Disclaimer: I don't own Sons of Anarchy or any of the characters in the show. It's the property of Kurt Sutter, Sutter Ink and FX.
This is the Sequel to story 'Far Gone & Out', it won't make much sense if you haven't read it.
With that out of the way... this is a very complex story and it's going to take me much longer to write this one than any of the other ones. Despite it being about Jo and Hap, it's going to be much more about the club, as oppose to the first that was only focused on the two of them. I think it'll be worth the wait though.
One of the reasons I'm starting this now is that I'm very far ahead on it, I don't need to stress about it and I have the main plot line worked out. The other reason is that the two other stories are very similar, I'm basically getting bored and if I get bored, I don't write. This is a way to keep me writing. And no worries, 'Sweet Things' is sorted, a lot of it's written. The main plot for 'Long Gone Blues' is sorted as well so I'm not stuck on any of them. I'm just a bit bored and because of that I've been writing a lot on this one lately. They'll be finished and another chapter of LGB will be up later this week.
As always, I owe so much to MuckyShroom and Simone Santos!
1. I'm Going to the Darklands
-o0o-
I learned at an early age that life isn't fair. There is no justice. People don't get what's coming to them.
Some are born with silver spoons in their mouths. Others are born to be slaves.
I watched them as they walked inside the clubhouse, cocky, like they owned the world. One of them sat down on the couch and waved at one of the women. She walked over to him with a beer and sat down in his la. She looked so pleased, like sitting in that guy's lap made her something more than a common whore.
I turned towards the bar and picked up my drink. This was my out, my ticket to a better life, and I wasn't planning on letting it slip out of my hands. I'd do what was necessary.
-o0o-
Happy walked inside the clubhouse. Lorca was on the couch with one of the sweetbutts in his lap. It was Saturday and most of the others were still hung over from the night before. It had been six months since the lockdown in Charming and he and Jo had been in Tacoma for five. The first months had been a reminder of how that woman could drive him insane; but also a reminder of why he loved her to death.
Kozik walked in and leaned against the bar next to Happy.
"Wha'd'ya think?"
"Bout what?" he asked and looked at Koz.
"The things with the Old Ladies."
Someone seemed to be attacking their Old Ladies. None of them had been harmed so far, but it was still bad. They couldn't ignore stuff like that and they had to find out as soon as possible who it was that was attacking them, and why. He was looking forward to finding whoever it was, 'cause he was gonna show them what happened when they pulled stunts like that.
Lee's Old Lady, Melissa, had almost been run off the road as she drove home from work. Bowie's girl, Eden, had a freak accident at the grocery store when a stack of canned food almost fell over her. Finally it was the Secretary Bondo's wife, Joyce, who'd been pushed in front of a bus and just barely got out of the way. Small things that one by one wouldn't been something they'd notice, other than being pissed about it, but all together put them on high alert.
"Don't know. Need to figure it out though," Hap said.
"Sure do," Koz said and looked at him. "Where's Jo?"
He shrugged. "Hustling some suckers probably."
"I bet she is," Koz laughed. "Got someone with her?"
"Put Vinsa on her." No fucking way in hell he'd let her loose alone at the moment.
"Does she know you did that?"
Now it was Happy's turn to laugh. "No."
"Oh, she's gonna be pissed when she figures it out."
They both knew that she would figure it out and that she didn't like him sending guys after her. In fact, she fucking hated it. Jo was used to taking care of herself. She had her own people with her, some friends that watched her back; but Happy didn't trust others with his Old Lady. He wanted his brothers to watch her when she wouldn't let him do it himself, which she hardly ever did. Something about him scaring people off.
But he was okay with her being pissed. As long as she was on the right side of furious, it just meant the sex got better. He walked over to the side and picked up his phone. She answered almost immediately.
"Are you checking up on me?"
"Yes." No use in denying it. Besides, he had every fucking right to check up on her. "Where are you?"
"Bee and the Barb," Jo answered and he could hear the bar noises around her. "What are you up to?"
"Not much, at the clubhouse." He looked around at the hungover, yet drinking, people. "What are you up to?"
