Thank you to all of you who have read my fic so far, really would love some feedback, any feedback would be great as long as it is constructive
Disclaimer: I don't own SOA or any of the characters.
I woke up abruptly to the blaring sound of a firm alarm; I shot straight up in bed, and quickly held my head as it felt like I had been hit with a sledge hammer. I hear something crash, it sounded like pots and pans.
I looked around a little and noticed I was at Jax's house, don't remember how I got here, but it's good to know he watched out for me.
I slowly and carefully got out of bed and headed down the narrow hallway until I reached the kitchen, which was full of smoke, and Jaxs…trying to cook.
"You're cooking?" I asked astounded, Jax had been catered to his whole life, he barely knew how to make toast, Gemma spoiled him rotten and being that he was her only son, everyone understood.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" He asked smiling at her.
"Oh no, I always wake up to the sounds of blaring smoke detectors going off." I said snidely, and went for coffee which I saw was brewing on the counter, looked like a fresh pot.
"I made Eggs, bacon, hash browns and was gonna do the toast next…." I heard his list off the food that was the combination of all the smells that were filling my nose and before I knew it my stomach was rejecting whatever was in it from last night. I ran for the bathroom. I made it just in time. I felt Jax pull my hair back and hold it for me as I continued to relive what I ate and drank the night before.
"I'll get you some water, here is a towel." He said smirking.
"I'm so glad that after all this time, I can still entertain you." I said thanking goodness my stomach seemed to be settling down.
"Do you remember that time at Opie's parent's house…" I heard Jacks start to relive the story, and I knew that any of them that started like that were going to be embarrassing for me.
"Let's not go down the stupid things I have done at Opie's house…" I said as I closed my eyes and rested my head on the wall behind me.
"You gonna be okay?" Jax asked. I could see the concern on his face and I wanted to reassure him and make him feel better, but honestly the jury was still out on that answer.
"I'll live. Can you bring me home? I have a million and one things to get done there." I asked as he slowly helped me to my feet.
"Yeah, get dressed and I will meet you in the living room." He said kissing my forehead and left me in the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and cursed myself as I looked exactly how I felt, like hell.
I got dressed and Jax brought me back to my dad's house. It took me a moment to get off the back of the bike, I looked at the house I grew up in and really had no desire to go in.
"I'll catch you later Jax?" I said handing him his helmet.
"Yeah, be at mom's at 8:00 for the bbq or you know the whole club will show up and escort you." He said grinning from ear to ear. I gave him a hug and made my way up to the front door, unlocked it and went in.
"Why does Gemma feel the need to throw a party for everything? I mean I thought that is what last night was for?" I said holding my forehead.
"You're her only daughter, your lucky she is letting you live here." Jax said and I hated the truth behind it. If Clay and Gemma had any say I would be relocated to their house immediately.
"Point taken." I said and waved as he pulled off and headed to where I assumed would be the club.
I grabbed a shower and went in the kitchen to see if there was anything for food, I was kinda of hungry, but there was no way I was eating Jax's experimental cooking. And just as I suspected, there was nothing. I threw on some jeans and a tank top and grabbed my bag, grabbed the keys to my dad's Monte Carlo, and headed out to the garage. I needed to go get food and had dropped my rental car off the day before.
I got in and turned the key and the engine wouldn't turn over. So I tried again and it started up and then died.
"Nice." I said to my self as I threw my head back on the head rest. I closed my eyes and knew what I had to do.
I popped the hood and started working away and what I knew the problem was. I wasn't sure how long I had been under the hood, but I was trying to losen some bolts on the carburetor so that I could see what was wrong with it, I had music blaring out of my dad's old stero and didn't hear the roar of Jax's motor cycle pull in the driveway. The volume of the music went down and I could tell by while tennis shoes that it was Jax, he was the only biker I knew that didn't follow suit and wear Harley boots.
"What the hell are you doing?" I could tell he was smiling and finding the humor in me under a car.
