I hope you guys enjoy this! And thank you so much for sticking with it.
Season 5
Sovereign
"You ready for this?" Alex asked, walking up behind the man standing in his bathroom.
Opie looked up into the mirror, his face tense and bordering on angry.
"No." he answered honestly, putting the rest of his rings on.
Alex walked in behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek between his shoulders as she hugged him. Opie's head was down as he looked at the small hand clasping her wrist to make sure she held him.
"How's your arm?" he asked, seemingly out of nowhere.
"It's fine." Alex sighed, sensing the need to change their conversation and obliged him. She released the man and moved beside him, leaning against the vanity with her back to the mirror. "Still kind of sore, but the shoulder's fine."
He nodded absently. She could tell something else was bothering him, but didn't know what.
"Opie," She said softly. When he didn't look, she reached over and grabbed his jacket, pulling enough to make him look at her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He replied unconvincingly.
Alex cocked a brow to the man, a sarcastic smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"Really? Cause I've known you since the Huggies days, and I can tell when you're lying."
"Oh yeah?" he asked, mimicking her expression as he squared himself on her. "How's that?"
"There's a distinct scent of bullshit in the air."
Opie laughed lightly while Alex smiled proudly. Still wearing her wide toothed smile, Alex wrapped her arms playfully around Opie's waist again and craned her neck to look him in the eyes.
"It's okay Ope." She told him solemnly, the smile fading and seriousness taking over again. "You have your kids who are healthy, smart and surprisingly well adjusted and you have your shit straight." She teased. "And, most importantly, you have me here to whoop your ass into shape."
He cocked a brow to her, sure to force her to notice the foot difference in their heights. It didn't bother her in the least or intimidate.
"Now," Alex declared taking a step back from the man and out of his arms. "Hop to Sparky."
"Sparky?"
"No?" she asked, Opie shaking his head at the nickname. "Okay. Well let's go Skippy."
His face fell.
"Let's get to steppin' Chief." She said, continuing on with the horrible nicknames, no end in sight.
"Stop."
"Slick."
"Knock it off."
"Sport."
Growling under his breath, Opie retaliated, just to make it end. He bent down and suddenly swung Alex up onto his shoulder. She shrieked from the action and gripped his leather as tightly as she could.
Opie trudged into the bedroom with no regard to the woman struggling to get out of his grasp. With one swift movement, Opie flung the young woman onto his bed. Alex bounced briefly before settling, seeing the man smiling arrogantly down at her.
"Think that's funny?"
"Told you to cut it out." He shrugged indifferently.
Alex openly rolled her eyes and stuck out her arm. Opie gripped her wrist gently, helping her up. Instead of stepping off, Alex stood on the bed; towering over the young man by the same margin he did her on a regular basis. She took the marginal half step forward and let her arms fall onto his shoulders.
"Idiot." She told him endearingly.
"Ass." He replied with the same tone.
Alex smiled and bent down to kiss him. Opie returned the affection as sweetly as he received it before they broke apart. When she looked back down at the man, their lighthearted teasing and mild fun disappeared again. Seriousness touched their faces again. Alex's hand came forward and touched his cheek.
"Come on." She said softly. "We need to get going."
Opie reluctantly nodded and with a final peck helped Alex down and moved into the living room to get the rest of their things together.
~~~!~~~
Jax approached the two standing by the newly turned Earth. Alex was holding Opie's hand tightly in both of hers, unable to look up from the small wooden box that had once been her six foot five father figure. It hurt knowing that was all he was reduced to in the end. Opie held her hand just as tightly as he could; sure at some point her fingers were going numb from lack of blood flow.
"Hey,"
The new voice forced the young woman's eyes from Piney's little box. Jax was looking sadly from her to Opie and back again, the others in the background.
"I'm glad you decided to do this."
The tall man didn't bother meeting his friend's eyes for very long before they fell back to the small dark wood box.
"It's not for me." Opie said heavily. "It's for my kids."
Jax nodded uncomfortably, looking to the young woman pressing to Opie's side.
