Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy. I do, however, own Marlowe and any other OCs that appear in the 2 Sons Universe.
Friday, July 23, 2010
"I think I may be your father."
For a moment Marlowe couldn't think. She couldn't even breathe as Kozik's declaration bounced around her brain. It was one thing to realize just how great the chances were of crossing paths with one of her mother's many dalliances. It was an entirely different matter to accept the possibility of one of them being her sperm donor, but it was a mind fuck of epic proportions if that man turned out to be someone close to her brother Happy, not to mention someone she considered a good friend.
"Are you sure?" Marlowe finally asked.
"Not really," Kozik replied with a shake of his head. "But the dates seem to match up. I first met Shannon in 1978. We were together for about two years before shit went south for us. We split up sometime at the end of 1980, beginning of '81."
Just keep asking him questions, Marlowe thought a little wildly. Give your mind a chance to settle and come to grips with this.
"So how did you meet?" Marlowe watched as Kozik picked up one of the photos on his lap and briefly looked at it before handing it to her. Taking picture, she noted Shannon and Kozik sitting at a cozy table for two in what appeared to be a pretty flashy bar.
"I picked her up at a local watering hole that catered to the military personnel in the area. Your mom and I hit it off pretty quickly."
"So she worked at the bar?" Marlowe guessed and was surprised when Kozik shook his head.
"No, but she was a regular. She partied there practically every night, in spite of holding down a day job at some law firm. I think she worked in the secretarial pool, if I remember correctly." Kozik watched as Marlowe's eyebrows shot up into her hairline in surprise.
"You've got to be kidding me. Shannon? A legit secretary?" she asked, her disbelief clearly evident. "And here I thought she had been born hugging a stripper pole."
"Huh?" Kozik cocked his head inquiringly. "Shannon was a stripper?" Somehow, he had hoped that Amelia had been wrong about that.
Shit, that fall from grace is probably my fault too, Kozik thought grimly.
"Not just a stripper. She was a headliner for years at some joint—Nasty Boots, I think—in Bakersfield. Even made some 'guest appearances' at some top-shelf clubs in Reno and Las Vegas. As far as I knew, stripping was the only job she ever held steady. Can't really picture Cinnamon Swallows as an office grunt," Marlowe laughed ironically. "Sometimes, she'd take me to work with her, even though it wasn't exactly the kind of 'Take Your Daughter to Work Day' experience I ever wanted to share at school."
Kozik found himself at a loss of what to say. The last thing he wanted to do right now was focus on the fact that the young girl he may have fathered had grown up in a dirty strip joint. Instead, he tuned in to what Marlowe was saying once again.
"So you never knew she had a kid after being with you?" Marlowe asked cautiously. "Or did you?"
"Nah, Marley, I swear," he replied adamantly as he shook his head. "If I had known she was knocked up and that chances were the baby was mine, I never would have split. Truth is, by the time we called it quits, I was already out of the Marines and had taken some time away while I pulled my shit together. Our relationship was never the same after I sobered up. Then Tig invited me up to Charming for a visit and I ended up prospecting with SAMCRO. I lost contact with Shannon after that and never saw her again."
Kozik took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He realized that it was time to just stop fucking around and tell Marlowe the whole truth.
"You remember me telling you how my addiction ended my career with the Marines, right?" Kozik asked.
Marlowe nodded. "Yeah, you said it got pretty bad for you and that you were lucky to end up with a medical discharge."
"Yeah, well, what I didn't tell you was that mine's wasn't the only life I fucked up with heroin," he said quietly. "I dragged Shannon down with me too." As Marlowe's delicate features twitched in confusion, Kozik decided to bite the bullet.
Anxious to get it all out before the young woman had a chance to open her mouth and cut him off at the knees, Kozik launched into the details of his drug-fueled life with Shannon Guthrie. The constant partying and good times eventually gave way to too many failed piss tests and reprimands in his jacket for showing up for duty "impaired." His commanding officer tried getting him the help he needed to straighten out, but he eventually ended up burning that bridge as well and was booted out of the Marines. No job meant no money coming in and soon he and Shannon hit rock bottom when a moment of clarity sent him running to rehab.
