Chapter 24
He sat and watched the house waiting for the right moment. He could feel his plan unraveling. Zobelle was pulling back he could sense it. Now getting cut out of deals? Weston wasn't going to stand for it. He lost credibility when he didn't get the job done with Gemma Teller. That bitch didn't talk. He'd respect her for it if she wasn't a woman and hadn't ruin his fucking life. SAMCRO should have been a non issue for Zobelle by now. Zobelle was disappointed in him for not getting the job done and was cutting him out to punish him. He needed to get SAMCRO to react. He needed to make Mrs. Morrow tell her secrets or find another way to hurt the club. He needed Zobelle's connections to make more money for the cause. He needed to secure his place in Zobelle's organization. He needed to act now.
"No way Legs, I draw the line at you taking in strays of this variety." Hap teases as he walks into the kitchen finding her at the counter with one hand holding the remnants of a bottle and the other arm full of baby. Jax's kid. "What's up?" He asks with a gesture towards the kid.
"The nanny got called out of town, family emergency. Tara's still on shift from last night, Jax has business, and Gemma took off for the day, I guess."
"You must be tired, you had a long day yesterday and were out in the barn before I even woke up this morning." He takes in her appearance, her flushed skin and happy smile erased all signs of the hard day she had, and her lack of sleep.
As if she didn't hear him, Audrey, lost in her own train of thought blurts them out. "You know I never wanted kids, not really. Besides the biological urge, that is. I always felt selfish about my time, and unwilling to give it up."
Hap starts at this surprising topic of conversation, taking a physical step back. "Are you going some where with this?"
Audrey stares at Abel not quite ready to look Hap in the eye, afraid of what she'll see. She notices he backed up at her words. "Not now I'm not. I'm just curious as to your thoughts on this subject?"
He stared long and hard at her tightly held frame and watched as Abel slapped is tiny hand against her chest a few times before grabbing her skin and leaning his head against her shoulder, shutting his eyes. Happy could tell she was nervous asking him, she probably hadn't meant to even have this conversation. He approved of her brave approach admiring that quality in her even as her question made him uncomfortable. "I've never thought about it seriously. My lifestyle choices, and all that. I will say that the idea of seeing you pregnant with my child does have a certain caveman appeal." He smirks as he walks towards her, wrapping his arm around her unencumbered side. He looks down into Abel's sleeping face, a milky bubble forming at his lips. Hap raises his hand to her face to make her look at him. "Is this something you're considering?"
"More like information for future reference." She watched his face for a reaction but all he did was shrug at her brushing off of the question. Audrey continued, "I don't know that my selfish needs have changed enough to seriously consider it."
"You keep calling yourself selfish and you're not. Look at the work you do. The animals you nurture, our friends that you care for, the way you take care of me? None of that is selfish."
Looking up at the man she loved, she thinks he deserves an honest response to his previous question. "I never seriously considered it before. But being with him all day, and thinking about having your child inside of me, gave me butterflies. I don't know where they came from. Before, whenever I imagined having a child I was a single parent. And that was another big reason, I decided against it. I'd want my child to have the experience of both parents. I could never see myself in a family with anyone before." She watches his face, but still he gives nothing away. "I'm sorry Hap, am I scaring you again?"
"Why, can you smell my fear?" He says with a smirk before leaning in to steal a kiss. It had the right affect, calming her crazy fear of him running screaming for the door while still dodging her question.
"This conversation is kind of freaking me out. I think I'll repress it now. Can we stop talking?"
"Done" Hap tells her, kissing her once again before heading out back. He still had an hour or so of daylight and he needed to finish Audrey's hen house. He'd finished his shift and because he needed to steer clear of Alvarez, Hap came home while Clay, Jax, Tig, Chibs and the Prospect went to the meet.
As he made his way to the back, he looked across to the barn and saw the Oswald girl, tending to the bitch and her new pups. Nodding in her direction, he got to work on the task at hand. While his hands got busy, so did his mind. He started thinking about the conversation that just happened in the kitchen. She'd caught him off guard and he wasn't sure how he felt about the subject. He'd been honest with Audrey, but kept his answers vague. He didn't want to be responsible for a child. He'd always made sure to be safe cause he didn't want a kid to pop up one day out of the blue and call him daddy. He didn't lie about the appeal of seeing Audrey pregnant with his kid. His response to that visual was primal and it actually turned him on. But what about after? Could he be there for a kid? Did he want to? Hap was glad Audrey seemed as conflicted about it as he was. God damn Jax, stirring the pot by leaving is kid here.
He'd hit 60 before the kid was fully grown. Actually he'd probably already be dead by then, given the nature of his work with the club. Children have no place in his life. Then he thought about Audrey. A child would be lucky to have her. He hopes she forgets about the whole conversation, but he knew that would be impossible. If she decides this is what she wants, would he be able to deny her? Did he want to? A kid. Shit. He watches and nods as the Oswald girl waves goodbye, stopping at the house quickly before jumping in her car and heading home. What if what happened to Oswald's daughter ever happened to his? He'd watched the man last night and saw how protective he was of his daughter. Fuck this, he was not worrying about a kid he didn't even have. Putting those thoughts out of his head, Hap starts up the generator for the air compressor and continues on with his work.