"Hey Alex."
"Hey Jackie." Her voice cracked when she forced a smile. "How you been?"
"Good."
They were forcing conversation. Opie had all but stopped speaking to Jax for the most part, unable to come to terms with the man saving a person like Clay. He was angry and Jax didn't press it. Almost the same could be said for Alex. She and Jax had spoken a few times, probably once every few days, but she was having trouble dealing with Piney's death too, especially when it was at the hands of Clay.
Clay, John and Piney had all helped raise her for obvious reasons. Mary and Gemma would more or less take turns 'saving' Alex, so their ol' men would be there too, even more so given she was the only girl born to one of the Original Nine. She was the only baby girl period and they treated her like that.
Alex barely remembered John anymore, Piney more taking over as her father figure after her own died, the elder Teller man and Clay was just kind of there like the rest of the guys. Out of all of her 'father figures' Piney was the one that gave a damn and had secretly wanted a little girl. So he treated Alex like his princess and she loved him for it.
Jax understood her side too. Jax had stepped between her and Opie's revenge. He got it, he really did, but their friendships seemed to suffer for it. Knowing how Opie was about things even remotely similar to this and Lyla's leaving too, Jax would rather Alex be with him. Ope needed someone he could rely on, fearing there wasn't a man in SAMCRO he could trust anymore. Again, Jax reluctantly understood.
"This is good for everyone man." Jax finally said. "Let's them say goodbye."
"And let's us bury the lie." Opie growled. "Piney Winston, killed by the Mexican Cartel."
"The truth will come out man." Jax told him sternly. "It just can't be now. Too many people will get hurt. I'm sorry you see that as a betrayal."
"The only betrayal is Clay not being the one going into the ground."
"Opie," Alex reprimanded softly, hearing his agitation grow.
He glanced to her and took a breath to calm himself before his eyes fell back to his brother.
"Yeah." Jax breathed. "Look, I know you can't sit at the table with him and I was wrong to ask. I love you Ope. I want you in SAMCRO but whatever you decide, I'll back you. I hope you know that."
Opie looked painfully down at his friend.
"What I know," he began in a shaky voice, rife with pain and anger. "Is that the gavel turns shit around."
"I'm not going to turn into Clay."
"I'm more afraid I'm going to turn into you." Opie replied with derision.
Jax's eyes were glassy and Alex knew how much it had to hurt to hear Opie speak to him like that.
"Opie, stop it." Alex hissed weakly under her breath.
He twitched slightly and looked back to the grave plot. Alex shook her head and pulled out her hand, taking Jax's and pulling him to the side to speak to him.
"He doesn't mean it Jackie," she said softly. "You know that."
"No," he shook his head. "I don't know if I do anymore."
Her brows pulled together tightly. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the man. Jax breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her back as tightly as she did him. Alex's eyes burned as she buried her face into the nape of his neck and his cut.
"He's lost Jax." She whispered. "He doesn't know what's up anymore. That's all."
She felt Jax nod before they slowly pulled away.
"He wants blood, I get it, and if I could give him Clay, I would."
"The man's poison." She sighed breathlessly, pleading with him to understand. "He kills everything he touches."
"I know." Jax nodded. He leaned forward, cradling the back of her head gently as he kissed her forehead. "I know."
"Then why, Jackie, why the hell would you keep something like that around?"
He looked painfully into her eyes and could see the desperate need to understand staring back at him. She wanted to know, honestly. She had to. Alex wanted to know why her family was ripped apart and the one thing that would mend more than half that gap was still walking around under the protection of someone else he helped destroy.
Jax wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell his friend, his sister, why he had no choice in the matter, but he couldn't. Forgetting the fact the story was incredible and unbelievable, the whole Club would get sent away if he did. The risk outweighed the benefit. So for now he'd let her hate him, he'd let Opie hate him. It was what he had to do to protect them in the end.
"I'm sorry." Was all he said before turning and walking back to the crew.
