AN: another one?! I think i'm getting the hang of this. NOTE: next chapter will contain some smut, so if you don't like that kinda thing - please skip it x

CHAPTER 41

After her encounter with Juice, Cate ushered him back to work, insisting that she would spend some time with him after he'd finished work. He'd begrudgingly gone back to work on the vehicle he'd been under.

Hecate had spent a bit of time sat outside, catching up with some work emails - despite it being her time off. She had received a few texts from Lisa, her friend and colleague, asking how she was and whether she'd fancy meeting up for a coffee or anything. She'd replied after a minute of thinking, saying that she'd enjoy that very much and they could arrange something for within the week. It would be good for her to try and rebuild her social life. Hell, the last time she'd been out with Lisa, she'd kicked off at the redhead for insulting the fact she was a veteran. She was surprised she still wanted to be associated with her.

"You ready to go, doc?" Gemma's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

Cate looked up towards her, standing at the opposite side of the table, flashing her a small smile and a nod of her head.

"Yeah" she responded, shuffling out from the bench and rising to her feet. Cate turned to look over at the garage, smiling as she caught eyes with Juice. She nodded towards Gemma, silently letting him know where she was going, before waving goodbye to him. He smiled and waved back at her.

"C'mon, lovebird." Gemma teased.

Hecate playfully rolled her eyes and turned to walk with Gem towards her car. She opened the passenger side door and climbed in, closing the door behind her and buckling her seatbelt.

"Let's get this show on the road." Gemma spoke before starting the engine, turning the music up and driving out of the lot.

The drive was comfortable and it didn't take long for them to reach Cate's house. Gemma pulled up on the drive and switched off the engine.

"I'll be a couple of minutes.. Do you want to come in?" Cate asked to be polite as she opened the car door, turning her head to look towards the other woman.

"I'll survive for a few minutes.. Be quick though, alright?" She teased.

Cate saluted to her playfully before departing from the car, closing the door behind her and walking up to her front door. She unlocked the door and stepped through the threshold, somewhat happy to be back in her space. She didn't want to linger and get upset though, so she hurried upstairs to her bedroom to get changed.

Five minutes later she reappeared outside in a pair of black denim shorts and a spaghetti strap grey vest top, ready for the warm weather ahead. She'd also brought her tote with some essentials, like a toothbrush. She didn't want to get too forward thinking either, but obviously she didn't want to be in a situation again where she wasn't able to brush her damn teeth when she was with Juice.

She got into the car, chucked her bag into the back seat and soon enough they were back on route to the town centre.

Their first stop was actually a mall. Gem apparently needed some new jeans, so they spent a little while shopping around for that. During their time, Gem persuaded Cate into buying some new items, insisting they'd look nice on her, Juice would like them, or they'd come in handy for some parties if she were to be around the clubhouse more now.

Next up, she needed to visit the pharmacy to get some medication for her heart condition. They pulled up and both exited the car. As they neared the entrance, Cate slowed down.

"Gem, I'm just gonna make a call, ok?" She informed her, reaching for her phone in her pocket. Gem grinned, nodded her head and entered the pharmacy, leaving Cate outside.

Cate tucked her phone back into her pocket before swallowing hard, turning her head to look a little further up the street. She slowly walked up towards the destination. She stopped on the edge of the street under the shade of a small tree, and found herself looking over the road at the Supermarket. It was closed off, yellow crime tape cordoning off most of the street, broken glass scattered across the floor like diamonds.

She crossed her arms beneath her chest, gaze fixed on the scene ahead of her, watching as police officers talked among themselves and investigated the scene.

It was unbelievable to her, that something like that would happen in a small town like Charming. But then again, she had no idea about a biker gang roaming the streets either. How much did she really know? Or not know?

Her thoughts passed to the poor young boy who'd been caught in the cross-fire. She wondered how he was doing. This morning her colleague said he was doing okay, but maybe she'd check in again later.

It was then she noticed the familiar face of her old family friend, Wayne, who was currently conversing with the younger police officer who'd rubbed her the wrong way a few days ago. She noticed there were also other different uniformed investigators on the scene.