Audrey rolls her eyes at herself for that crazy assed conversation. Sometimes she wished that she kept her feelings to herself a bit longer than she did, especially in this situation where her feelings waffle back and forth. Oh well, too late now. And she really wasn't worried, Hap never held her honesty against her. She kind of loves that about him, she thinks a smile coming to her face as she lay the sleeping boy in the pack n play Jax dropped off with Abel this morning.
Audrey is still standing there watching Abel sleep when she hears the knock at the front door. As she gets closer she calls out, "What did you forget, Tristan?" Turning the knob she felt, too late, that she'd made a mistake.
Juice can't believe this is happening. His heart is pounding as he leans over and drops his gun. He watches as Weston holds his 9mm to Audrey's head, his other hand around her neck. "Sit down!" Weston yells at Juice pointing to the chair his accomplice retrieved from the dining room. The third man comes in the front door and nods a Weston. Weston sneers and orders the man to secure Juice. Pulling a roll of duct tape from his pack, the masked man wraps Juices ankles to the chair legs, his wrists behind his back, and around his torso to the back of the chair. Juice is powerless to fight with the barrel of Weston's gun against Audrey's temple.
For her part, Audrey fights the feel of his hands on her body until the other man points his gun into the crib. She feels Weston's hot breath against her neck as he presses his body fully against hers. "If you play nice with me, I'll let the kid live. Either way, I'll have you." He runs his hands under her shirt, squeezing her breast hard. "So what's it gonna be? Someone will be punished for fucking up my plans, I'll guarantee that. I can force you or you can give yourself to me and I'll spare your baby a bullet in the brain."
Audrey can't respond verbally; she looks over at Abel and gives a slight nod without looking at the man in front of her.
"Good, now take off your clothes, I want to watch you participate. I'm not gonna take you, you're going to give yourself to me-the way it should have been." Weston spits out the last part, stepping back to get a better view.
Audrey eyes the baby; the second man still has a gun pointed at Abel so she does as she's told, her mind trying to come up with a way out of this situation. She fights back tears and tries not to think about what is coming next. Where is Happy? She can still hear the generator outside, maybe he doesn't know they are in trouble. Come on Hap, come to the house.
Taking in her naked form, Weston runs his hands down her body. Turning her around so her back it to him, he presses her against the wall while gliding his hands over her back and legs almost reverently. His gently turns her around to face him again, looking her up and down. "Look at this beautiful pristine skin; creamy white and no ink. Who'd have thought it? Look at you, so pure. To bad you are wasting yourself on someone who doesn't deserve it. I bet he likes all this unblemished skin for the same reasons I do. Why do you let him violate you?"
"He'll kill you!" She yells at him, the anger clear in her voice.
Weston laughs. "Darlin', he won't be killing anyone ever again. Your man is lying face down in the dirt out back."
The generator sputtered to a halt, having run out of gas, bringing an almost eerie silence to the yard. It was only a moment before it was broken by the deep bark of a dog. Happy opened his eye, the one that wasn't still against the ground, and became aware of the searing pain in his chest. His head pounded. He just wished the dog would shut the fuck up.
Audrey's heart pounds in her chest and she fights against the roaring of blood in her ears to stay conscious at his declaration. Since this nightmare started she was sure Happy would break down the door any minute and come running to their rescue. Weston's hands suddenly become hard against her body, roughly squeezing her delicate skin and shoving her so she has to widen her stance to avoid falling. He thrusts a knee between her open legs pressing her back against the wall as he reaches for his zipper. Audrey struggles against the violation, until Weston again reminds her why she wasn't fighting him in the first place. "Lace your fingers behind your head and leave them there. She does as she is told and looks up to see Juice struggling against his bonds. She shakes her head at him. She feels a rough hand fumbling between her legs. He was pissed that she was dry, and he slapped her for it. "You are not cooperating. Do you want me to kill your kid? Do you? Do you care more about yourself than your child?"
Her eyes burned with unshed tears. Audrey didn't know what to do; she couldn't make her body respond, but Weston was past rational thought. She should have known the minute he remove his mask. The other two kept their identities hidden, but Weston wanted to put his mouth on her. He bit hard on her neck then her nipple, all the while mumbling about her giving him back what was his. His free hand was assaulting her pussy, making her raw; bruising her sensitive flesh in his attempt to get her to respond sexually to his invasion.