"I knew that it was either get clean or die," Kozik explained. "With my brother Lew's help, I managed it and I tried to right the wrong I did by getting her to clean up too, but Shannon wanted no part of it. She swore she was fine and the only way her life could get any better was if I left. She kicked me out and wanted nothing to do with me. After weeks of trying, I gave up. I left and never looked back. I loved her, Marley. I really did," he swore sincerely. "It broke me to leave, but it would've killed me to stay. I was newly-recovered and I couldn't afford to relapse."
Marlowe nodded with understanding and was about to speak up when Kozik suddenly continued in a heated rush. "Part of the reason I hesitated telling you about knowing Shannon was because I didn't want you to hate me, even though you have every right to. I was the one that introduced your mother to H. It's my fault that she gave you such a shitty life and that Hap and his family ended up raising you, and it's my fault that she died a junky."
"Who told you she died a junky?" Marlowe asked curiously, which confused Kozik because she seemed neither angry nor upset by his confession.
"I tracked down her obituary using the Internet," Kozik replied. "I mean, it didn't go into any detail and didn't mention that she had a daughter, but I do know she was 45 when she passed." He sighed. "How can I not be responsible for that too? I'm so sorry, Marley. I really am."
For a while the two of them sat quietly together as Marlowe processed everything she had learned about her mother and Kozik wondering how she should respond. Looking into his pain-filled eyes as she took his fervent apology to heart, she knew what she had to do. Pulling her hands free from Kozik's grasp, Marlowe smiled softly and reached up as to caress his cheek—
And then slapped him upside his head!
"Ow!" Kozik yelped as he looked into the snark-filled eyes of the young woman sitting across from him. "Damn it! What the fuck, Doc?!" he howled.
"Just be glad it was only a slap, idiot. I've been taught by the best, you know, and I'm not talking about the U.S. government either," Marlowe retorted as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"I know I probably deserved that shit," Kozik started somewhat disgruntled, "but you wanna tell me why you just bitch slapped the taste outta my mouth?"
"Maybe because I wanted to make sure that pea brain of yours is still rattling around your otherwise empty dome," she retorted. "Or maybe I should've just dangled your ass out the window using your bad leg for being so damn stupid."
Kozik opened his mouth to make a case against being labeled stupid when he suddenly snapped it shut. Nodding vehemently, he agreed. "You're right, I am stupid. I may be sober now, but I was fuckin' stupid and selfish for getting Shannon involved in my mess. You know what? I'm more than just fuckin' stupid, I'm a—"
"Zip it, asshole," Marlowe demanded, promptly shutting Kozik down. "If Shannon had ever been addicted to heroin, she must have cleaned up by the time I was born. As far as I know, I was a full-term and healthy baby. A drug overdose didn't kill Shannon," she said quietly as he stared at her with wide eyes. "After I moved in with Amelia, she started drinking heavily, got all bloated and started gaining weight. She lost her regular gig at the strip club and soon consuming alcohol became her full-time job. Shannon died waiting for a liver transplant that was never going to come because she was a fuckin' alcoholic. Cirrhosis of the liver killed her, not heroin."
"What?" he said blankly. "Are you sure?"
Marlowe rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm sure. Like it or not, I was Shannon's only next of kin, so I think I know what killed my mother, Kozy," she assured him. "She died just as I was on my way back stateside from my second tour for some additional training. I took a brief leave to have her cremated and to wrap up her estate."
"I'm sorry," Kozik said softly. "That must have been difficult."
"Not really," Marlowe said, shrugging it off. "Amelia and Ceci packed up all of her shit and stored it away for me. Shannon had sold off anything of value years before, so all that was left was a mountain of debt she left behind, including six months of back rent on the house my grandmother left me in her will, but which Shannon managed to sell anyway without my knowledge."
"That's a pretty shitty thing to do to your own kid," Kozik said with disgust.
