuck." Happy rose to his feet. "Where?"
"Club House. It's Butter."
"Butter?" It took him a second to recognize the name. "Fuck." He repeated. "Wait, where's Madeline?"
"She's here. Safe. In your room. Told her to stay there."
"Make sure she does. You know how she is."
"I got her Brother. Won't let her get hurt. I promised you." Jax cleared his throat. "Think this was retaliation for the shop?"
"Could be or for the bodies inside." Happy caught Quinn's eye and signaled for him to join him. "What do you want us to do Pres?"
"Get back to Charming." Jax told him. "You and Quinn, leave the others in Indian Hills in case there's any trouble. You know that Jury will take care of them."
"On our way." Happy told him. "Trouble in Charming." He said to Quinn as he approached.
"When is there not trouble in Charming?"