Happy POV:
Tonight was a typical Thursday night, the clubhouse was full of sweet butts and the music was turned up louder than necessary. I slipped out of the clubhouse mostly unnoticed, just having a quick word with Brick before heading to the bar. Tig had sent another bag of treats for Jade's dog and demanded a picture of the damn mutt to be sent to him. I didn't want to do it, but knew if I didn't the bastard would just nag me till I caved or killed him, either sounded plausible at this point. I was half way down the street when I noticed the yellow tape and then spotted a cop car in the parking lot. I slowed down as I drove past. The window next to the bar entrance was shattered like someone had thrown a rock through it and the door had been left ajar. I sped up to prevent creating suspicion and circled back to the clubhouse.
Brick looked surprised when I walked up to him. Anyone who knew me knew that when I said I was going for a ride they shouldn't expect me back for at least a couple hours and not to call me unless it was club business or an emergency. I never came back early and definitely not this soon after leaving.
"You're back early." He commented and I grunted.
"Something happened at the Cricket. Cops are sitting on the place and there's crime scene tape all over." Brick looked concerned and got up.
"I'm gonna make a few calls." He said and I nodded. He walked back to his office and shut the door. Kozik came around the corner then with some twiggy blonde sweet butt, they were both adjusting their clothes. He smiled at her and she giggled before placing a kiss to his lips and walking away. The sight was gag worthy, I would never understand why he was so nice to them, it only got their hopes up and made them clingy. I moved over to one of the couches and Kozik flopped down next to me.
"Dude, you're back early. Brick said you were going for a ride." I nodded.
"Drove by the Cricket, looks like some shit went down. Came back to tell Brick."
"Why would Brick care what happens at some bar?" Kozik asked and I wanted to smack him. It's a miracle he's survived this long with how stupid he acted.
"That's the negotiation bar." I said and could almost see the little light bulb over his head.
"Ooh..." He says and I nodded as I roll of my eyes. The sweet butt that came out of the back with Kozik brought us beers while I waited on Brick to finish his phone call. It was almost an hour before Brick came out of his office. He looked around the room and walked over to me. He took a seat on the table that was in front of the couch and damn near had to yell to be heard over the music.
"Just talked to my contact in the department. The Cricket had a break in last night. Guess Al's niece was shot. The detectives working the case think it was a junkie looking for stuff to hock. There's going to be a car on the place for a couple days in case the dumb ass comes back to try again." Brick looked a little irritated at the idea that cops would be hanging around the area. The Cricketwas only a couple blocks from the clubhouse. Extra cops in the area meant we had to be extra careful with our movements to not tip off Tacoma PD.
"She die?" Kozik asked.
"I called a friend of mine at the hospital who got into her records. She got shot in the leg, lost a lot of blood. It was touch and go for a while, but she's gonna be fine. Said she'd probably be out in a couple of days." I felt something ease in my chest at the news.
"What about the dog?" I asked. Brick and Kozik both looked confused.
"What dog?" Brick asked and I sighed. How did people miss the dog that walked around the bar every time we were there for a negotiation.
"The bar dog. Big brown thing with huge ears." I tried to clarify, but Brick shrugged.
"They didn't mention anything about the dog. Why?"
"When we negotiated with the Outsiders, Tig and I stayed back for a drink and Tig fell in love with the dog." Kozik paled a little, he knew firsthand what could happen when Tig fell in love with a dog and was probably having flash backs.
"Good god, let's hope the idiot had the sense not to kill the dog." Kozik said and Brick looked concerned at first, but then laughed.
"Maybe you should call Tig, I'm sure he'd track the son of bitch down. Save the cops some work." Kozik joked while Brick stood up and rejoined his old lady across the room. I hummed at the idea and got up from the bar stool to head back out the door. Things for the club had been quiet since the treaty with the Outsiders, so there was nothing to prevent going to visit Jade. I was walking out when Kozik came up behind me.
"Where you headed?" He asked as he fell into step behind me.
"To the store." I said shortly, hoping he'd take the hint and leave me alone.
"Mind if I tag alone?" He asked and I sighed.
"I'm also going to the hospital." I said, but that didn't seem to dissuade him.
"That's okay. I was curious about her anyway."
"Whatever." I climbed onto my bike and pulled out of the lot with Kozik right behind me. We made a quick stop to the store before heading to the hospital. The receptionist in the lobby was visibly scared when I approached her window.
"Looking for Jade Banks." I said, she nodded and started shuffling through the papers on her desk.