"And yet, not the worst of the shitty shit Shannon was responsible for," Marlowe said bitterly, suddenly blinking rapidly to keep her threatening tears at bay.
Kozik reached out and grabbed her hand. "Anything you wanna share, Doc? It might make you feel better."
The genuine concern and sincerity in his voice clutched at Marlowe's heart. Still, she shook her head "no" as she used the back of her free hand to wipe away an errant tear. "It doesn't matter anymore," she said quietly. "It's all dead history."
"It's probably shit I should have been there to handle," Kozik realized sadly. "I'm so sorry I wasn't."
"Hey, first off, you might be the baby daddy," Marlowe smiled. "We don't know for sure. And even if you are, you didn't know about me and that's not on you. That's on Shannon. Besides, I had the Tacoma Killah watching out for me."
"Thank God for that," Kozik muttered. "At least I had my brother doing right by you."
Marlowe squeezed his hand. "Koz, I don't blame you or anyone for the shitty parent Shannon was. I can't even bring myself to blame her sometimes. She was very naïve and child-like in a lot of ways. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Let's just leave it at that for now, okay?"
Kozik nodded. "So what now, Doc? Where do we go from here?"
"I don't know about you," Marlowe started, "but my head's kinda of a mess and I need time to sort shit out first. For now, at least, I think its best if we just keep this between us."
"I don't know, Marley," Kozik shook his head. In spite of the situation between him and Marlowe being personal in nature, he still felt an obligation to share the newfound knowledge of her possible paternity with his brothers. "At the very least, I think Hap needs to know the truth. Jax too."
"Hey, tell Happy at your own risk," Marlowe deadpanned, "because the chances of you ever using your leg again are highly unlikely if you do."
"I get that," Kozik conceded, "but I think he has a right to know something like this, especially when it concerns you. I know he loves ya, Doc. He sucks at showing it, but he does and he's the closest you've had to a father. He may end up actually kicking my ass, but I gotta believe he'll be there to support you through this."
"I know he would. In his own demented little way, I know I can always count on Hap," Marlowe acknowledged, "but let's sort some things out between you and me before we go and blow up a bridge we haven't crossed yet, okay?"
"What about Jax?"
"What about him? I don't see how any of this would concern him," Marlowe said blithely and narrowed her eyes as Kozik burst out laughing.
"C'mon, Doc. I know you don't think Jax is only kicking it with you for shits and giggles, do ya?" he replied with a huge grin.
Marlowe's lips twisted into a grimace not unlike her brother's. "Oh, so you and Butthead have been talking shit, huh, Beavis?"
"I ain't gonna contribute to my own ass-kicking by confirming that statement," Kozik began as Marlowe continued to glare at him. "But as my first possible fatherly duty, I think I need to tell you that it's ALL OVER the SAMCRO wire that you and Jax are bumping uglies."
Marlowe's cheeks flushed a bright pink as she ran her hands through her hair, giving it a vicious tug. "You know, killing you now before taking a DNA test means I may never know the truth, but at least I won't have to tell anyone shit. End of story," she teased.
"DNA test?" he queried with a raised eyebrow. "You really want to go there?"
Marlowe took a deep breath and let it out shakily. "Don't you? I mean, it's the only way to know for sure. Unless, that is, you don't want to know," she said hesitantly.
"Of course I wanna know, Doc," Kozik claimed strongly.
"Okay," Marlowe smiled at him weakly, "but until we know for sure, let's keep this All My Children-level drama just between us," she stated as she picked up the scattered photos from the bed and tucked them into her backpack.
Having watched her closely throughout their conversation, Kozik was keenly aware that Marlowe had run a gamut of emotions in a short period of time. She had gone from anger at discovering his connection to her mother to denial when the possibility that he was her father arose to acceptance as she decided on their next course of action. He knew that a career sailor and soldier like herself was used to being in control, but shit like this coming out of left field must be a shock to the system. He knew it had been for him. Probably an expert in surviving trying times himself, Kozik knew it was always better to deal with a blow like this with some back up.