"Usual. And by the way, you need to teach that prospect how to follow people." She said it with a laugh, so she was on the right side of furious. He was gonna rip that fucking prospect a new one when he got a hold of him though. He really sucked, but the other two were watching Lee and Bondo's Old Ladies. Bowie's girl was with him here at the clubhouse. "Babe?"
"Yeah. Still here. Peanut... you know why."
"I do. And I'm not pissed, just thought you should know that he doesn't know what surveillance means."
"I'll teach him."
"Bet you will. I won't be late."
"Okay. I'll see you at home. And he's gonna keep an eye on you. I'm not calling him off."
"I know and I love you. Despite being like this."
"Good. Not planning on changing."
He heard her laugh as he hung up. His crazy ass hustler wife.
-o0o-
Vinsa was nervous. Hap had stared him down and told him to keep an eye on his Old Lady and to keep a low profile. It was a huge thing. You did not mess with Happy and you did not fuck up when he asked you to do something. He was scared to blink now, in case he missed something.
He'd followed her to a bar and she was playing pool with some guy. Vinsa knew that she was a hustler. He hadn't talked to her, he wouldn't dare talk to Hap's Old Lady, fucking ever. She seemed nice though.
The bartender came over with a coke.
"From the lady over there."
When he looked at Joanna she held her drink up in a toast. Obviously she'd spotted him. He was in so much fucking trouble.
-o0o-
Soza was playing pool with Hap. He'd been a member for a year and a half, but it wasn't until the last ten months or so he'd been fully comfortable with talking to Hap. Once he started, he figured out that Hap was a cool guy. Crazy? Sure, but still nice to be around, and surprisingly funny when he wanted to be.
It had still been the shock of a fucking lifetime when the other guys came back from Charming and told them Hap was in LA with his wife. The fucker apparently had a wife!
It was an even bigger shock when the two of them came back and Soza realized that Hap's wife wasn't a 6 foot blond with a rack the size of two water melons. Instead she was a tiny, flat chested, black haired chick. He couldn't for the life of him figure out how the fuck that tiny being had managed to gather up the balls to marry Hap. And more importantly; to leave him!
The fourth time she'd been there Hap had come up to him and asked him what his fucking problem was and why Soza kept staring at his Old Lady. It had taken him a few seconds before he decided to tell Hap the truth. He also admitted that he couldn't figure out why Hap had gone for her. Soza had been fully prepared to be taken up in the ring for that comment, but Hap just laughed and told him he'd show him some day.
The next time Jo came around, Hap asked Soza to play some pool with her. So they did, it was fun and she was a lot of fun. Kept telling him crazy stories. When she and Hap were about to leave, Hap put all the stuff Soza thought was still in his pockets - his wallet, keys, numerous knives, even his watch - on the table. Jo had emptied everything from him while they played and he hadn't noticed a damn thing. Hap gave him a big smile, 'This is why I went for her,' he said, 'wait 'til you see her hustle,' he'd added with another laugh. Soza had stared at the stuff on the pool table, the smiling Hap and the laughing Joanna, before he too burst out into a laughter as well.
Since then he liked her, just like all the members who knew her from before did. The other new member, Cage, didn't. But Soza suspected that it had a lot to do with his Old Lady, Brooke. Brooke hated Jo. He hadn't really figured out why, but she sure as shit did. Being the brown-nosing bitch that she was, she still really tried to get on Jo's good side. It wasn't very successful.
The main reason Soza liked her was that she was a pretty normal girl. She stopped by now and then, played some pool or poker with them, told them stories on hungover Saturdays, usually when Lee asked her. When she was there, she wasn't all over Hap, she was hanging out with all of them, but in a respectful way.
What really had struck him though, was how she could stand next to anyone, talk to anyone, and she was still somehow with Hap. He had a hard time picturing what had made her leave and he would never find out because he would never fucking ask any one of them. According to Bowie, the only ones who knew were Hap, Jo and Koz; none of them would ever tell.
He looked up at Hap when he missed a shot and motioned to him that it was his turn.
