Denise drove down a long stretch of road that looked similar to the Autobahn. She was in her Acura as she neared 140 MPH, window down, cigarette in her left hand, right hand on the gear shift. She took a drag and enjoyed the breeze as she felt like the car was floating. She looked to her right and saw Tara, hand out the window, enjoying the drive. Tara turned the music up and they drove faster as the radio blared "Dangerous Type (Craft Soundtrack)".
"This is great!" Tara yelled and Denise nodded, flicking the cigarette away from the car. Denise laughed and pulled over, getting out of the car next to a field. Tara joined her and they ran around, laughing and dancing, looking for Jax and Opie. Denise stopped dancing and looked at Tara, who was lying on the ground, laughing hysterically.
"Where are the guys?" Denise looked confused and Tara looked up at her, jumping up. She started running away from Denise, who looked lost as Tara laughed and disappeared. Denise blinked and was back in her car, speeding down the road again.
"What the…" She seemed to never have left the car as it was still going about 140 mph. She was alone now and the radio was now playing "California Dreaming by The Mamas and the Papas". She shrugged and enjoyed the ride, looking to her right as she lit up another cigarette. She was looking in a mirror as the woman sitting next to her looked identical to her, just younger.
"Mom?" Denise asked and the woman looked at her, smiling softly.
"Yes, baby girl?" The woman asked, rolling the window up. Her long straight hair rested against her back and the sundress she wore the day she died clothed her. She stared at Denise who stared back.
"Why are you here? Where am I?" Denise asked and the car seemed to drive itself as she just stared at her mother. The woman smiled more and took in a deep breath, enjoying the sun.
"You are with me now. This is the end." The woman said and Denise looked around, then she saw a wall appear in the middle of the road.
"FUCK!" She screamed and turned the wheel, slamming on the brakes and the car skidded, she ended up turning into the field and slamming on the brakes.
"You wouldn't have hit the wall." The woman said to Denise, who panted hard and looked at her like she was insane.
"What the hell is going on!" Denise yelled at her and the woman got out of the car and started walking in the opposite direction Tara went in.
"You were hurt. You are hurt no longer. How is my love bug?" The woman asked and Denise looked lost.
"What the hell is a love bug?" Denise asked, her patience wearing thin with this cryptic shit.
"Your father, Clay, is my love bug. We have pet names for each other. I was his muffin tops." The woman smiling, thinking of her time with Clay. Denise made a face.
"Ok.. So you're my mother. You are dead, I'm not. Where is everyone else?" Denise looked around again and saw a set of horses coming towards them.
"I am your mother. You are close to dying. I have been watching over you. Your father has done well with you. You have a great career, though I never would have wanted you to be a lawyer. Knowing your father, however, I see why it was a smart move. Are you ready to go now?" She asked as the horses arrived. She offered one to Denise, who looked at it, shaking her head.
"I don't want to die. I finally have my dream! I have Opie back, I have money, a great house, and as normal life as possible. I can't die now." Denise said and the woman got onto the horse. She motioned to the other horse.
"Denise, you are dying. End your suffering, get on the horse and come with me." The woman's horse shifted slightly and Denise shook her head.
"No. I refuse to die." Denise backed up and started running towards where Tara ran. She could feel the hooves of the two horses as they chased her. Denise knew better than to look back and ran faster. She felt her hair grabbed and lifted off the ground.
"YOU WILL COME WITH ME!" Her mother was replaced with a black robed figure. His skeleton hands held her off the ground, by her hair and she screamed and felt pain. She kicked and moaned as the horse stumbled and Denise fell hard to the ground, rolling as the horse moved and turned fast.
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!" Denise screamed and the figure came at her and Denise ran as a cliff appeared. She didn't hesitate and jumped off the cliff as the horse and the robed rider stopped. Denise screamed and fell, disappearing into fog.
"We got a pulse!" The doctor said and backed up as the nurse verified that Denise was revived. Opie stood in the corner, having witnessed Denise's resuscitation. Opie wiped his eyes as Denise was covered again and was given oxygen through a nasal cannula. The doctor looked at Opie as Clay and Jax darted in.
"What the hell happened?" Clay demanded to know and Opie just shook his head as the nurse changed her IV monitor and then walked out. Opie moved back to Denise's side and Jax swallowed hard, looking at Denise, then Opie. It has been a week since the attack and Denise had remained in a coma for the entire time. Tara had woken up, and was discharged from the hospital, but Denise was still teetering.
"She was fine… I was talking to her, and then…" Opie shook his head wiping his eyes. Clay shook his head, sniffing as Jax sat on the other side of Denise.
"How's the baby doing?" Jax asked and Opie never looked away from Denise as he nodded.
"He is doing good. He made it through the first 72 hours, so they are letting me take him home." He said softly and shook his head, taking Denise's hand in his own hands. He toyed with the ring on her finger, sniffing again.
"That's good. It'll be good for you." Jax said and Opie shook his head, taking Denise's hand to his lips, kissing her fingers.
"I am not taking the baby home without Denise." Opie said roughly and Clay nodded pulling out his phone.
"Gemma and I will take him home. Gemma has been nagging to cradle something, may as well be a newborn." Clay said and called Gemma as Opie took in a deep breath. Jax patted his shoulder and looked at Denise. He watched as Denise tried to clear her throat and her eyes flutter open. Denise blinked a few times and looked like she was trying to swallow. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.