"Listen, Marley," Kozik started softly, forcing Marlowe to look up from her backpack. "The one thing I've come to learn over the years is that it's okay to lean on the Club when shit gets tight. We call each other 'brother' 'cause that's what we are: family and it's a family you're already a part of. This is some heavy shit and I don't think you need to deal with it on your own."
Marlowe stood up and slung the backpack on her shoulder. "You forget, jarhead. I'm one of the Navy's toughest and I can handle my shit just fine," she said confidentially. "Taking this to Happy right now makes no sense. Let me do my research first and prepare for the shit storm I know is coming, okay?"
Not waiting for an answer, Marlowe started for the door. Stopping short, she turned and strode over to Kozik to press a gentle kiss on his forehead.
"You have no idea how glad I am I never let you into my pants," she quipped.
"I am too," Kozik laughed. "Would've made Father's Day really awkward."
Sinking back into his pillows, Kozik finally let go of a long sigh of relief as Marlowe made her way out the door.
It was a hell of a lot for both of them to take in at once, but at least now Kozik was feeling a measure of peace knowing that, in the end, he wasn't responsible for Shannon's death. More importantly, Marlowe didn't hold him responsible either. That knowledge didn't wipe away the things he had done, but it did make it a little easier to live with himself.
Although he knew he owed it to Marlowe to let her handle the situation anyway she saw fit, he couldn't agree with her assessment that it was better to keep it just between them. Going through some heavy family crisis on her own by keeping Happy and Jax out of the loop could definitely backfire on her. The last thing in the world Kozik wanted to be responsible for was another ten years of silence between Happy and his little sister. Besides, Marlowe talked a tough game, but he had seen some secret, undeniable pain in her eyes and she shouldn't deprive herself of the comfort and strength that his brothers could give her.
Knowing there would be hell to pay either way, Kozik reached into his drawer and pulled out his prepay. Hitting the speed dial, he waited for the call to connect.
"Hey, it's me. We need to talk."
Stepping into the hallway just outside Kozik's room, Marlowe stopped as the door closed behind her and exhaled. Using a shaky hand to tuck several wavy locks behind her ear, she looked up in time to see Benny the orderly and the young nurse she had kicked out of the room earlier at the other end of the hall. They appeared to be huddled and in deep conversation with an older woman she recognized as the head nurse in charge of the floor. As three pairs of eyes openly examined her cautiously, and feigning ignorance of the fact that they were probably talking about her, Marlowe threw her shoulders back, readjusted the backpack she carried and headed past the small group towards the elevator bank.
Grateful that no one saw fit to stop her, Marlowe pressed the elevator's call button. Glancing over her shoulder, she smirked with a shake of the head as she noticed the young nurse break away from the group and head to Kozik's room.
No doubt to make sure I left him in one piece, she thought to herself as she waited for a patient with a walker to slowly exit the elevator before entering. With so much to ponder and let sink in, she quickly nixed the idea of visiting with Amelia for a while. Instead, after acknowledging the elevator's only other passenger with a slight nod, Marlowe pressed the lobby button and waited for the doors to close.
It was early enough for her to head back to Charming and do another five-mile run to clear her head before it got dark. With any luck, SAMCRO would be safely ensconced in the Chapel for Church, giving her a chance to return to her dorm in order to shower after her jog.
The elevator doors opened and Marlowe found herself in the bright and airy lobby buzzing with life as several groups of patients returned from their afternoon of outdoor activities. Dodging a couple of wheelchairs and a man on crutches, she stepped outside into the dry July heat and with long strides headed for the parking lot. Tossing her backpack into the passenger seat of the Impala, Marlowe slipped in behind the wheel.
Slamming the door shut, she twice tried and failed to get the key into the ignition in order to start the car. Only when the key fob fell from her grip and onto the car floor did she realize that she was crying once again. Hating herself for feeling so weak and vulnerable, she violently banged her balled up fists against the dashboard before slumping forward as sobs tore unbidden from her chest.