"Room 228, second floor, half way down the hall on the right." She rambled out and I nodded before heading toward the stairs. Kozik at least stayed quiet, he could be just as chatty as Tig when he wanted to be and I didn't know who much of his rambling I could take. In some ways he was like a puppy, he liked to be liked and he would make noise till you gave him the attention he wanted. It was a shortcoming in my eyes, but he made up for it with being a damn good foot soldier, in that sense he was a lot like Tig, too. I followed the woman's directions and stopped at the door with the number 228. The door was closed so I gave two quick raps and waited.
"Come in." I pushed open the door and walked inside, Kozik walked in behind me and shut the door. I moved back the curtain that blocked the view of the bed. Jade was propped up in the bed looking paler than normal with another woman sitting at her side. She looked a lot like Jade; had the same dark hair, though it was shorter and streaked gray. She had a similar face and decent sized rack, she looked like a much older Jade.
"Happy?" Jade asked and I nodded.
"Heard you got shot." I said and she smirked.
"Yeah, figures I would have to get shot to take a couple days off." I smirked and sunk into the chair against the wall.
"Guess I'm lucky the guy was a shit shot, he only got me in the leg, but I wouldn't have minded if it was worse and he'd missed me entirely. These bandages are itchier than hell." She said with obvious irritation as her hand twitched like she was fighting the urge to itch at it.
"How long you gonna have to wear those?" Kozik asked and Jade turned to him.
"The doctor says the bandages will have to stay for a couple weeks depending on how I'm healing. But I'm gonna need crutches for at least a couple months."
"Damn." Kozik exclaimed. I glared at him and kicked him hard in the leg. He grunted.
"I mean that's not so bad." Kozik corrected himself. Jade laughed though and I rolled my eyes.
"It's okay, I appreciate it when people are genuine. What's your name?" Kozik relaxed a little.
"Herman Kozik, but everyone just calls me Kozik." He held his hand out to Jade and she shook it with a smile.
"Jade Banks, everyone just calls me Jade." Kozik laughed.
"I like you." He said and Jade laughed again before glancing at the woman next to her who seemed uncomfortable as she eyed Kozik and I.
"Oh, guys. This is my sister, Iris, she's gonna be sticking around for a while to help me." Kozik and I gave her a nod and she gave a small wave.
"What happened?" I asked to break the awkward silence that followed.
"Some guy broke in through the bar an hour after closing. Woke up when he'd made his way upstairs. Ace attacked him and the bastard shot my dog. The damage was bad enough that my poor baby's missing a back leg now. When he saw me the guy freaked and shot me, too. He went through my stuff and eventually ran out." I nodded and Kozik leaned back against the wall. I hated to agree with the cops, but it did sound like a junkie.
"You know if Ace got a hold of the guy?" Kozik asked and Jade shrugged.
"I heard the guy scream, so I'm assuming Ace got him, but I don't know for sure."
"Have to give Ace extra treats for this." I said and Jade smiled wide.
"Yeah, you gonna bring him the one's Tig sent or the one's you bought from the store. Bunch of big softies." Jade says and directing the last part to her sister. I roll my eyes, but Kozik snorts and I shot him a glare.
"Big softy." Kozik mocks and quickly dodges my foot. Jade chuckles at the two of us. All of a sudden the door to the room is thrown open, smacking Kozik as a little body is flying into the room.
"Aunt Jade!" A little boy yells as he climbs up on the bed. Jade hugs the little boy with a bright smile.
"Dad says that you got shot by a bad guy! Can I see?" He pleads and Jade laughs.
"I'm sorry Jack, but there's not much to see." She points to the bandages and he pouts before brightening again.
"Is it true that Ace-y took a big bite of the bad guy's butt?" He asked excitedly and Jade laughs again. I couldn't help the chuckle that left me and even though Kozik was rubbing his head, he was smirking too. As we were laughing two more people came in. A tall guy with gray hair and a teenager with dark hair just like Jade and the little boy on the bed.
"Jack, I told you not to bring that up." The man said and the little boy pouted.
"It's all right, Tony." Jade said and Tony gave a nod before going over to Iris and giving her a peck on the lips.
"You alright, Aunt Jade?" The teenager asked, moving a little closer to the bed.
"Just sore, I'll be alright Ben." She said with a smile and held out her hand to have the teen move closer. I rose from the chair I was occupying and gave a nod to Jade before slipping out the door, Kozik did the same and followed me out so she could spend some time with her family.
"I can see the attraction." Kozik said with a grin.
"Just get on your bike." I grumbled.
"No, man I think it's good for you." Kozik continued and I glared.
"If I wanted your opinion, I would ask for it." I growled and Kozik rolled his eyes with a wide grin as he straddled his bike.
"Just saying man, that's one kick ass body for a kick ass chick." He quickly fired up his bike to block out anything I might say, but that didn't stop him from seeing my finger as he drove past or from feeling my fist when we made it back to the clubhouse.