Fire & Ice

Chapter 18- HELL WEEK (our version of Better Half)

By BG and Reaper

PART 4: FRIDAY Prayers and Punches

Tig had been sitting across from Jaci and Motor for an hour and a half. Serious déjà vu…same as yesterday, only today Jaci was silent and somber, no joking around or reading Cosmos together today. She was doing the best she could to hide her neck bruises from last night's drama. She wore jeans, a black thermal shirt, and an unzipped hoodie with her hair down around her shoulders. Makeup had almost completely covered the bruise on her forehead and the long sleeves covered the bruises that Hoover had left on her arms by holding her down.

Tig was beginning to worry about her. She was dodging eye contact with him. She sat fidgeting with her father's ring that she always wore around her neck, her pointer finger was inside the ring and she kept pulling it back and forth along the silver chain. She was distracted and jumpy; a nurse had tapped her on the shoulder earlier and Jaci had flinched so hard it looked like she had been electrocuted. Tig have been feeling guilty for what had happened to her but his guilt was turning to annoyance fairly quickly since he really didn't know how to deal with guilt. He caught Motor's eye and gestured towards the water fountain. Jaci hardly paid them any attention as both men stood and walked away from her.

"She been like this all morning? Did she sleep any last night?" Tig whispered.

Motor nodded. "Was asleep soon as her head hit the pillow. I checked on her a few times, she was out. This morning…" Motor stared across the room at his cousin and shook his head. "Keeps sayin' she's fine…but she ain't fine. She's shook up, scared."

Tig clenched his jaw.

Motor leveled his eyes on Tig. "We never shoulda left her alone."

Tig nodded in agreement. "I know, man…that's on us."

Tig had a sneaking suspicion that Jaci was scared but her fear was of him instead of the Nords. She had been lost in thought and he was pretty sure she was thinking about talking the Feds again. Goddamnit. "I think she's over thinking shit again." He blew out a deep breath. "Take her to the chapel on the other side of this wing. I'll meet you there in five minutes." Motor didn't ask for a reason, only nodded and went to snag Jaci.

"What are we doing here?" Jaci asked as she and Motor stood in front of the doors to the hospital chapel. "You think I need some praying time?"

Motor shrugged and glanced up and down the hallway. "Sounds like your boyfriend wants to have a come to Jesus talk with ya." Jaci frowned at him and started to protest, but Motor jerked his thumb toward the chapel. "Go inside." She knew better than to argue.

Roxy and BB arrived to an empty waiting room. They figured Jaci and the guys might be in the cafeteria eating breakfast and were about to go check when Chibs and Half Sack sauntered up the hall. Roxy said her helloes and then went to get Juice.

Chibs slapped Juice on the shoulder as soon as he was close enough. "BINGO was a riot last night! Those Olds are fuckin' crazy! That 69 shit had me laughin' my arse off."

Juice frowned for a second and the light bulb went off in his head. "Oh shit! I totally forgot! Vix and I usually handle that and if we can't then Jaci does….damnit!"

"No worries, we had ya covered, brother." Chibs said with a grin.

Roxy smiled and thought about the bikers handling the game. Vix had filled her in a long time ago about Juice's relationship with the Olds and the Thursday night game and the general nice stuff he did for them.

"Uh, Chibs, honey…I think that accent of yours is sexy as hell but I honestly can't understand you half the time. How the hell did a bunch of senior citizens with hearing aids understand you?!"

Half Sack raised his hand, "I called the balls."

Chibs snorted with frustration. "You know… the only way NOT to have an accent is NOT to TALK. You fuckin' people ever think for a minute that I might have trouble understandin' you?"

"I reckon you might." BB laughed thinking of all their thick Southern accents.

Tig walked up and nodded at Motor. "Thanks, bro. I need to talk to her about some shit." He didn't know how much Motor knew about Jaci's brilliant plan to turn herself over to the Feds so he played off the visit as relationship based. "Personal shit."

"Take all the time you need." Motor replied. "Cheer her ass up if you can." Tig nodded and slipped inside.