With her forehead against the steering wheel, Marlowe let herself grieve for all that could have been and all that never would be.
Herman Kozik hated the fact that, even after more than a month spent recovering, he was still at the mercy of his injured leg. He was not accustomed to feeling helpless and out of control, which was exactly how he felt facing off against Happy Lowman and Jax Teller knowing he had nowhere to go.
Sitting upright in his hospital bed, it was all he could do not to tell them to go away. After all, he had been the one to call them to his bed side, but if he knew for a fact that his leg could get him far, he would have jumped out of bed and made a run for it if it meant getting away from the two pair of questioning eyes aimed in his direction. While the deep blue set were looking at him with a mixture of empathy and, not at all surprising to Kozik, a bit of happy anticipation, the other pair that were dark as pitch were blazing with anger also reflected by the deep grimace etched into the face of the Tacoma Killah. Kozik had no doubt that if looks could kill, Hap would be adding a smiley face to the impressive collection on his torso before the end of the day.
Making the judgment call to ignore Marlowe's request to keep their business just between the two of them for now had been a relatively easy one for him to make. Kozik hadn't, however, taken into consideration the life-threatening consequences he would face in making that decision, but he hadn't been thinking about himself. At the forefront of his mind was concern for the young woman he already cared for and who could very well be his own flesh-and-blood kid. Although it was no secret that Marlowe Guthrie was a tough bitch with ten years of military training and service under her belt, Kozik also recognized in her the propensity to internalize shit that made her uncomfortable, very much like her surrogate brother/father Happy.
Although her initial anger had nearly burned him with its righteousness, she had managed to cool herself down and regain her composure as no doubt she had learned to do under pressure in the Navy. At the same time, her mask of calm pragmatism had shown cracks and Kozik knew that, in spite of rolling with the punches, learning of his history with her mother and of the possibility that he was also her biological father had rocked her at her center of gravity. Marlowe wasn't a patch, but in every way that counted to Kozik as a former Marine, she was a "brother-in-arms" and to him that meant doing something when a "brother" was suffering through shit they may not even recognize in themselves.
You never leave one of your own hanging. Ever.
He had been lucky enough to catch the Pres and his SAA in the Chapel with the VP discussing the rotation schedule and the new planned route for the next trip to Vancouver. Getting Hap to drop handling Club business was never easy but he had hauled ass to Modesto once Kozik informed him that it was a family matter he was calling about. What had been a problem for Hap was Kozik's insistence that he bring Jax along for the ride as it involved him as well.
Barely twenty minutes later, Happy and Jax had hurriedly entered his room. Kozik quickly assured Hap that nothing was wrong with his mother—which Happy had already ruled out considering Kozik's desire to speak with Jax. Only slightly relaxed by his brother's assurance that Amelia was fine, Happy's whole body seemed to be humming with tension as Kozik braced himself for the Herculean task he had set up for himself by calling them over.
Jax was the first to question urgently if something was up with Marlowe. Kozik had nodded briefly and watched as a deep look of concern etched itself across Jax's already tight features, as well as the grim expression on Happy's face as he took note of the SAMCRO Pres' reaction.
As the two powerful men continued to stare him down as they waited for him to elaborate, Kozik reached for a glass of water to soothe his suddenly dry throat. Inwardly ordering himself to man up and stop acting like a little bitch, Kozik started calmly by asking them both to put the brakes on interrogating his ass until he got the situation in full off of his chest.
At this point, I guess all I can hope for is that there's enough of me left for that DNA test, he thought dismally.
During his recitation of the events of that morning, Kozik heartily wished that he had his Sig Sauer p238 at his bedside. If armed, he reasoned, he might actually have a chance of holding Hap off for a minute, maybe even two. However, he wasn't at all so sure about Jax.
After nearly ten minutes of straight talking, Kozik finally concluded with a heavy sigh as he ran a hand over his choppy hair. "I know this is a lot of shit to take in," he started, but was abruptly cut off.
"No fuckin' shit, Sherlock!" Happy growled as he took a step towards the bed.
