She woke to him throwing up in the bathroom. He glanced at her. She sighed heavily. Trae chose that exact moment to start fussing. She went to get him. Juice finished throwing up and went back to bed. She took care of both Trae and Juice all day. Juice was feeling a little better that afternoon. It was just another day in paradise for them. She went to check on him while making him soup. He was out cold on the bed with his mouth wide open. She couldn't help but smile and turn around. She let him sleep while she took care of the house. When he woke up later on he looked like himself. He got up and walked to the living room. She smiled.
"Hi handsome," she said.
"Hey," he grinned.
"Feeling better?"
He nodded. She smiled.
"Glad to hear it," she said.
Her cell phone rang. She looked at the number and hit ignore. Juice looked at her funny. She shook her head.
"My mother," she said.
"Does she even know where you are?" he asked.
She shrugged.
"Probably now cuz I'm sure Joe told her," she said.
"Are you going to talk to her?" he asked.
"Not if I can help it."
"Why?"
"She ruined my life. I love my son but he should have been yours biologically."
"He is mine. I don't care what DNA says."
"Juice, I know that. I'm just saying, he should have been yours from day one."
He sighed and sat down on the couch. She tossed her phone on the table and went into the kitchen. Her phone went off again and he picked it up.
"I'm answering it," he said.
"Do what you want, but I'm not talking to her," she called back to him.
He hit talk on the phone and put it to his ear.
"Hello," he said.
"Who is this?" a woman replied.
"Juan, who is this?"
"Mary, why are you answering my daughter's phone?"
"Because I'm her boyfriend and I can."
"Is this Juice?"
"Yeah so?"
"You little shit, you think you're slick getting her to run away from here. Just wait til they're done with you. SAMCRO won't be able to stop shit."
"I'd like to see them try. She ran to get away from the abuse."
"She wasn't being abused. She's a liar. When are you going to see that?"
"She is not, I've seen the marks and seen her put in the hospital by this asshole."
"Juice you're an idiot."
"Don't call her again. Forget you have a daughter."
He hung up the phone and went into the kitchen. He stared at Bethany. She was sitting at the kitchen table with her head in her hands. He walked over and kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him. He sighed.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"For what?" she asked.
"Not being more persistant in getting you to come home a long time ago."
"It's not your fault Juice. It's mine. I could have stopped it but I didn't."
"No you couldn't have. It wasn't your place to stop it. You counted on me to protect you and I couldn't follow thru."
"Yes you did. I was just too dumb to realize I should have run away a long time ago just like my brother did."
He pulled her up from the chair and put his arms around her waist. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. He grinned.
"I love you Bethany Winston," he said.
"I love you more Juan Carlos Ortiz," she grinned.
He couldn't help but smirk as she used his actual name instead of his nickname. He was dead set to do everything in his power to keep her safe this time. No one would take her from SAMCRO and he was going to be certain of that. He sighed. Trae screaming brought an end to the moment in the kitchen and sent Bethany down the hall to get him. He was wet and hungry. She changed him and went to get a bottle from the kitchen. The door opened and Jax walked in.
"So glad you know how to knock," Juice joked.
"I need your help with something," Jax said, ignoring him.
"What?"
"We have to move this shipment tomorrow, just in case this shit blows up with the Stars."
"God, they chose a stupid name for their MC."
"Not the point here Juicey,"
"Whatever. Ok so when do we go and who is going to be here for her and the kid?"
"We can't spare anyone for this so they can go to the clubhouse."
"Jax, you know I won't leave them."
"You have to leave them for a day. They will be fine with my mom and Tara. I know they will."
"You better be right."
Jax sighed. Juice wasn't playing around with his girlfriends or his son's life. He wanted to be sure they would be safe. He had Bethany load up a bag for herself and for Trae. He took them to the clubhouse. They would be staying in his room while he was gone. She sighed.
"It's only for a day. I promise." Jax said.
She rolled her eyes. Jax made a face.
"Fine don't believe me. But all the women associated with us are going to be here. My mom, Tara, Donna, the kids, all of them." He said.
"Fine Jax, I'll suck it up for the day." Bethany said.
"Thank you."
She rolled her eyes again. They had a few from Tacoma that had come down to keep an eye on things at the clubhouse so none of the women got hurt. That made Juice feel better. Walking outside and seeing a guy posted on the roof with a gun in his hand watching the street was about all it took to make him ok with going. She would be safe and that's what mattered to him. He kissed her before they all left the lot. She had the baby in her arms. He looked at her. She looked ready to cry.
"Stop, I'll be back in less than 24 hours. I love you," he said.
She nodded. He put his hand on her cheek. She sighed. He kissed her again.
"I promise," he said.
"I know," she replied.
"Trust me?"
"Completely."
"Ok then believe that it will be ok."
She nodded again. He smiled. She just stared at him. He sighed.
"Smile please," he said.
She shook her head. He pulled her to him. She shifted the baby so he wasn't being squished as Juice held her.
"Baby, you have to relax and let us do what we do," he said.
"I'm letting you do what you do but I can't relax." She said.
"Why not?"
"Too much at stake."
"Baby, we have this under control. I promise you that."
She sighed. She believed him but she was still worried. He hugged her close and kissed her one last time before they all pulled out of the lot. Gemma led her inside the clubhouse. She sat down on one of the couches wondering how long they would really be gone. Trae was asleep in her arms. Gemma watched her from the bar.
"She seems broken," Tara said.
"She is broken," Gemma replied.
"She's seen way too much in her time away," Donna agreed.
"Yes she has and it's broken her in a way that will make her comeback to SAMCRO a harsh one."
"I don't know about that. She's a strong girl. She had to be for her son."
"But she no longer needs that tough exterior with me or you."
"She feels she does. She is going to keep it until she feels completely safe around us and that hasn't happened yet."
"I know it hasn't. It will though and when it does, those walls are going to crumble and she is going to be a shell of the girl we all knew."
"Hopefully Juice will be able to pull her back from the brink though."
"I don't doubt that he can. It's just going to take a lot of time."
Donna nodded. Bethany was staring down at the baby in her arms. She loved him to death but sometimes wished he wasn't around. She wished things were completely different in her life and wished that she wasn't the reason behind them all sitting in the clubhouse right now. She wanted to fix it but didn't know how. She knew that everything would come to a head and she would be more hurt than she had ever been before.
