Author's Note: This is Juan-Carlos "Juice" Ortiz one-shot imagine inspired by 'Just Like Fire' by P!nk. I hope that anyone reading this enjoys, if you do, don't be shy and drop me a review. **Disclaimer-I Do Not now nor have I ever owned SOA or any of it's characters, only the OC's and story line are mine!** **Trigger Warning-This story deals with themes of abuse, if this is triggering for you, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT READ!**

Chasing Fire

-XX-

She knew it was stupid of her. She was constantly on the move; so why she had even turned on the laptop in the first place, she couldn't understand. Something told her to she supposed. The same something that led her to her old virtual stomping grounds, led her to Juan. And after four months of literally zero contact with anyone, it was nice to talk to someone.

She smiles just thinking about him. That was six months ago, and even still she couldn't begin to tell you what he looks like, but somehow she knows him, inside and out; the same way he knows her. Which makes the situation she's found herself in that much harder. She got too comfortable, and in that comfort came complacence, and complacence always led to mistakes, and she made one. A big one.

"You don't have much time Julie, what's it going to be?" the voice sounds bored and lifting her head she studies the man before her. He's dressed in a carefully tailored suit, and he lifts a hand to study his perfectly manicured nails. The sight of him makes her sick.

She's tasted more freedom in the last ten months of zig-zagging the country then she did in the entirety of her life and she isn't ready to give it up.

"I'm not going back with you Evan," Julie states trying to sound strong, but her voice shakes, and when he smacks her she doesn't let out a noise. She just straightens her shoulders and smiles. Nothing has changed with him. She should have known.

"What are you going to do Julie? Whore yourself out to some piece of trash biker? Maybe you were hoping they'd pass you around…" Evan's voice is cold despite the anger that rages in his eyes. Julie's eyes widen in disbelief. How did he know about Juan? "That's right Julie, I know all about him."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Julie offers weakly, as she settles back onto the edge of the bed.

"You never could lie…"

::

His eyes flick to the clock, and licking his lips he feels the nervousness building inside of him. For the past six months at exactly the same time she's popped up on his messenger, and they talked, their conversations covering anything and everything. She was the first person he felt he could be the most authentic version of himself with.

He can be just Juan, and for her, that's enough.

His laptop pings, pulling him from his thoughts and he can't help the smile that crosses his face when he sees her name flashing on the screen.

'Juice…' he stares at the screen in confusion. Julie never calls him Juice. Ever.

'What's wrong?' he types back and while he waits for a response he chews nervously at his thumb.

'Found me. Time up. Game over.' He reads and re-reads the words, trying to understand, and before he can ask her what the hell is going she signs off.

"Son of a bitch!" the words rip through him and pushing away from the counter he starts to pace. He has to find her but he doesn't even know where to begin.

-XX-

"You caused a lot of trouble Julie," Evan's voice is calm as he leads her by the elbow to the waiting BMW. Everything inside of her builds with dread. She doesn't want to go back. She can't. She'll die if she does; maybe not physically but her spirit would surely succumb to the pressures of the life she was expected to live. "Hopefully this little, stunt, was more than enough to prove that you can't make it on your own."

"I've been making it on my own for ten months Evan. Ten months," Julie says trying to pull her arm from his grasp but he just tightens his hold, and she knows the anger he's capable of. She's counting on it. "What pisses you off more? That I don't need you the way you wanted me to believe I did, or that I don't want you?"

His jaw clenches tight and bracing herself she's ready for the blow, but nothing comes of it. Instead he pulls open the back door and shoves her inside.

"You're going to learn your place," he says getting in the driver's seat. "This time, you won't ever forget it."

::

"So let me get this straight," Chibs' words are slow his voice calm, "the last six months you've been talking to someone online, and you're convinced, because she called you Juice, that something is wrong."

"Something's wrong because she told me so," Juice says through clenched teeth. He's spent the last couple of hours trying to get him to understand the seriousness of what's going on, but they can't seem to get past the whole "online" thing.

"Sounds to me like a bored housewife whose husband found out what wifey's been doing while he was away," Chibs says on a laugh, and shaking his head Juice snaps his laptop shut.

"Forget it," he says, and as he moves to get up Chibs lays a hand on his arm. The older man's eyes search his face and letting out a breath he shakes his head.

"You're serious about this girl?" Chibs asks and Juice nods. "Start at the beginning. Don't leave anything out."

::

"And you're sure she isn't married?" Chibs asks blowing out a steady stream of smoke.

"I'm sure. She's engaged. Or she was. Until ten months ago," Juice says rubbing a hand over his head. It feels weird letting someone into his and Julie's world. "Old money, that's really all that she said about the guy. She wouldn't give me his name, said the last thing she wanted was to read that he had disappeared under mysterious circumstances."