"Whoa, Hap, you need to calm down for a sec," Jax said crisply. "I know you're upset and you have every right to be—"
"You're damn right I do," Happy growled as he turned to face Jax. "And right now I don't need you butting into this shit. THIS is about MY family," he said tersely. "Not yours."
Kozik could almost hear Jax's jaw click with tension. "That may be true, brother, but that doesn't mean you dictate who gets to care about Marley," he shot back, his blue eyes darkening in anger.
"Since when do you give a shit about the pussy you're tapping?" Happy spit out with a smirk.
"She's not pussy and you know me well enough to know the difference," Jax replied angrily. "The sooner you let yourself realize that, the less problems you and I will have going forward."
"I truly doubt that, Pres," Happy snarled.
It was becoming clear to Kozik that things were already tensed out to the max and in danger of getting out of control. He was royally pissed at himself for being at the center of tension among brothers. "Look, Hap, you take this shit out on me and tear me a new asshole whenever you want, but that's not why I asked you here now," Kozik said loudly as the two men continued glaring at each other standing eye to eye. "You need to put your shit with Jax aside and focus on Marlowe. I'm concerned about her."
"I've been concerned about her practically all her fuckin' life," Hap said never breaking eye contact with Jax. "So don't expect me to give a fuck because you're a day late and a dollar short."
"Yeah, you're absolutely right about that, but that's not the point. Bottom line, Marlowe needs both of you right now," Kozik stated. "I think she needs to talk shit out, but she swore me to secrecy. She's a lot like you Hap; not the most talkative bitch in the world. I think you need to talk to her, but maybe give her a day or two to sort through the noise in her head first."
"Fuck that," the SAA replied. "Me and Marlowe are talkin' this shit over tonight." He watched with narrowed eyes as his President shook his head slowly as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
Listening to Kozik's impassioned pleas, Jax knew that he needed to pull back and remain non-reactive, no matter how hard Happy tried to goad him. Emotions were running high with Kozik torn apart by guilt and Happy seething with rage and it was up to him, as the man in love with Marlowe, to provide some calm reasoning.
Hearing Kozik relate the circumstances of his relationship with Marlowe's mother and some details of her life as a child had tugged at his heartstrings, making it difficult for Jax to remain unaffected. For Marlowe's sake, however, it was important to keep Happy from going off the rails. It was clear that he was pissed off about the situation, as he had every right to be, but Jax figured that it was also likely that Hap was feeling some insecurity as to how this new development would affect his relationship with Marlowe. After all, the two had spent ten years not speaking to one another, having only recently reconciled.
But having first-hand knowledge of Marlowe's history with PTSD was pushing Jax's overprotective tendencies into full throttle and he wasn't about to let Happy have complete control of the situation. Even though Marlowe claimed that Happy was aware of their relationship and was just unwilling to acknowledge it, it was that relationship clearly developing into something much stronger and deeper than "friends with benefits" that propelled Jax to make it clear to his SAA that he had a right to express his views.
"Look, Hap, when it comes to Marlowe, no one's saying that you haven't been there for her. You're her family and I get that," Jax started heatedly, "but as the closest thing that Marlowe has to an old man, I'm asking you to chill the fuck out for a moment and think about what she must be going through."
The air was humming for a full ten seconds before the SAA exploded.
Getting into Jax's face, Happy growled, "You have no idea what it's been costing me to remember that I need to respect that patch on your kutte," he said, referring to Jax's "President" patch. "We both know you ain't her old man. Just because I ain't said shit about you and Marlowe hooking up don't mean I haven't heard the shit talk. It's all over the damn Clubhouse that she's your personal and paid for croweater—"
With that last barbed arrow hitting the bull's eye, shit spiraled out of control so fast that all Kozik could do was swear foully as Jax's heavily ringed fist slammed into Happy's face.
Tig was a horny son of a bitch and, as such, always on the look out for his next fuck. It was just the way he was wired, which was something many of his former old ladies refused to understand, much less tolerate. It didn't matter where he happened to be—gas stations, diners, titty bars—the curly-haired outlaw was always on the prowl for a new, but temporary home to rest his dick in.