Jaci was seated in the middle of a pew towards the front of the room. She turned around when she heard the door open and watched as Tig walked quickly to where she sat. He slid into the pew and sat down on her left. She swallowed hard and whispered, "You're breaking the buddy system rule so I guess this is important?"

He skipped any pleasantries and went straight to the point. "You thinking about waffling on talking to the Feds?" He turned to watch for her answer. She only shrugged and looked down at her hands in her lap. He gritted his teeth and growled, "Give me a straight answer, Jaci."

A moment passed and without making eye contact, she replied, "Yeah, I'm thinking about it." She started to pick at her lip nervously.

Tig sat sideways on the pew and watched her for a half a second; she was a defeated nervous mess. Goddamnit don't you fucking fall apart on me! Without thinking he reached out and roughly knocked her hand away from her lip. While she was still stunned from the slap, he scooted closer and put his right arm across the back of the pew. He leaned into her and in a fierce whisper asked, "What part of KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT do you not understand?! You were told what to do....you need to fuckin do it!"

She blinked at his slap and his use of the F bomb in church, stunned for a moment by the rough behavior. "Is this hostility coming from you or from Clay?"

He shook his head. "There's no difference, even your uncle would be on your ass at this point. I'm giving you the chance to smarten the fuck up without getting them involved. What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Tig, I don't want to do this but I don't…" Jaci started to explain but Tig cut her off.

"Do you know how much shit we would be in if we got caught together in here? I told them I could keep you in line and I'm going to fucking do it. You making me take a stupid risk like this…I can't have you..." He was too angry and frustrated and fumbled for the right words.

"Can't have me what? Thinking for myself? Is that the problem?" She shot back. "So you're keeping me in line? That's all you're here for...keeping me under your thumb?"

"You know that's not it."

"I don't know shit!" Jaci spat at him and then immediately shot her eyes upward, a silent apology for cussing in church. "I DO know that last night was the closet I've even been to dying and I didn't enjoy it! And the brilliant plan of BEING COOL doesn't exactly seem to be working so I am thinking I need to be PROactive. Being REactive got me choked out in a stairwell!"

Tig squeezed the back of the pew with his right hand and rubbed his face with his left. They glared at each other, both fighting mad. Jaci had her right hand clenched into a fist. He dropped his eyes and tried to regain his composure while shaking his head. How the fuck do I get through to her? Obviously can't yell at her, she's just going to yell fuckin back at me. Ok, ok…she's scared, that's why she bugging out. Make her not scared, asshole.

"Ok, ok…just calm down." Tig put his hand on her back. She moved slightly away from him. He softened his eyes and held up his left hand as if to say it's ok and she finally relaxed into the pew. "Look…I know you got your cage rattled last night. That never should have happened…you getting hurt… that's on me and Motor. Shouldn't have left you alone." He tapped his chest with his hand and stared at her hard. "I should have never left you alone…should have known better." His hand fell to her leg. "But all that's squashed now. We talked to Darby; he knows he is an inch away from dying. All of this is going to blow over. You just have to trust me."

Jaci frowned and Tig kept his eyes locked on her as he moved as close as he could to her. He squeezed her hand. "Do you trust me?"

Jaci nodded without hesitation. She did trust him…to a point. Other than her family, there was no one else she wanted in her corner more than Tig. She was just afraid there was something he was missing when he thought about the situation they were in…

He raised his eyebrows, "Say it."

She rolled her eyes but complied. "I trust you."

"Good. Now…have I ever promised you anything?" He asked quietly.

She frowned and then smiled sadly, looking away. "No."

"That's right I haven't…so you'll know what I am about to say isn't bullshit." He pulled her face back towards him. He knew how persuasive he could be when he wanted. "Look at me…nothing else is going to happen to your family. I won't let you get hurt again, ok? We're all coming out of this just fine. I promise you that." He watched as she thought about his words and then began nodding. He nodded along with her and then surprised them both by leaning in and kissing her. It just seemed like the natural thing to do.