"Wayne!" She found herself shouting across the street before she even knew what she was doing.

Both men looked towards her, the deputy didn't look too pleased, but a small and sympathetic smile crossed Wayne's features. He seemed to dismiss himself from his colleague, before heading over the crime scene towards the tape where Cate was standing.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he approached her, but not in a rude way, it was more of a concerned tone to his voice.

"I'm out shopping with Gemma." She answered, watching as his brows raised slightly.

"Shopping.. with Gemma?" He repeated slowly, as if he were pondering the thought whilst saying it out loud.

"Yes. Shopping with Gemma." She confirmed, before glancing back at the supermarket and then back to Wayne. "How's it going?" She couldn't help but ask.

Wayne sighed as she asked, a sympathetic look appearing on his features for a second time. "You shouldn't be here, Cate.." He responded, much to her displeasure.

"Come on, Wayne.." She sighed, feeling deflated. "I just wanna know if you're close to figuring out who did this." She continued, staring up at him. "A boy almost died, they can't just get away with that."

"They won't." Wayne answered quickly, a firmness to his tone. "We're figuring it out." He added, still stubborn in the fact that he wouldn't give her any information.

"We need a statement from you, ma'am." Hale suddenly appeared behind Wayne, capturing Cate's attention with his forced pleasantries. Wayne sighed as he turned to face his subordinate.

"No problem. Ask away." She responded, uncrossing her arms and tucking her hands into her back pockets.

"You don't have to do this now, Cate. Or here." Wayne interjected and she noticed him giving Hale a stern look before looking back to her.

"Actually, sir, we need the statement for the investigation.." Hale challenged. He was trying to display some sort of ridiculous dominance and Cate would rise to the challenge.

"It's fine Wayne, I'm happy to assist in the matter." Cate smiled at Hale. "It all started when.."

And Cate went on to give a statement of the events and answer a few of his questions.

"Cate! What are you doing over here?" She heard Gemma call out to her as she finished up with Hale. She turned her head to see her friend advancing towards her from the direction of the pharmacy.

"The deputy wanted my statement." She responded plainly, looking back towards Hale who glanced between herself and Gemma.

"Wayne, what's going on?" Gemma asked as she reached Cate's side, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"We're all finished. Ain't that right, deputy?" Wayne made it seem like a question, but it was more of an order judging by the tone of his voice.

"Yeah, we're all done." Hale closed his notebook and gave a tilt of his hat towards Gemma before turning away from the pair.

"You alright, honey?" Gemma directed the question at the dark haired girl at her side, squeezing her shoulder gently.

"I'm fine, Gem, honestly.." She begun, smiling at her friend before looking back at Wayne. "Anything to help the investigation." There was a bit more venom behind her tone than she would have liked, but she couldn't help it. Hale rubbed her the wrong way and Wayne was refusing to let he know what was going on.

"Keep you boy in line, Unser. He's always tryin' to start somethin'." Gemma spoke to the Chief with a firm voice before patting Cate on the back. "Let's go, sweetheart."

A small, sad smile tugged at the mans lips as he tilted his head in a small nod goodbye towards Cate.

She turned away from the scene and walked alongside Gem, back towards her car.

"What were you doin' up there?" She asked as they both climbed back into the vehicle.

"I don't know, I just wanted to see what was going on." Cate admitted quietly, sinking into the car seat after buckling her seatbelt. "See if they knew who did it.. but he doesn't know shit." Cate sounded a little angrier towards the end of her sentence.

"The guys'll figure it out.. don't you worry about that." Gemma assured her. But even if they knew who did it, what could they do? Hand them over to the police? Have that incompetent deputy Hale deal with them?

"I just.. I want that boy to have justice.." Cate finally opened up as Gem drove them down the street, away from the supermarket. "Nobody deserves to have that happen to them.. to come nose to nose with death, to look it in the eye. Nobody deserves that." She continued, one hand clenched into a fist on her lap, as she used the other to lean her head against, staring out of the windscreen. "Especially someone that young. That innocent. It's not right."