Naturally, of course, the Wellness Facility was just another stomping ground for a biker in search of new pussy and had become a real side benefit to visiting Kozy several times a week.
It had been something of a surprise when word spread through the SAMCRO gossip mill to charters from San Bernardino to Tacoma, all the way to Salt Lake City and beyond that the two men had finally managed to mend the rift that had torn their friendship apart. Unable to be in the same room together without kicking each other's asses for the past nine years, Tig had tried blocking Kozik from patching into SAMCRO again not just once but twice. To Tig's way of thinking, Kozik had taken the pussy route by patching in while he did his time in Stockton, but with his former best friend and partner-in-crimes-against-nature back in the fold, Tig decided it was time to give the "dumbass blond" a pass.
Thanks to Kozik taking a seat at the near-empty Redwood table, Acting President Opie Winston had managed to keep SAMCRO alive and earning until the rest of the crew was released from prison. Since then, it almost seemed as if no time had passed as the two former Marines fell into an easy friendship, their mutual love for debauchery, riding, fighting and the dissemination of hot Club gossip bonding them once again. With Happy thrown in the mix, it seemed as if the Wolf Pack was back and everything was as it should be. As much as they busted each other's asses over the years, however, Tig couldn't remember ever being called on to break shit up between Hap, Kozy and Jax, even though he should have seen it coming.
Having grabbed a bite to eat at Hanna's after returning from his run to Oak-Town, Tig decided to swing by for a visit with a piece of the diner's homemade cherry pie Kozy had a hankering for. The outlaw had made a slight detour at the Nurses Station opposite Kozik's room as he spotted the cute little Latina nurse with an ass that rivaled J-Lo's. He had been steadily hitting on the petite brunette ever since Kozik had checked into the Center and she had been giving off vibes that it was time for him to close the deal.
The little bitch was making him work for it though and after about fifteen minutes of sexual innuendo masquerading as witty banter, the Latin beauty was about to slip him her digits when heatedly raised voices reached his ears.
Cocking her head to the side in alarm, the nurse put a hand on her hip as she stared in the direction of Kozik's room. "What in the world is going on in there?" she muttered as the sound of voices began to get louder in volume. "I already had to call for security earlier today. Mr. Kozik and his lady friend were having a pisser of an argument."
Filing that piece of info away to follow up on later, Tig gently grabbed the hand she was using to pick up the phone and guided it back to its cradle. "Don't sweat it, doll. I think I know that music. I'll take care of it for ya," he said. Picking up the paper bag holding Kozik's pie, Tig headed towards his brother's room. Drawing closer, he suddenly realized that whatever had been going on had escalated as he heard bodies being shoved into walls and furniture and the heavy thumps of what had to be fists landing on flesh.
"Fuckin' hell!" Tig muttered. Throwing open the door, the former SAA ducked inside just in time to see Happy's fist connect with Jax's right eye. "What the fuck!" he hollered. In his haste he dropped the pie on the floor as he rushed forward to keep the SAMCRO Pres and his SAA from killing each other. Finding himself thrown to the side and almost falling over a chair, Tig quickly righted himself as the two men were suddenly caught in a bear hug, first hitting one wall and then the bathroom door as one tried to get a better hold on the other while still raining down fists.
"Stop this shit, Tig!" Kozik yelled as he lay helplessly from his bed watching the two officers beating on each other.
Running towards the grappling pair, Tig stepped on the pie he had dropped, coming down hard on one knee. "Mother fuck!" Tig howled as his aching knee roared with pain. Ignoring it, he leapt to his feet once again and this time managed to wedge himself enough between the two in order to shove them apart. Slamming Jax against the wall with one extended arm, Tig used the other to keep Happy at arm's length.
"I knew I should have put some money down on this shit happening," he yelled at Kozik over his shoulder.
"It ain't even about that, Tiggy," Kozik shouted as Jax and Happy continued to hurl insults and threats at each other.