Her first reaction was to pull away from the kiss but after the week she had had, a little human touch from him was exactly what she needed. For a moment her mind cleared and all she thought about was him, no sick sister, no near death attacks, no legal drama…just him. She kissed him slowly. His hands moved to her face and she pulled on the front of his shirt. He broke the kiss for a moment to grin at her; she smiled back and leaned into kiss him again. A moment later she made the mistake of opening her eyes and glancing over his shoulder…right into the staring face of Jesus…well, a crucifix hanging on the wall. Her eyes widened as she remembered her surroundings. She pushed Tig away from her.

"Oooh, we have to stop." Jaci blurted. "I think you go to Hell for making out in church."

Tig smiled devilishly and licked his lips. "My ticket was bought and paid for a long time ago so I can do whatever I want." He reached for her again but she slapped his hand away.

"Well, I'm not a lock for Hell just yet…besides, I can't be pissing Him off too much. I need Him too much right now." Jaci stood up. Tig looked up at her and pouted but then stood too.

"Alright…to be continued." He nodded at her. "You good and solid now?"

"Yeah. Sorry for the panic." Jaci replied. She felt oddly better. She had to admit that she had been wallowing in self pity and doubt all morning, maybe she had just needed some to shake her out of it.

"Give me a bit of a head start and then you can leave." Tig replied as he kissed her on the forehead and headed for the door.

Jaci leaned her head back and looked toward the heavens and mouthed her penance for the make-out session, I'm so sorry…but he is very persuasive and sort of irresistible sometimes…but I'm sure I'm not the first one to tell you this!

Tig walked back into the main ICU waiting room, which was now full of people. He walked over to where Chibs, Halfsack and Juice were standing. He nodded to Father Carlin, Ruby and Henry who were talking with Roxy and BB.

"Full house." Tig commented.

Juice nodded. "Yeah, hey where's Jaci?"

Tig didn't miss a beat in his reply. "Taking a walk with Motor. Should be back any…" He stopped and nodded down the hall. "There they are."

As Jaci walked up and spotted Father Carlin, her eyes widened. Holy shit…I make out with a guy in church five minutes ago and God sends a priest to kick my ass. Shit! Her eyes then darted to Tig, who knew exactly what she was thinking and had a huge smirk on his face.

Roxy waved her over. "Father Carlin was just telling us how much Vix helps out with Bingo and takes Ruby and her friends to Mass on occasion."

Jaci bit back a smile, recognizing the slight change Roxy's voice when her aunt said Mass. Roxy was a Southern Baptist through and through, even if she hardly ever went to church. Jaci just muttered, "God is God, Rox."

Ruby smiled at Jaci and put her hand on the girl's shoulder as Juice walked over. "The reason we're here, dear, is that Henry and I took up a little collection around our apartment building for Vix. Father Carlin and the church added a bit as well. We thought you all could use it since Vix is missing so much work."

Jaci and Juice shared a stunned looked. She fumbled for a response as tears stung her eyes and Ruby placed an envelope in her hand.

"Grams, you guys didn't have to do this." Juice said.

"Yeah, I…we can't take this." Jaci replied and tried to return the money to Ruby.

"Like hell you can't." Father Carlin put his hand out to stop Jaci. "Vix brings a lot of people joy…in her own smartass little way. She needs a little help right now and we're doing what we can. End of story."

Jaci swallowed. "Uh…then…thank ya'll very much?"

Roxy took to hugging everyone. BB shook hands with Father Carlin while grinning, "A Father that cusses…hell, you're alright by me."

A few hours later Roxy and BB headed to the Hamburger Barn for lunch. As they picked at their food, Roxy began to lecture BB about his tiff with Juice. "When are ya'll going to just make up and place nice? All that mess was just a hotheaded misunderstanding and you know it."

BB smirked and dug in his jeans pocket. "Little bastard wrote me a note. Gave it to Jaci to give to me.' He tossed it on the table for Roxy to read. "Hope he don't expect a written response. I ain't nobody's goddamn pen pal."