Alex stood for a moment, trying to understand why as Jax spoke to the others. Reluctantly and no clearer than before, Alex returned to Opie's side. He glanced down at her with the same angry sadness that had marred his face for weeks. Slowly, he took her hand in his and held onto it as the guys came forward to pay their respects.
All the while, Opie and Alex remained silent. Neither of them could speak nor did they want to. There wasn't anything to say.
They remained behind for nearly an hour before everyone dispersed. Opie and Alex lingered as they filled in the hole with Piney's box. Later, Opie planned to bring Elle and Kenny by. He didn't want them here for the burial, not sure he could explain why their grandfather was in a small shoe box.
As the pair rode along the streets in Alex's car towards home, no one spoke. The air was thick with tension and an odd hint of sadness. The cloud seemed to constantly surround Opie and infect everyone else he came near. He held so tightly to things there was no other way he could be. Finally the silence and thickness became too much for Alex to take.
"You hungry?"
Opie shook his head.
"You thirsty?"
He shook his head again.
"You alive?"
Opie scoffed a laugh, but didn't speak. Alex found herself rolling her eyes.
"He does love you, you know."
This time the man looked to the young woman driving down his street. Alex could feel his eyes on her and knew his 'look' wasn't amused.
"He does." She reiterated, feeling the need to tell him so. "Even if you don't believe it, Jax does give a damn about you."
"Funny way of showing it."
"Opie," Alex sighed softly.
But that was where it ended. Alex wanted to give him a reason why Jax loved him, why they were still brothers and friends, but she couldn't think of any. To be honest, Jax hadn't given either of them much of a reason to think anything other than what they already did.
Finally Alex pulled her car into Opie's driveway. The man unfastened his seatbelt but noticed Alex hadn't moved.
"You coming in?"
"No." she shook her head. "I told Tara I'd take her to lunch today. She has to train her replacement so I thought it might be nice to get her out of there for an hour."
"Later then?"
"Yeah." She smiled. "Are you bringing the kids or what?"
"No. They're spending the weekend with Mary."
"Okay. You going to stay out of trouble?" she teased lightly.
"Yeah, I've still got some work to do round the house."
"Okay. Well, see you later then."
Opie nodded and leaned forward, kissing her sweetly before parting.
"Love you."
"I love you too Ope." She smiled.
With a parting smile, no matter how weak, Opie closed her door and went inside to wait for the kids to come home from school. He planned to take them to the cemetery if they wanted to say goodbye to their grandpa and then to Mary's for the weekend.
Backing out of the driveway, Alex made her way to Saint Thomas to pick up Tara and take her wherever she wanted to go to eat. Wanting nothing more than to be around someone who didn't seem to be as affected by everything as her or Opie were.
~~!~~
Alex was waiting in Tara's office for the doctor to get back from her training session. She'd been there for about ten minutes before the door opened and Tara walked in with a heavy smile.
"Hey." She greeted, walking to her desk with an arm full of papers.
"Hey. How's your day been so far?"
Tara sighed irritated, setting down the things in her grip before grabbing her purse.
"That bad huh?" Alex smiled crookedly.
"I just need to get out of here."
"Well come on then Doc. Let's get some food."
With the strongest smile Tara could muster, the two of them left.
Alex drove them to the diner in town, a small family owned restaurant that nearly everyone in Charming went to at least once a month, including SAMCRO. They received a few sideways glances when they walked through the door and went to a booth, but neither paid it much attention. When you're a well known affiliate of an outlaw MC, you get looked at.
"So, do you like your replacement?" Alex asked after they ordered, trying to make the question sound less insulting than she knew it would. It barely worked, but Tara knew there wasn't malice in her words.
"He's fine, I guess." She sighed, stirring the sugar into her coffee. "But how much are you supposed to like the guy taking your job?"
"I can break his wrist if you want?"
Tara laughed, shaking her head a bit at the thought.
"Thanks for that, but no. Might be a little suspicious don't you think?"
"Meh." Alex shrugged with a grin. "What are they putting you on in the meantime?"