"Baking a cake, what does it look like?" I said back as I moved to the next bolt.
"Why didn't you bring it into the shop?" He asked crouching down next to where I was under the car.
"Kinda hard to do that when the engine won't even turn over. Dad must have let this sit for a long time. The battery and the carburetor are shot." I said pushing myself out from under the car, I sat up and grabbed a rag to wipe off my hands.
"I'll call the shop and have sack come over and pick it up with the flat bed, where were you headed?" He asked knowing the only way she would have known the car was out of commission was she was planning on going some where.
"Just some errands, there is nothing in that house…wait, what are you doing back here?" I asked knowing that there had to be business to be done, and things at the shop to be done.
"To let you know that the club is having church tonight before we all go over to mom's. Looks like you will be riding with me." Jax said knowing I hated depending on people.
"Maybe I should just go back and get a rental until the boys can fix her." I said thinking out loud.
"Is riding with me that bad?" He asked more offended than anything else.
"Oh give me a break, you know I hate depending on other people for stuff, just like the freedom of not having to ask anyone for something." I said shoving him a little. I saw as he lighted up a little, but it still looked like it bothered him.
"Whatever happened to Red's bike?" He asked and suddenly I had knots in my stomach and a lump in my throat. I didn't want him to know, but he deserved the truth.
"Um, after he got home from prison, there were all the bills from mom's hospital bills and he was behind on everything all the bills, so he went to Vegas and tried to win some money to help with the problems because the bank was threatening to take the house, he lost in it a high stakes poker game to some local guy who won with an impossible hand. Broke his heart. I didn't hear from him a whole lot after that." I said trying not to lose my composure as I told the story.
"Why didn't he say anything? The club would have helped him…" Jax said angry about it. He personally helped Red tune and fix up that bike, he knew how much of labor of love that bike was to Red and to him.
"You know dad, pride before anything else. Plus he knew that asking for help he would want to pay it back and he didn't know when or if he could ever do that, without coming back into the club and fifteen years behind bars was enough." I said sitting down next to Jax on the stool. He pulled out his cell and called into the shop and told Sack where to come to pick up the car and that it was priority.
"Maybe I should just buy a new car…" I said thinking more out loud then asking for permission.
"Or you could tell me who he lost the bike to and I will get it back." Jax said meaning every word of his statement. And I knew what that meant, and as much as I knew my dad would be so happy that the bike would be back with the club where it belonged, I wasn't sure murder or assault was the right way to make that happen.
"So what now?" I asked defeated and desperately trying to change the subject. Jax just chuckled and shook his head.
"You go wash up and I will take you over to the shop and you let Gemma take you shopping for whatever you need, it will be good for the both of you." Jax said pushing me off the stool towards the house.
I went in and washed my hands and made my way out to where Jax was waiting, he had grabbed my bag and closed up the garage. I got on the bike and we headed to the shop as Sack got to dad's and pulled in to the drive way to load the car.
"Now this is the kind of surprise I like, what are you doing here?" Gemma said greeting us as we pulled up to the office of the garage.
"Dad's Monte Carlo is having some issues, Jax is having it towed here to have the guys fix it, but I need to run a few errands before tonight, will you take me?" I asked her as enjoyed the embrace and she walked me in the office.
"Well as you can see I am swamped here, but here you take my car and just meet me back here in a hour and I will just bring you home after the bbq." And even if I wanted to refuse her I would hear about it. So I decided to take the easy way out.
"Thanks Gemma, I'll replace the gas. I'll meet you back here in about an hour?" I asked her as she pulled me into another hug.
"Don't worry about the gas, and yes baby I will be here." She said as she kissed my forehead and handed me the keys.
"HEY! Look who stopped by!" We heard as Clay came out of the club house with Bobby and saw us, I walked half way to meet them.
"Hey Clay, hi Bobby." I said greeting them both with hugs.
"What are you doing here? Finally come to work for me?" Clay said looking down to see Gemma's keys in my hand.