She glanced over it and smiled. "I think that was very mature and sweet of him. At least HE is trying to patch things up."

BB rolled his eyes. "Might as well have said, 'do you like me?, check yes or no. Idiot. " Roxy gave him a look and he grumbled, "Ok, ok…I'll talk to him...eventually."

Roxy took a sip of her water and rubbed her hands together. "So…what do you think of the other one?"

"Jaci's guy?" BB shook his head in frustration. "I be damned if I understand that. I thought we taught her better than that."

"The girls were brought up in the club, baby. We shouldn't be too surprised when they fall for Sons."

"Vix and Jaci are day and night…and so are my expectations of them." BB shrugged. 'But if you watch Jaci and him together, there's something there. And he damn sure took care of business last night when it came to getting' those guys off her. A little too intense for my likin' though, I mean I don't know what in the hell him and Jaci talk about. But Motor's takin' a shine to him and that's saying a hellvua lot."

Roxy grinned and waggled her eyebrows. "Maybe they don't do a lot of talking." BB grimaced in disgust.

Jaci and Motor arrived a little bit later after Tig slipped back to Teller Morrow for a bit. BB slid out of the booth and hugged Jaci tightly. They had been a little short with each other since her confession and subsequent attack and it was time to get back on track. He slapped Motor on the shoulder and the guys headed to a booth of their own across the room. "Let the hens squawk."

"Make you think squawk." Roxy teased and slapped her husband on the ass as he walked past. Jaci returned from ordering a burger from the counter and sat down.

"That was very nice of Ruby and Henry to take up that collection for Vix. I sure do like them." Roxy said.

Jaci nodded. "They're good people. They crack me up. Ruby's this strange mix of righteous and kind. I mean she is unnecessarily nice to everyone, but she is also judgmental as hell, verging on intolerant some times. I agree with most of her politics and some of her judgments, so it usually doesn't bother me, but I do wonder how she got to be so damn sure of herself."

Roxy nodded and laughed. "That Henry's a charmer; reminds me of Clark Gable."

"Henry's seen a lot in his years, he's still got some major pull in this town though apparently. He's smart as a whip, can spot bullshit at 500 feet. Kinda like a General only without being chauvinistic. Both of 'em think the world of Vix."

"Well enough about them." Roxy leaned forward, grinned, and whispered, "Ok, spill it."

Jaci played dumb. "Spill what?"

"The dirt about T…"

Jaci's hand shot up. "No names! Ummm, call him Kevin."

Roxy let out a laugh. "Kevin?! He's about as far away from a Kevin as I've ever seen."

"Exactly."

"Well then…how did this…whatever it is start with Kevin. Do you know what you're doing? Is this goin' somewhere, sweetie?"

Jaci gave her aunt the shortened version of events up to this point and added at the end, "And no I don't know what I'm doing and I doubt its going anywhere. I mean, I can't believe I am saying this, but my own little sister has a more solid relationship than I do right now." She struggled to explain. "There just aren't a lot of strings attached when it comes to Kevin and me."

"That's not very like you." Roxy frowned. "Casual isn't your thing."

"Hell, I say that…but things aren't casual, they're pretty damn intense. It's all just very unconventional. But that's fine by me. I got my ass burnt by conventional."

Roxy sighed. "Dean?"

"Yeah, think about it Rox. Dean and I were text book, picture fucking perfect. We had everything…college, jobs, cars, house, going to be a perfect bridge between the MC and the legit side. But where did it get me? Dean promised me the damn world. I got lied to and my heart ripped out."

"I hate to say it, baby, but Kevin's more than likely gonna hurt you too."

Jaci shook her head. "He doesn't bullshit me or promise me any future, therefore he can't renege on it. My expectations with him are pretty much at zero…can't ever be disappointed. Sure, he pisses me off and drives me crazy sometimes, but I'm learning his quirks so most of his shit doesn't surprise me."

"I guess you can't help who you fall for, huh? Lord knows no one would have put BB first on my list."

"Life's full of surprises that's for damn sure."