"Well, then what the fuck?!" Tig nearly whined as Happy managed to sneak a punch past him and clipped Jax on the side of the head. The former SAA had had enough. "STOP THIS SHIT RIGHT NOW BEFORE SOMEONE CALLS THE SHERIFF!"
As if suddenly aware of who and where they were, the common sense advice hollered in their faces finally penetrated the blind rage that had overtaken both men. Straightening himself, Jax threw up his bloody hands to indicate he was backing down.
Turning, Tig raised an eyebrow at Happy. "Are you gonna chill the fuck out too, man?" he asked wryly and watched as Happy, still glaring daggers at Jax, lowered his fists.
"Now," Tig said conversationally as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, "would anyone like to share why the sudden need to pound each other into paste?"
"Why don't you ask the asshole in the bed? I'm sure he's just itching to tell you," Happy bit out, using his thumb to swipe at the trickle of blood coming from his nose. "I'm outta here."
"Hap, wait a minute," Kozik began but was cut off.
"I'm done talking." Happy stomped towards the door, stopped and turned to face the room. His voice slightly hoarse from shouting dropped to its usual quiet and cold menacing tone. "You two fuck this up," he said pointing an angry index finger at Kozik and Jax, "I'm gonna forget that we're all brothers." Aside from the door slamming shut behind Happy as he left, the only sound in the deathly quiet room was the angry deep breathing coming from his opponent.
As Jax started towards the door, Tig pushed him back gently. "Hey, Pres, maybe you need to chill for a sec," he said in a low voice.
"Fuck off, douchebag," Jax said angrily and pushed his way past a stupefied Tig and out the door.
Quick-stepping it right behind him, the only thing that stopped Tig from going after either man was the fact that Happy was already down the hall as Jax stomped-swaggered his way in the opposite direction. Sighing, Tig reentered the room. Leaning against the door, he brought his ringed hand up to scratch his tousled curly hair and proffered a wry grin.
"I guess Hap finally knows about Jax tapping Doc's fine ass," he started only to be glared at by Kozik. "Whacha looking at me like that for?"
"All the shit that has gone down today is all your fuckin' fault," Kozik retorted angrily.
"Me?! What the fuck did I do?" Tig asked bewildered as Kozik rolled his eyes.
"That's the last fuckin' time I ever ask you to do me a favor," Kozik shook his head irritably.
A/N: First off, a very special shout out to BobbysIdjit for the new cover artwork I uploaded earlier this week. She sent it to me last weekend after re-reading Call of Duty and being inspired. Nothing prepared me for how wonderful a job she did in portraying Jaxlowe. I was so happy and excited that I put it up right away and completely forgot to let you all know who the wonderfully creative artist was. I apologize for my fan-girl hastiness and I hope to continue inspiring her to create such beautiful visuals to go along with the story!
On another front, I'm going to try and do better by answering questions I read in your reviews. LoveMcSteamy asked what type of hair does Jax have in my story? I know the story started with Jax in Stockton and his "prison hair" and I tried to stick with it, but that 'do doesn't do much for me. I much prefer a scruffy and hairy Jax, so as the story progresses, I envision him more and more looking like Season 6 Jax. Also, to clear up any confusion, Kozik was hooked on heroin, which he got Shannon to dabble in and Marlowe's abuser, the pedophile neighbor, was killed by Happy the night he took Marlowe home to live with his mother. At the time, Marlowe was almost ten and that kill is represented by one of Hap's 13 smiley-face tattoos.
This chapter was pretty intense and had a lot of back-story which I hopes moves the story forward, so I'm hoping to hear from ya'll about your feels regarding the Jax/Happy situation and of course, Jaxlowe and with what's come to light, whether or not she should stay in Charming.
With this arc wrapping up in the next few chapters, there is only one more arc that I will tackle before bringing Call of Duty to a close, so hold on guys 'cause I have a pretty interesting ending on tap. As always thank you so much for your reviews and PMs. They really make my day.
Hugs, Harlee.