"Denise? Baby?" Opie said and stood up, leaning over her. Denise's eyes were partially open and her eyes looked at him, and then closed again for a moment. She tried to clear her throat again and Jax got some water as Clay walked over, closing the phone. Opie held the cup of water to Denise's lips and Denise almost choked, coughing and wincing. She looked at Opie, then her father. Clay looked down at her and smiled.
"Love..bug.." She whispered and Clay looked at her with an odd look. His face was mixed with shock and confusion.
"What did you say?" Clay asked leaning closer as the three men seemed to get closer to hear her.
"Mom.. pet name.. love bug…" She whispered again and Clay stood up straight, letting out a deep breath, his eyes wide. Jax looked at Clay.
"What does that mean?" Jax asked and Clay shook his head.
"Denise called me that… It was a pet name. I called her-" Clay was cut off by Denise.
"Muffin top.." Denise looked at her father and Clay turned blush colored and nodded.
"I have never told anyone that.. How do you know that?" He asked Denise and Denise swallowed again.
"Mom told me…" She managed to squeak out, as her whispering got better. The three men looked at each other, and then back to her. Her hand moved over her stomach, feeling how flat it was and her eyes went wide. She started to pant and her monitor started to give off warning alarms. Opie put his hand over hers and leaned over her protectively.
"He's fine. He is being discharged today." Opie told her and Denise started to breathe normally. The alarm stopped as a nurse walked in, checked on her, and then walked out.
"Tired…" Denise said softly. Her eyes closed and her breathing became softer. Jax and Clay and stood to their full heights and patted Opie on the back.
"Alright, Op, we are going. I gotta check on Tara. I'll have Ma come by and pick up the baby. Did you come up with a name yet?" Jax asked and Opie shook his head.
"I want Denise to pick it." He sighed deeply and held her hand to his lips again.
"Alright." Jax said and kissed Denise on the cheek before walking out with Clay. Opie watched them leave, looking at Denise. The bruising on her face was going away, but her cheek and left eye were still black and blue and very swollen. The bruising on her chest was turning yellow and her entire chest was taped up tightly because of her ribs. The chest tube was gone and the hole hidden by the wrapping. Opie ran his hand up her now flat stomach and up her wrapped chest, to her collarbone and over her un bruised cheek. He wiped his eyes again and leaned back, taking her hand with him, lacing their fingers together.
"Denise.. Baby.. You gotta pull through this. I lost you once, I cannot lose you again. I have lost too much." Opie smiled, looking at her hand and a small scar between her ring and middle knuckle.
2 Weeks Later
Denise walked into her house, Opie behind her, carrying the baby. She dropped her keys on the table and cleared her throat as she cleared the threshold. Her bruising was gone and she had been discharged after two weeks in the hospital. Her ribs were healing, but they were still wrapped and she still had trouble taking a deep breath. She walked into the house and turned the lights on, seeing everyone she knew standing there.
"WELCOME HOME!" Everyone screamed and Denise gasped, and then held her side, moaning. Everyone rushed them and Denise smiled, hugging everyone as they came to her and welcomed her home and oogled at the baby. Clay took the baby boy and Opie helped Denise to a chair. The party then started, with catered food being brought out, appetizers served, and drinks passed out. Denise looked around the house and saw that any signs of the attack were gone, everything replaced, and the events erased.
Opie watched people pass the baby around and kept his attention between the baby and Denise. He put his arm around Denise and gently held her, kissing her forehead as Jax walked around, bragging about his new nephew. Denise smiled up at Opie and then Tara came to her and she started walking with Tara, comparing scars. They disappeared around a wall and Opie went back to watching the baby. Soon Tara came back, but without Denise and Opie moved to her.
"Where is Denise?" Opie asked and Tara pointed at the stairs.
"She felt a little nauseous. She said she would be down in a few minutes." Tara said and Opie nodded, staring up the stairs.
"Half-Sac is with her, watching her. I saw him." Tara said and Opie nodded again, getting an unreadable look on his face. After a moment, Opie walked away from the stairs as he heard the doorbell ring. Walking to the door, he answered it.
"Rosen…" Opie said and backed up, so Attorney Rosen could walk in. He walked in and looked around, then looked at Opie.
"Is Denise available? I need to talk to her about her job." Rosen said and Opie looked at him suspiciously. He nodded and walked Rosen through the house and up the stairs, to the bedroom, where Denise was lying down. Denise looked up and saw Rosen, sitting up with minor difficulty. She looked at Rosen and stood up, stiffly.
"How can I help you?" Denise asked and moved to Rosen. Opie stood behind him and watched Denise carefully.
"Glad you're alright. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you have to be in court tomorrow for your disbarment hearing. Agent Stahl won't drop it and re-applied the request after the six month period ran out. If you don't show up, they will automatically disbar you." Rosen said and Denise listened, looking around, sitting back down.
"I take it I will have your full support?" Denise asked and Rosen nodded.
"Of course. I will be there tomorrow." Rosen pulled out a card and handed it to Denise.
"Glad you are alright." Rosen said and nodded to Opie, walking out of the room. Once he left, Denise looked up at Opie and swallowed hard. Opie moved next to her, sitting.
"I have 9 hours to prepare a defense for something that happened almost a year ago. I don't know what I am gunna do…" Denise said and started to sob.
TBC…
