I forgot to update last week so surprise, two chapters in a row! Enjoy xx
Jo turned in the bed restlessly. She couldn't even close her eyes, let alone sleep a single minute. Her mind was full of Peter. She'd tried to reach him all day but he hadn't answered the phone. In the end Jo could understand him. After all he probably thought that she bailed on him. Who wouldn't have? On the other hand she was also angry with him. She might not be the perfect girl he'd imagined she was but Jo thought higher of him than being someone who couldn't handle some unexpected events or get bent out of shape for finding out there might be more to her than what he'd known so far.
What really pissed her off though, was that he wasn't able to fathom that her family was in need. These people had been there for her at a point in her life when both him and his family would have likely resented her. When his sister'd been in trouble – what meant her boyfriend cheated on her, nothing as serious as what her people had to deal with – Peter'd done everything in his power to help her. She'd moved in with them for half a year with her dog even though Peter was allergic to the hair. Yet, it'd been completely natural that they'd given her a helping hand.
Jo stiffened, alarmed immediately when she heard a car stopping in front of the house. The guys were out, dealing with club business so she was on her own, aware of the fact nobody would be there to protect her if anything was to happen. Not that she really needed protection though. She reached under the pillow for her gun when she heard a knock on the door. Her fingers tightened around the base and she rolled out of the bed, went to the window with her back bent. She couldn't see a single thing as she peaked out, not even the car that she'd heard stopping somewhere close.
There was a knock on the door and her body stiffened alerted. If anyone was here to kill you, they wouldn't knock, she scolded herself with a roll of her eyes. However, she remained cautious, her limbs tensed as she tiptoed to the door as quietly as possible with the old wooden floor creaking under her feet in the still, silent air. She stopped at the door without turning the lights on and took a deep breath.
"Who is it?" She asked, her grip on the gun firm, the safety off, ready to fire any person who stood at the other side and she didn't know.
"It's me… Peter." Jo let out a sigh she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. Her hold on the weapon lightened and she pushed the safety back. The tension quickly ran out of her body as soon as she'd heard his muffled voice. She put the gun on the small table next to the door and turned the lights on, in the hall before she turned to open the door.
Peter looked at her with a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. She certainly wasn't the only one having trouble with sleeping. His eyes fell to the gun on the table and his face pulled into a grimace.
"God," he scoffed, closed his eyes and shook his head, his hand falling to his side.
"It's only for being guarded, just in case," Jo said, and cursed herself mentally for putting the weapon into his line of sight. She should be more cautious. Where the hell did she put her right mind? "Would you like to come in?" She asked, cleared her throat and took a small step to the side so he'd have a free path inside.
"Yeah." Peter nodded, moving past by her with heavy steps, avoiding to even glance at her. She let out a sigh and closed the door after her eyes scanned the area.
Peter sat to the table, his fingers entwined above the top as he watched Jo stopping in front of him, and leaning against the sink. An awkward silence fell over them and Jo reached for the pack of cigarette that laid on the the top of the counter next to her fingers. Peter raised an eyebrow when Jo lit the cigarette and he shook his head in disbelief.
"Okay, this is insane," he exclaimed finally with a shake of his head as she breathed the smoke out.
"I know and I'm sorry you had to realize I'm not perfect," Jo said with a firm voice. She kept his gaze, unwavering. She had nothing to be ashame of, nothing at all. "But remember, Peter, you wanted me to come back. Now the cat is out of the box and it might not be pretty and you might not like it but this is also me." The edge in her voice made him look away. She bit her bottomlip and waited for him to say something.
"Joanie…" He sighed as he ran a hand over his hair before he stood from the table and stepped to her. "It isn't about you not being perfect," he stated, took the cigarette from her hand and dropped it into the ashtray. He placed his index finger under her chin and lifted it, so he could meet her gaze.
"It's just that…," He swallowed, trying to find the words, the right words to say, to explain how terrifying everything had become in a blink of an eye. No, he didn't like Jo from Charming who smoked and dressed like a biker slut but his Joanie was in there as well and he had no idea how to reach her. "It feels like you're shutting me out… Like you're slipping away fast and unstoppabbly."
"I'm not." Jo shook her head and took his hand from her face into her own. She felt like shit for making him feel that way but she didn't know what else she could to reassure him other than try and explain that this was a family emergency. "You know I love you."
"I'm not so sure about that anymore," Peter pulled his hand from hers and glanced away. Jo's heart skipped a beat, and she opened her mouth to say something, anything but she wasn't even certain what to say anymore.
"What? How can you say that?" She asked after a couple of moments spent in heavy silence. Yes, she knew it was rough for Peter to accept that she had to stay in Charming for a little longer and that he wasn't fan of the idea of her spending more time with Jax but... Jo bit her bottomlip, her fingers tapped against the edge of the sink. She felt like she was being torn into two. Clearly, for Peter everything she'd done for the club represented some kind of betrayal but for her, leaving them now would have turned her into a traitor.
"What about Jax, Joanie?" His eyes were set on her, watching her close. He meant to ask that question for quite a while. They were too close, way too close for his like.