"Light work. Consultations mostly, things without much 'heavy lifting'. It's driving me nuts and I haven't even started it yet." She replied causing Alex to smile to herself. Slowly Tara's eyes met the other young woman's and her expression turned sadder. "Sorry I couldn't be there for Piney's funeral."
Alex shrugged and waved her hand dismissively at the thought.
"Don't worry about it. There wasn't a ceremony or anything really, just the guys getting to say their last words and stuff before they buried him." She said, trying to keep her voice from wavering at the thought.
"I thought Jax said he was cremated."
"He was. Piney already had the plot and Ope wanted to use it. Honestly, I think he did it so the kids would have somewhere to go, ya know?"
Tara nodded slowly while Alex took a sip of her iced tea. She wanted to ask the woman something, but wasn't sure if it was her place or just stupid.
"How is he?" she finally asked, knowing immediately it was a dumb question but wanting to know.
"I don't know." Alex shrugged. She propped her elbow on the table top and rested her head in her palm as she looked to Tara. "I can't tell if he's pissed and sad or just plain pissed."
"He's still mad at Jax?"
Alex shrugged again.
"Maybe. I don't know. I think he's angrier about the situation than just at Jax. He doesn't understand what's going on and it's not getting any clearer so… Opie doesn't really know how to deal with it."
Tara felt her brows come together sadly. She knew the reason Jax wasn't saying anything about keeping Clay alive, and why they needed the bastard, but she couldn't tell Alex. As much as she wanted the two of them to know what was going on, she couldn't say a word.
"I'm sorry." She found herself saying.
"Not your fault." Alex sighed. "He's doing okay though, as well as can be expected."
The young woman nodded absently, taking another sip of her coffee. There was something else praying on her mind, but this she had the gall to ask without hesitation. In fact, it made her smile slyly to herself every time she thought about it.
"So, I heard you and Opie have been spending a lot of time together lately."
Alex looked to Tara and cocked a brow at the smirk on the young doctor's face.
"Meaning?"
"Nothing." Tara shrugged innocently though the smile remained. "Just that you guys have spent almost every day together the passed few weeks."
A blush crept into Alex's cheeks whether she knew it or not as her own lips slowly began to pull into a smile. At the sight of it, Tara's smirk became a full blown grin, proudly beaming at the young woman across from her. Alex buried her face in her hands and groaned.
"Oh my god." She sighed into her palm, feeling Tara's wide-toothed grin.
"So it's true, hm?" she teased. When Alex didn't answer Tara giggled. "About god damn time. How long have the two of you been 'together' then?"
"We're not 'together' Knowles." Alex snapped halfheartedly, mocking the doctor's air quotes. "I don't know what the hell we are."
"Yeah well, good. It only took the better part of twenty years."
"Shut up." Alex squeaked causing Tara to laugh again. The blush in her cheeks began to burn a bit so Alex knew she was red without having to look.
"Awe. Did I embarrass you Walker?" Tara continued to taunt. "I didn't even think that was possible."
"I'm going to punch you in the throat if you don't stop." Alex threatened under her breath.
"Fine." Tara sighed despite the wide smile. Alex nodded as though trying to solidify their agreement, but Tara couldn't leave it at that. She had one parting question/jab for the young woman. "So…" she smiled causing Alex to glower. "How was it?"
Alex buried her face in both palms while Tara fought the urge to laugh louder at her friend's expense. Alex groaned her embarrassment again before daringly looking back to her friend. When her hands dropped, Tara could see the wide smile on Alex's face and the brilliant red of her cheeks.
"Good." Alex answered before she could stop herself, a laugh playing at her words. "It's really good."
The two young women laughed happily and hushed in their corner to keep the looks at bay, but it was difficult. Tara almost couldn't wait to go home and tell Jax about Alex and Opie, something damn near everyone thought was overdue and judging by the way Alex was reacting, it wasn't over either.
Not too long after their food arrived, giving Alex the much needed break from Tara's questions and teasing. They enjoyed their short lunch before Alex had to take the reluctant doctor back to work and head home herself.