She felt a hand cover her tightly clenched fist and she glanced down to see Gemma's hand encasing her own, and suddenly she released her tension and relaxed her hand.

"I know, sweetheart. What they did was pure evil.. And they'll pay for it, one way or another." She responded, determination in her voice as she glanced away from the road to look at Cate.

Hecate nodded her head slowly in acknowledgement, before looking back out of her window. Gem squeezed her hand once more before releasing it. Cate felt a little calmer then, but still full of tension.

The rest of the drive was quiet but passed by quickly and before she knew it, they were pulling back up into the lot. The garage was quiet, the only person she could see out there was the prospect.

"Where is everybody?" Cate asked as they pulled to a stop. All the bikes were there so she didn't know where they'd gone to.

"They're probably in Church." Gemma answered her query as she rounded to the back of the car to grab the shopping from the boot. Cate joined her and helped in grabbing a couple bags of groceries from the other store they'd had to visit. "They'll be done soon, I'm sure" she continued, as if she'd read her mind about wondering how long she'd have to wait to see Juice.

They walked into the clubhouse, passed the tables and the large doors with the shutter blinds, and into the kitchen where Cate unpacked the groceries. Last up were a couple crates of beers which she grabbed from the car and returned to the bar, where she set them up on the counter and tore open the boxes. She started unpacking the beers into the fridges and during this task, she heard a door click open followed by the sound of male chatter. Cate had been squatted behind the bar, unloading the beers onto a shelf in the fridge, when she saw a pair of legs enter her vision before she'd had the chance to stand up. Cate lifted her head, looking up to find Tig staring down at her with a crooked grin.

"Juice, you're girlfriend is down on her knees for me.." He sung out, and Cate's eyes widened as she shot up from her squatted position behind the bar. She sprung up so fast, she pulled something in her knee making her jolt slightly as she rested her hands on the bar.

"Huh?" She heard Juice question as she'd risen up. And she looked over towards the room that had been closed before, seeing Juice come emerge from it.

"I was unpacking the beers." She immediately corrected, shooting a stern look towards Tig, who only laughed at her expense as he reached for one of the colder beers before leaving the bar. Cate looked back towards Juice who was now leaning against the bar in front of her. "I'm unpacking beers." She repeated and Juice grinned at her, nodding his head once.

"I can see that." It was his turn to be the smart ass for once. Cate suddenly got that butterflies feeling again and felt herself giggle. GIGGLE! "You look nice." He added, using his upper body strength to push himself up to look over the bar at her attire, before setting himself back down. Cate watched his arms the entire time, as his muscles rippled and veins bulged with the display of strength.

"But I look better in your clothes, right?" She asked with a laugh.

"Nah, I never said that." He teased, still grinning at her. It was a very charming grin and his eyes sparkled at her. She was very attracted to that face. "You said you look better out of 'em.."

"What are you doing right now?" Cate asked. She was overwhelmed with tension from her previous encounter with the deputy, and now overwhelmed with attraction towards the man in front of her.

"Talkin' to you." He replied in a playful manner.

"I'm not playing, Juice.." She answered quickly, in a low voice. His expression turned to one of concern within a split second. He opened his mouth to say something but Cate quickly swept in. "Come with me please." She demanded of him and walked out from behind the bar, walking down the hallways that led to the rooms.

"Baby, what's wrong?" There was concern in his voice, and he sounded apprehensive, as if he thought he was in trouble for something.

Cate opened the door to his room, walking in and leaving it open for him. When she heard it shut, she turned to face him and his concerned face.

"What's going on?" He took a step towards her.

Hecate crossed her arms and grabbed the bottom of her vest, pulling it up over her head.

"W-What are you doin'?" He stuttered, jaw agape as he looked down at her chest and the black bra that adorned it.

"Showing you how I good I look out of 'em." She answered, her voice much softer and nowhere near as serious as the tone she'd given him before. "Now are you just gonna stand there and stare or are you gonna help me?"

That was all it took for Juice to swoop in and capture Cate's face between his big hands, bringing her in for a rushed kiss.