Roxy had to admit her niece made a very convincing argument. What was the harm with her seeing Tig? Jaci was in an odd place in her life right now, she didn't need another serious relationship just yet. Roxy was dying to know one thing though. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure the guys were still a ways away. "Well, whatever this is with you and Kevin, I damn sure don't blame you for the physical attraction. I'd be on that man like white on rice." Roxy grinned mischievously. "He's good, ain't he?"

Jaci couldn't help but laugh. She looked down at her plate while still smiling. Roxy sometimes forgot that she was effectively a MOM instead of a friend to Jaci. But there would be no denying her, she would harass until she got an answer so Jaci just bit into a French fry and raised her eyebrows, "You have no idea."

"Better than Dean?"

"Ok, we are NOT going there. Not talking bout bedroom antics with my mama. End of discussion!"

All the guys, except for Juice, were seated at the table for Friday night Church. Towards the end of the meeting, Clay asked how the Parkers were doing. Tig nodded toward Bobby. He pulled out a little flip top notebook from his shirt pocket.

Jax smiled. "That's a cute little notebook you got there."

"Well, your sister in law is a super nerd, what can I say?" Bobby replied as he pulled on his reading glasses. "Ok, I went by this afternoon, Jaci gave me the rundown and the notebook cause I can't remember all this shit. Vix's condition is still pretty unstable. She's had three days of antibiotics, two blood cultures, one lung biopsy...."

"And a partridge in a pear tree." Bobby had paused to try and decipher his own handwriting. Chibs thought he was finished and added his comment in a sing song voice.

Everyone at the table just stared at the Scotsman. Piney's croaky laugh finally broke the silence. Jax fought back a smile, Tig smirked.

Half Sack shook his head. "That's so wrong.

"Anything else, Bobby?" Clay asked.

Bobby shrugged and threw the notebook on the table. "The main doc, that Jaci and Juice so affectionately call Dr. Dickhead, told them there is nothing left to do but pray."

"Shit. That's kinda grim." Jax muttered.

"Yeah, Roxy didn't like the sound of that either. Got in a screaming match with the doc and took a swing at him. Thankfully BB defected the punch with his shoulder."

"Now we know where the Parkers get that right hand of theirs." Chibs added.

Clay nodded toward Juice's empty chair. "And how is he holdin' up?"

Jax took a drag off his cigarette and exhaled while he snubbed it out in the ashtray before him. "I talked to Jaci on the phone today. According to her, Juice is wound up tighter than a fuckin' alarm clock. Said one minute he looks like he's going to trash the place, the next minute like he might bail out the window. I promised I'd go talk to 'em. Gonna head over to St Thomas after this, check on the kid and the Parkers, talk to Juice."

Clay frowned. "Him and BB on speaking terms yet?"

Bobby shrugged. "Jaci said Juice extended the olive branch. Time will tell whether Billy Bob accepts it or takes it and beats Juice over the head with it."

Clay looked to Tig. "You got anything to add?"

Tig shook his head. Jax stared at him, noticing his busted lip and bruised cheek. "Roxy sock you too?" Tig's eyes shifted to Clay and a conspiratorial look passed quickly between the two.

Clay cleared his throat. "Small altercation last night. Nothing to worry about, it's been handled but Darby's been hanging around the hospital, trying to push the issue about his nephew and the Parkers. Last night two of his guys tried to jump Jaci in the stairwell."

Jax frowned with anger.

"What the fuck?" Chibs asked with concern on his face.

The Prospect was instantly mad. "Is she ok? Did they hurt her?"

Tig snorted, "It's fine, Motor and I handed down a righteous beat down. She's a little bruised up but she's fine." He glanced toward Clay and added, "She's solid."

Clay continued. "Darby's been put on notice. We kept it all quiet, didn't want to shake up Juice. BB, Motor, Tig, Bobby…they've been keepin' eyes on the Parkers."

Jax nodded. "Well, good call considering what Jaci said about him. If it's handled no need to freak him out."

"Ok, anything else?" Everyone was silent. Clay banged the gavel ending the meeting.