With a sound of frustration, Weston let go of Audrey and placed his hand on his own hardened cock. Ready or not, the cunt would be his. He would break her. He didn't need to anymore, not after killing the Son; he wanted it. He wanted to stick it to the uptight bitch who couldn't get away from him fast enough. Once again, he stepped closer to Audrey their bodies touching. With his hand still guiding his cock, he rubbed it against her, trying to find her entrance. Fumbling around, he didn't hear the sound from the front entry.
"Back away from her you piece of shit." Gemma calls out holding the gun on Weston.
Weston, with one hand still on his dick, relies on his men to get the upper hand on this situation. Maybe now he'd get his revenge on the woman who caused all his problems. "Why Mrs. Morrow. How lovely to see you again. Why don't you put that gun down or my friend here will kill this sweet little boy."
In the time Gemma had enter the house, the masked man by the crib had lifted his gun from Abel's direction, to point his weapon at Gemma. Keeping her gun pointed at Weston, her eyes shift between the three intruders as she considers how to react. Seeing movement in the back hall, she redoubles her resolve to take out Weston. "Step away from her, Weston, or I'll shoot you where you stand."
Seeing the resolve in her eyes, Weston is not ready to give in, but he does raise his hands and step to the side. She looks slightly to the right and sees Happy with his gun drawn, pointing at the man looming over Abel. She sees that Juice has noticed Happy's presence as well and waits for Juice to look at her so he can take her lead. She nods slightly, giving the go ahead.
The room erupts in chaos and gunfire. Juice tips over his chair into the man holding the gun on him, effectively distracting the man. Hap fires first taking out Abel's captor then turning quickly to aim and fire at the third man. As soon as Gemma hears the first shot ring out, she pulls the trigger on her own gun and watches as Weston falls back against the wall. She can't take her eyes off the man, as he sightlessly slides to the floor, the hole in the middle of his forehead trickling a path of blood down his face.
"Hap!" Gemma hears Audrey call out, her voice breaking through the fog in her mind. She can't seem to put her gun down, her elbows locked and her grip tight waiting for-she doesn't know what. She just doesn't know. Weston was dead but she was waiting for him to come after her.
As soon as she saw Happy fall to the floor, Audrey raced to his side. Happy needed her, and she needed help. Screaming for Gemma, she finally got her attention. "Gemma, it's ok they're dead, please, Happy needs help. You need to cut Juice loose so he can help." Looking up from where her hand is pressing on the bleeding hole in his back, she sees the other woman start to respond and calls out "There're towels in the pantry Gemma, I need to keep pressure on his wounds! I need you to move."
At Audrey's words, Gemma came back to the present and raced to the kitchen. Gemma searches for the towels and finds a serrated knife to cut Juice's bonds. Once his wrists are free she hands him the knife so he can cut the rest off while she brings the towels to Audrey before going to pick up her screaming grandson. Audrey takes the towel being handed to her and presses that against the wound. He's no longer conscious but is still breathing.
Juice runs over to help. "He's shot in the upper left quadrant of his back, his right arm and some there's blood on his head as well, but the critical wound is to his back."
"Is he breathing?"
"Yeah. Juice, help me turn him over. We need to see if there's an exit wound."
Juice carefully rolls Happy on his right side and looks at his chest. "Yeah there's an exit wound." He says as he grabs another towel and holds it against Hap's chest.
Audrey takes command of the situation. "Juice, hold the towel in place, then lay him down on his back. We can apply pressure to his front by hand and the floor will act like a pressure dressing on his back. We need to get him off his wounded arm. Did anybody call an ambulance?"
Juice gets up to make the call when they hear sirens approaching the house. Juice calls Charming PD to let them know that the danger is over and to send in the medics. He then goes upstairs and grabs Audrey's robe from her bedroom. There was no need for anyone else to see her naked. He races back into the living room, and places the robe over Audrey's bare shoulders. She looks up at him, her brow furrowed. It took hr a moment to realize she was still exposed. Juice, his eyes cast downward takes her place holding the pressure to Haps wounds as she slides her arms into the robe and ties it tightly around her.
It seemed like hours but it was only minutes when the PD comes through the front door, guns drawn. Sure that the scene is clear, they motion for the medics to come in. They quickly take over Happy's care. Seeing the amount of blood loss, they do a quick scoop and load; they need to get him to the hospital before he bleeds out. Audrey tells them she's going with them. Chief Unser tries to stop her, saying they need her statement before she can leave. Gemma intervenes. "For Christ sake, Wayne, she's his old lady, she needs to be with him. Juice and I can tell you what happened and she can give her statement later."
With a nod from the Chief, the medics load Happy into the bus and lead Audrey to the passenger seat for the ride to the Hospital. As they pull into the emergency entrance of St Thomas, the medics quickly unload the stretcher and race into the ER.
As Audrey follows she is stopped at the door to the treatment room. She fights against the nurse to gain access until she feels arms come around her shoulder and Tara's gentle voice in her ear. "Audrey come sit down; the Doctors need to work. I'll go inside and find out how he is, ok?"
No, she thought as she sank to the hard plastic chair, nothing is ok.