"You think he tracked her down?" Chibs asks and with a sigh Juice shrugs.

"If he did it's because he paid someone too. That's what his type does."

"So, why don't you work your computer magic and track her down?"

"You think I haven't tried that already? Julie's smart, and she's damn good. She used dummy I.P addresses, never stayed connected to one for too long, made sure to constantly jump them, she was all over the map. I can't pinpoint her," he says and he can't help the tone of pride that rings in his voice.

"So what can we do?" Chibs asks putting out his cigarette.

"Nothing we can do but wait."

-XX-

She's exhausted, down to the bone. She couldn't begin to say how long she's been walking, but she keeps moving. One foot in front of the other. She had to do it. She had no choice. That's what she's been telling herself since she walked away from the smoldering car. She couldn't leave Evan in the smoking wreckage; no matter how much she hated him, she wouldn't have his death on her hands, so she pulled him free making sure there was a safe distance between him and what was left of his BMW. Sure she may have caused the accident but for her it was the only way that she felt she was going to be able to get away.

She used Evan's phone to call 911, and to send one message, and she hoped to hell that he understood.

::

His phone buzzes across the nightstand, and with a groan he throws his hand out, searching for it, and when he finally finds it he lifts it trying to read the words through sleep blurred eyes. He doesn't recognize the number so his first instinct is to ignore it.

'Where there's smoke…' his eyes are sliding closed with the words tumbling in his head and then he's sitting upright, all of his muscles tensing as the meaning behind the words sink in. He jumps from his bed and fumbles as he drags on his jeans, and with only one arm through his shirt he's racing down the hall to bang on Chibs' door.

"Chibs, we have to go! I know where Julie is!" he calls frantically through the door and without waiting for a response he's dashing down the hall, and as he turns the corner her runs face first into Opie who laughs.

"Slow down Juicy boy, where's the fire?" Opie asks with a grin.

"I don't know," Juice answers honestly as he runs, "but I'm going to find it."

::

He stands, hands at his waist as he studies the twisted wreck of metal. The fire department had the fire out relatively quickly, but there were more questions than answers, and absolutely no sign of Julie. Every clue that would have been left in the car was gone, destroyed by the lick of hot flames, and according to the tow man, the guy the car belongs to was found lying unconscious on the side of the road, but he hadn't been thrown from the impact. No, he was pulled free.

"Julie," her name is a whisper as he fights the smile; where he would be all too happy to let the man suffer, Julie would save the sorry son of a bitch.

"There was no girl found at the scene brother," Chibs says and with a grin Juice snaps his helmet back into place.

"That's because she's on the move again. She wouldn't stay, even if she's hurt. If she has the chance to get away she's going to take it, no matter what," he says and climbing on his bike he brings it to life with a roar.

He parks his bike in front of another diner, and letting out a sigh, he's ready to give up. He's searched for a couple of hours now, scoping out diners and rest stops, watching for any sign of Julie, but there's nothing.

He tells himself that this is the last place he's going to look. He can't chase fire forever.

-XX-

She swirls the straw in the glass in front of her, fighting to stay awake. She's dozed on and off, grateful when the waitress gave a knowing smile upon seeing her and led her to the booth in the darkened corner.

"Hey sugar, are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" the waitress asks on her next round and though her stomach rumbles loudly she knows she can't pay for anything.

"I'm fine," Julie says with a soft smile, before taking a sip from her water, "more water would be great."

"Alright," she says her attention turning to the door as the bell overhead gives a cheerful ring, "well isn't he just a cutie…"

Julie tilts her head to follow the woman's gaze and when her eyes land on the man, her heart skips a beat.

"Oh my God…" she whispers, and then she's sinking down in her seat. She never imagined he'd find her. She hoped sure, dreamed of the moment they'd see each other, face to face, she however didn't think that when that moment came that her face would be streaked with dirt and blood, clothes torn and tattered. "Shit. Shit. Shit."

"You okay sweetheart?" the waitress asks and with a nod Julie starts to slide from the booth.

"Yeah, fine, listen I need the bathroom…" she tries to call as little attention to herself as possible as she moves towards the bathroom.

"Julie?" the voice comes from behind her, freezing her footsteps, and letting out a steady breath she turns. Her heart hammers in her chest as she looks at him. He's in baggy jeans and a black zip up hoodie that lays open over a black t shirt. To say he's cute is an understatement that has her internally cursing the fact that she looks like a mess.

"Juan," his name comes out on a rush of air as he wraps her in a tight hug, and after freezing for a few seconds her hands curl into the back of his shirt.

"I found you," he whispers against her lips as his hands cup her face.

"I knew you would," she says sliding into the kiss, and with a smile she's finally done running.