"I wish, Dad's is out of commission, and I have some errands to run before church and dinner tonight….by the way, can this PLEASE be the last "welcome home Ronnie" party please?" I begged him as I looked over my shoulder to make sure Gemma wasn't around, I didn't want to hurt her feelings. I knew her heart was in the right place but I was kinda over it.
"I promise, last one and this one is just family." He said giving me a squeeze. I started towards Gemma's Cadillac and was half way there when I heard a familiar voice.
"Well if it isn't little Ronnie Regan!"
I turned and saw a Opie, he had a beard and looked so much different then when I saw him 15 years ago, but only person called me that.
"What's up scruffy!" I said running full force at him and jumped up on him and hugged him as tight as I could, I felt him against me and it hit me how much I missed him. I didn't want to let go, but I felt my feet hit the ground and had to.
"How's your head?" He asked as if he knew I woke up with a hang over.
"Mom give you the keys?" Jax said coming up to us.
"How did you know I had a head ache?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest and looking over at Jax.
"I didn't say anything!" He said with a smile and held his hands up like I was arresting him, which I should have.
"I brought you guys home last night, you were wasted." Opie said laughing a little.
"I was not wasted!" I said trying not to be offended, but in the back of my mind I was really drunk last night.
"Did you puke?" Opie asked smiling even bigger at me. It was common knowledge between the two of us, that the only time I puked after drinking was when I was wasted.
"No, I didn't…I have to get going…I'll be back to pick up Gemma…" I said dodging any further conversation on the topic.
"She totally puked." Opie said looking over at Jax and they both started laughing hysterically. I flipped them off and got in Gemma's car and headed off the lot to run my errands.
I made three stops. The first was to the bank to open a couple of accounts and have the money transferred from my old ones to my new ones. I wish I could describe the look of astonishment on the Bank manager's face when he saw what amount was transferring. Money was never going to be a problem for me, staying away from my past would how ever be more difficult.
I then headed to the local electronics store and bought myself a laptop and a new TV for dad's house. I wasn't sure if I was going to keep the house yet, I was meeting with Dad's lawyer tomorrow to talk about his will and all of the legal stuff regarding his passing. I was leaning more and more into either buying my own house, or getting my own apartment. I knew the club wouldn't be happy about it, but it was my decision.
And lastly, I stopped at the local grocery store and picked a few things. There was literally nothing but the light in my dad's fridge. I bought some things for breakfast and dinners. I also grabbed several steaks for the dinner tonight. I was running low on time, and had to make my way back to the lot to pick up Gemma.
I pulled in the lot and parked in front of the garage. I noticed there were triple the bike's that were there earlier and I remembered we had church. I dropped Gemma's keys and walked in to the club house; the meeting hadn't started yet and were all having drinks and shooting pool when I walked in. I was greeted by everyone and then we headed into to the room. I took my place next to Jax and Bobby and sat down.
"First off, welcome Ronnie, good to have you hear." Clay said with smile and as I looked around at the other faces they all nodded. But the smile faded.
"Bobby, you want to start?" Clay asked looking over to Bobby who was the club's treasure.
"Well boys, we are scary low on funds. With the Porn business ending, and no more gun runs, we are hurting. Between the hospital bills for different members, and having to supplement what the garage can't cover from month to month, we are hurting really bad. We have to figure out a way to get back some serious before we get into the red and can't get out with out help." Bobby said hating to be the barrier of bad news but he knew that the funds were almost to the point of no return.
"Well, We all know the answer, the problem is where do get a connection." Trigger spoke up, he knew what they were all thinking, but no one wanted to say anything.
"I'm sorry, new member…no clue what you are talking here?" I said speaking up. I saw smiles acrosses their faces and Clay leaned into explain.
"The majority of the clubs income, beside dues from members, is we are in the gun business. We sell them and run them for a supplier, which used to be the irish but that connection isn't as strong as it used to be. We are currently shopping for a new buyer, but partnerships like this take a long time and finesses." Clay explained and the wheels in my head started to turn.