"Jax is…" Jo started with the intention to explain that they were only friends but 'Smoke On The Water' began booming from her cell, cutting her off. She sucked her bottomlip between her teeth and rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortably. She knew perfectly well who was calling in the middle of the night. She stood there, unmoving, her gaze moved between
She shuffled uncomfortable, knowing it was Jax. Jo stood there unmoving, gazing the phone on the table and Peter in front of her, trying to figure out what to do.
„I should get that," she said quietly, moving around Peter, feeling his eyes on her back.
„I'm here," she answered the phone, turning to Peter, seeing him staring out of the window.
„We need you in the clubhouse, now," Jax said, hurridly and Jo could tell he was in a car.
„Why exactly?" she asked back, annoyed. She wasn't one of his pets. If he said jump, she wouldn't ask how high.
„Because I asked you, dammit," Jax said irritated, the noise of the others coming through the line.
„You commanded, didn't ask. There's a difference…" she wanted to continue but Jax cut her off.
„Bobby got shot. So please, Jo, would you be so nice to come to the clubhouse?" Jax said, mocking her.
She moved her gaze to Peter again, sighing.
„Yeah, I'll be there," she ended the call, clearing her throat. „I gotta go."
„What happened?" Peter asked, watching her pulling out the bag she kept the first aid stuff from under the skin.
Jo looked up at him, throwing the bag over her shoulders, trying to choose between truth and lie.
„One of the guys fell with the bike and you know how they are, not fan of hospitals and all," the words rushed out of her rapidly. „We'll finish this when I'm back, okay?"
Peter eyed her cautiously, obviously not entirely believing what she said.
„Peter?" Jo asked an eyebrow.
„Yeah, go," he said, looking away.
„I'll try to hurry," Jo gave a kiss to him, starting out.
„You know old man, next time you wanna see me, just give me a call," Jo patted Bobby on the shoulder after getting rid of the bullet.
„What? Don't you appreciate what I'm willing to do for you?" Bobby laughed, taking a huge sip of whiskey.
„Of course I do. I might even marry you," Jo giggled, standing up when her phone buzzed in her pocket. 'One new message', she read on the screen.
'You need some time to come clear. It's the best if we don't talk for a while. Call me when you're ready to let me in. Peter'
She stood there, completely forgetting about the world around her.
„Hey, baby girl, can you check out Jax, too?" Gemma stepped to her, bringing Jo out of her daze.
„What?" she looked up from the phone, dumbly.
„Jax got a cut on his forehead, it should be cleaned," Gemma said slowly. „Are you alright?"
„Peachy," Jo put the mobile back in her pocket, moving to Jax.
She sat down in front of him, avoiding looking at him. She was beyond pissed about everything and just wanted out.
„It will sting," she said, pouring antiseptic on a ball of cotton, pushing it against the wound on Jax's forehead.
He flinched a little but the face what Jo wore bothered him more.
„What's the matter?" he asked, studying her hard features.
„You're done," she said, practically kicking out the chair from under her as she stood up.
„What the fuck?" She heard Jax's cursing under his breath.
She grabbed her bag and rushed out, knocking everyone out of her way, knowing she would explode if anyone said a single word to her.
„Jo!" Jax's voice came from behind her as she pushed the door open.
The chilly air hit her and she breathed in deeply, the fresh air cooling her slightly.
„What the hell happened?" Jax asked, finally catching up with her.
„Nothing," Jo glared at him before starting to her car.
„What's going on?" Tig watched cautiously as she passed by him with Jax hot on her heels.
„You know, Jax, I was wondering why Tara isn't here," Jo turned to Jax suddenly, her eyes throwing lightnings at him.
„What?" he stopped in half step, staring at her dumbfounded.
„You know, your girlfriend who just happened to be a doctor," Jo answered, throwing the bag with the first aid stuff in the car, circiling the chain of her post bag around her fingers.
„I don't see how that's important now but she doesn't wanna get involved with club business," Jax answered.
„Oh, so princess still doesn't want her hands getting dirty. How sweet," Jo snorted.
„She doesn't wanna get into this shit. So what?" Jax threw his arms in the air.
„Great. You even like it, don't you?" Jo glared at him. „Funny how it doesn't seem to be a problem with me. It's just fine for Jo to get her hands bloody, to put the weight of the world on her shoulders. Just ordering Jo around because, hey this is Jo, she belongs to you, right? Well, let me enlighten you, Jax, I don't belong to you, never did because you never wanted me. And about Tara? I think it's ridiculous how she can't accept the club because you are the club. If she doesn't love SAMCRO, she doesn't love you."
„You sound like Gemma," Jax said, glaring back at her.
„Have you ever thought maybe because we're right?" Jo snorted.
„No. I think that's only because you're still jealous," Jax snapped back.
„If you think I'm still a jealous little girl, then I'm not the one who has to grow up, Teller," Jo said, tearing off the chain from her postbag, throwing the ring from it into Jax's face before getting into the car, shutting the door loudly.