"Where's the little thief?" Soza asked.
"Thieving," he answered.
"Got someone on her?"
Hap didn't answer, just gave him a look. Of course he did, stupid question.
"Does she make any money from that?" He continued instead of commenting on his own stupid quesiton.
"Not that much."
"So what? She does it for fun?" Hap nodded with a sigh and Soza couldn't help but laugh. "I like her, she's crazy, but I like her."
Hap's phone rang. He picked it up and more or less barked when he answered.
"What."
Soza didn't wait and took his shot when he noticed Hap throwing his cue on the table.
"Shots? From my apartment?"
That didn't sound good at all and Soza threw his cue down as well, ready to go with him. Hap waved at Koz too and they walked out to their bikes.
"I'll be there in five minutes and make sure no one fucking leaves the apartment," Hap yelled and hung up before turning to them. "My place."
Soza had a hard time keeping up with Hap and he prayed that no cops tried to stop them, because Hap would kill them. Without a doubt. He and Jo might not be Cage and Brooke, half fucking in public; or Bowie's girl Eden who was a real sweetheart towards him at all times; but he knew that Hap took commitments seriously and at the moment it looked like his girl was in trouble.
They stopped in front of the apartment building and he ran after Hap up the stairs. The second they got inside Hap yelled.
"Peanut!"
"In here," they heard from the bathroom, but it was Vinsa answering, not Jo.
Hap halted in the doorway. "Oh fuck! Peanut!"
"I called an ambulance," Vinsa said and Soza suspected they might have to call a second one for Vinsa, judging by the look he got from Hap.
"Get out," Soza said to him and he scurried away.
"Fuck!" Koz said when he looked inside.
Hap got down on his knees next to Jo. She was bleeding, but Soza couldn't see from where and he didn't want to ask. Koz didn't seem to have the same hesitations.
"Do you see where she's hit?"
"Shoulder. I think," Hap mumbled and picked up Jo so that she rested in his lap. "Baby, can you hear me?"
Soza could hear her mumbling, but not what she said. Hap slapped her cheeks a couple of times.
"Can you hear me, Jo?"
"There was no answer and that's when Hap really shocked the shit outta him.
"Come on, Peanut. They're on their way," he said with a thick voice and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Stay with me, baby."
"Mmmm," Jo mumbled and finally opened her eyes.
"You with me?"
"Always."
That one he clearly heard and he stared at Koz who didn't seemed surprised at all. Soza was surprised; and it wasn't over. Hap answered her and shocked the shit outta him.
"Good, honey. Very good. Now keep that promise, you hear me? We have a deal now. You're gonna stay with me." There was another mumble and Hap leaned closer to her. "What, Jo? I can't hear you."
"Tell me... you love me."
Soza swallowed hard a couple of times. This would've been tough no matter which one of his brothers it was, but seeing those two like this, that was... something else. He looked at Koz and noticed his worried expression, but he still didn't seem as stunned as Soza felt.
"You know I do." He held her closer. "I love you, baby."
There was a chuckle from Jo. "Sucker," she whispered and Soza had to swallow a laugh. He wouldn't have had to worry about laughing though, 'cause Hap did.
"That's my hustler wife. Come on, stick to that bitchyness."
The next second the paramedics hurried inside and Soza stepped outside of the bathroom, still a bit shell shocked from what he'd seen. He'd hardly seen Hap touch her before and that was... Not that he hadn't sort of known that Hap loved her. He had just never seen Hap like that. With the exception of Koz, there probably wasn't all that many people who had.
"Think she'll be okay?" Koz asked him.
"Looked like it was just the shoulder."
Soza looked at the paramedics who were rolling Jo out with Hap following them. Then he looked at Vinsa who was sitting on the couch. That guy would be lucky if he survived this.
"What's her name?" One of the paramedics asked.
"Joanna," Hap answered. "She's my wife."
The guy looked up at him and nodded. "Okay, you can come with us."
"We'll meet you at the hospital," Koz yelled after them.
That's when the prospect opened his mouth. "Listen..."