"Please forgive my ignorance, but what if there were somewhat legitimate businesses where you wouldn't have depended on anyone but the club and the profits could be just as good or better?" I watched as they were all either hesitant or doubtful about this proposition but they all looked to Clay for what he had to say about it.
"Is there such a thing?" He asked trying to see where this was going.
"Well, I happen to know a few ways to make a business legitimate and completely full of shit but one hundred percent profit at the same time, now I can go into detail if we are serious, but if we are set on selling guns, then let's plan that and let's see what we need to do get back in the game." I said not wanting to waste my breath, but my life in between Charming had taught me more than probably Clay or Gemma would have ever wanted to know.
"I say we hear her out." Opie said, I could see on his face that he wasn't completely confident in the idea that I had any clue on how to be a criminal. To Opie I was as green as they come.
"Okay what do you got?" Clay said relighting his cigar.
"The key to any legitimate cover business is believability. For instance, this club could never own a clown business, or fucking flower shop according to the rest of the world, but something like a A record company or a dance club is along the lines of something we could own and both pass of as a 'business' and the perfect way to make a steady cash flow." I watched as the confusion in the room went up to about a 1000.
"Okay, let's saw we open a club, a night club in a town like Charming, will attract people from our town as well as neighboring towns. On an average, a night club can make anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000…a night! Now we have club members working there and work special deals with the liquor companies for stocking and we take 75% profit off the top no questions ask, which on a good night could be more money than gun running and selling could get you in a month." I said getting a little excited about it as I saw the message was getting threw and I could see some of them were taking a liking to the idea.
"Are you serious?" Happy asked not understanding what the catch was it seemed to good to be true.
"What the catch?" Juice asked knowing that every good plan had one.
"I'll tell you what the catch is, we don't have the start up or the connections. The contruction of the place alone would kill us. There is no way we would ever swing a profit at the prices we would have to charge." Bobby said. And I couldn't help but smile.
"What if I told you start up costs were covered, and there is always a way to get around prices." My smile got wider and I winked at bobby.
"Go on." Clay said sitting forward.
"It's simple really, you make goofy ass drink and door special, make the drinks really strong during those specials. By the time midnight rolls around everyone is too drunk to care how much drinks are and they throw us credit cards. From there the possibilities are endless." I said and everyone nodded.
"I wanna know how you know the start up costs are covered." Clay said not liking that there were details that were yet to be discussed.
"Well to be honest. I can front the start up costs." I looked around at the faces, and snickering and doubt was welcomed in.
"And just where in the world would you have gotten that kind of money?" Clay asked, and I could see by the look on Jax and Opie's faces that they were wondering the same thing.
"Well, from my previous employer." I said knowing that they asked where not exactly how.
"Lot of risk involved with something like this…" Bobby warned as everyone seemed to be cautious about the topic already, as if they were all scared to do something legal besides the garage.
"True, but that is also true for any other business as well, look I will make you a deal, think about it, have Juice do some research, but I say that you let me put up the cost for this club, if in six months the night club isn't making you more money then you know what to do with, we shut down, and nothing falls back on you or SAMCRO." I said watching everyone kinda mull it over and decide that wasn't a horrible idea.
"Okay, Juice. You do some research and we will vote at our next mass." Clay said. "Anything else?" He asked and when a hush came over the room, Clay dropped the gavel and the meeting was adjourned.
Everyone left the room and kinda fanned out amongst the club house, I saw Clay heading out and walking towards the office of the garage. I headed out after him there was something I needed to talk to him about.
"CLAY!" I yelled after him as I jogged up to him, He turned around with a smile.
"What's up kiddo?" He said.
"Can we talk just you and me?" I asked him knowing that if anyone else was included in this conversation it wasn't going to go well and getting my way would be my very own mission impossible.
"Sounds serious…" He said smile fading.
"Not really, just personal." I said and we walked into the office, I thought he would have Gemma in on it to, but she was out running errands.
"So what's up?"