"Shup up," Koz interrupted him. "Get the fuck out of here!"
Once he was gone, Koz sat down and picked up his phone, probably to call the other members. "She better be fine," he mumbled.
-o0o-
Happy looked at Jo, lying on the stretcher inside the ambulance. As far as he could tell it was just the shot in the shoulder and that shouldn't be a problem.
He was also trying to figure out what to say to her. How the hell was he supposed to apologies for this? His next thought was about what he'd do to those fucks when he got a hold of them. The opportunities were endless and he was going to do his very best to make it last. And finally, it was the fucking prospect who'd fucked up. Basically, Happy would be a busy man for a while.
When he came out into the waiting room, Lee, Donut, Bowie and Melissa were already there. He liked Melissa. More importantly, Jo did and it seemed to be mutual. Melissa had tears in her eyes and was holding Lee's hand.
"What did they say?"
"Not much." He looked down at his blooded hands and went to wash them off in the bathroom.
He watched her blood disappear into the drain and leaned his head against the mirror. There was no doubt in his mind that no matter who'd done this to Jo, it was his fault. It was because of him. Whoever had been going after the other Old Ladies had gone after Jo. Obviously, whoever was targeting them, wasn't going to take any chances with Jo. Still, it was a shot in the shoulder. You had to be a pretty lousy shot and a complete moron if you thought that would kill her. So it was probably more to hurt her. He looked down at his t-shirt, there was blood on that too. When he came out from the bathroom, Kozik handed him a clean one and he took it with a hug. He was glad that he had his brothers there and even more glad that they knew him. None of them tried to include him in any conversations.
It felt like hours, and it probably was, before someone came out. A doctor.
"Mr. Lowman?"
"Yeah?" he said and stood up.
"This way please," he pointed towards the corridor. When Happy hesitated, he smiled. "She's going to be just fine. I'm taking you to her now."
Happy followed him. It took him a while to realize that the man was speaking. The last thing he heard was 'ultrasound'.
"What?"
"We did an ultrasound to make sure and the baby looked fine. It's not out of the woods yet so we'll keep a close eye on it."
He halted and stared at the man. "The what?"
"The baby..." he trailed off. "You didn't know."
He opened the door to the room and Happy finally saw her, so pale and small in the bed. He took a deep breath when he walked up to her.
"She's pregnant?"
"It's early. It's not certain that she knew..." She may not have known...
It wouldn't be that strange if she didn't. She never knew when she was supposed to have her fucking period and as far as he could tell; it wasn't regular and came as a complete surprise to her every damn time. He sat down next to her.
"She should wake up soon, but she needs rest. Any other visitors should wait until tomorrow."
He only nodded as a response and kept looking at her. Her hair looked a bit greasy, he stroked it from her face and took her hand.
He sat there, just watching her and waiting for her to wake up. There wasn't much for him to discuss, he'd already agreed on backing her on her decision and he was so not fucking this up again. She might not have been pregnant the last time, but he'd been an ass. So this time he was backing off, it was up to her and he'd be there for her whatever she decided. If there was anything to decide, from what the doctor had said it might not make it anyway.
At the moment he really didn't give a fuck as long as she stayed. Seeing her there, on the floor, all that fucking blood. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been that scared.
There was a knock on the door and he turned around.
"Hey," Koz said when he opened the door. "We just wanna know what the doc said."
"She'll be fine. It was nothing major."
"Hey," Melissa looked around Koz. "That's good to hear." She looked at him. "We'll leave you now. Call when she's getting bored and we'll keep her occupied."
"Yeah."
"What's the name of those flowers she likes?" Koz asked and looked at him.
Hap sighed. "I don't know. Big, yellow ones. And like... brown in the middle?"
"Sunflowers?" Melissa asked.
"I think so." It sounded familiar at least. He looked at Koz. "Is Lee leaving someone here?"
"Absolutely. Tell her I said 'hi'."
"Sure." He turned away from them again and heard the door close behind him.
Happy took a deep breath and looked at his sleeping girl. Shot and pregnant, she was gonna love waking up from this one.
