Walk Away from the Son
Parker Sister Saga continues - Season 2 of SoA
Chapter 18- Cold Service

By BG and Reaper

Sorry for the delay in posting. We thought this chapter was done, then it wasn't, then it was. Doh, writing is hard! Haha! Hope you all enjoy, there is some meaningful stuff in here along with a bit of fun. And yes, we know we took a big liberty on a key timeline point concerning Abel, as always- just go with it, we promise it will be ok! As always, if you liked the chapter, show the love!

Revenge is a dish best served cold…sometimes.

XXX

In the garage, Bobby finished telling the guys about the previous night's dish throwing extravaganza that went down at Parker Place. "And while I do not condone the breaking of perfectly good dinner ware…who here hasn't wanted to sling a pointy metal object at their old lady before?"

Clay shook his head and stared at Juice. "Three days ago I told you NOT TO LOSE HER AGAIN and now I hear you've STABBED HER?"

Juice cocked his head and an odd questioning look graced his face. "But… um… didn't you throw a cinder block at Gemma's SUV and punch it a while back?"

"Yeah I did... AT HER CAGE, not at her!"

"Oh." Juice held his hands up in surrender and smiled. "Right."

Clay and Bobby gave up and headed to the back of the garage to look over a newly arrived batch of bike parts. Tig waited until their backs were turned before casually spinning on his heel and smacking Juice in the back of the head. "What'd I tell you about fighting with Vix? Huh?"

As Juice rubbed the back of his head, he defended himself verbally. "You told me keep my hands off her and to throw something if I had to and technically I did!" He frowned slightly, "I just didn't think it would actually hit her." Tig shook his head in frustration.

Juice got a glance of Nolan and yet another disapproving look from the sawed off Bama Son. "Don't give me that look, asshole. At least I didn't drop her on fuckin' pavement."

"Pavement?" Tig questioned and glanced at the two young bikers as they started to bow up toward each other. He looked across the parking lot to the row of bikes, it suddenly dawning on him that he had seen a nasty scuff on Nolan's tank. "What the fuck did you do?"

"Laid her over in Galt." Nolan answered without hesitation.

"With Vix on the back of it." Juice interjected and threw yet another hard glare at Nolan.

Tig looked from Nolan to Juice and back to Nolan. His mind couldn't help but auto jump back all the years to the time he had wrecked with a girl and the dire consequences. The next mental image was of Jaci and the reason he wouldn't let her anywhere near his bike. He shook his head hard. "You fuckin' idiots. Are you guys TRYING to kill her? Between you two, she'd be better off on a goddamn deserted island. What the fuck's wrong with you two?"

Juice looked at the ground as Tig seethed. He had to admit it was really fucked up to have Tig of all people questioning their sanity and motives. They were acting like morons. He let his mind wander back to the deserted island comment and visualized Vix in a bikini holding a coconut. A smile spread across his face as he mused, "Vix would kick ass on Survivor."

"Yep she would... my girl's the real survival type." Nolan quipped and saw Juice's face twitch. He realized they were being petty and had been since his arrival in Charming. "Um, well your girl... but I'll always've known her longer."

"I know her BETTER." Juice replied with a smirk.

Nolan sighed. "Got me there." He pointed at Juice. "She's something else. And that's the truth... in my mind Vix is a lady who just happens to spit, cuss, fight, and generally kick ass." Juice couldn't help but laugh and agree.

Tig stared at the two guys and rubbed his hands over his face. Combined, they had the attention span of a goddamn gnat, one minute fighting the next smiling. "All better? You two done with your goddamn Kumbaya moment? Get the fuck back to work."

XXX

Across town, Vix crossed her arms and stared at her sister. "You think two gallons of bleach will do it?"

Jaci nodded. "Did you get the other stuff?"

"Yep, snagged it from Lodi, paid cash...no connections." Vix answered with a grin.

"Perfect." Jaci was just about to cover the entire plan again when there was a knock at the salon door. They turned at stared at the building code inspector. "Ok, here we go."

They let the inspector inside and waited patiently as he toured the once again remodeled salon. As he scribbled a few more last notes in his file he asked, "When exactly did the remodel work complete?"

"Few days ago." Jaci answered politely.

Inspector Gadget shook his head and let sarcasm drip into his voice. "It is so amazing… there are places on this list that take months to reach the top ... and yet here THIS salon is MYSTERIOUSLY getting top billing once again."

Vix smiled sweetly. "Ain't the grease-able wheels of democracy great?"

"Apparently." He ripped the pink copy from his in triplicate inspection report, handed it to Vix, and walked out of the salon. She looked over the report, smiled and gave her sister a thumbs up. The salon was clear for take off…again.

XXX

By the next afternoon, the entire town was abuzz with theories of who had attempted to poison the porn princess, Ima, via some plot involving sinister shampoo. The general consensus was that it had to have been Vix Parker abetted by her notorious band of Outlaw woman. Afterall, who else, wagged the lively tongues Charming, had motive?

Jax sat on a stool in the Teller Morrow garage trying to clean grease from his cell phone with a rag. With the salon finished, the SAMCRO crew no longer had an excuse for not actually working at the garage. His phone rang in his hand and he cocked eyebrow before taking the call from Luann. He quickly pulled the phone away from his ear as Luann ranted at full excessive volume. "Whoa! Just calm down. What the hell happened?" Three minutes later he ended the call, shaking his head and half smiling.

Chibs raised his eyebrows. "Jackie Boy…what?"

Jax smirked, "That was Luann."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "What now?" He had been on lunch break from Cara Cara for two hours now. The break, besides eating, consisted of him coming to the garage to harass people that were doing actual labor.

"Seems someone broke into Ima's apartment, threw all her clothes in a pile and bleached them."

The guys started to laugh but Jax held up a hand. "Oh it gets better. Seems they put something in her soap and now Luann's lead money making actress is blue...from head to toe." The roar of laughter was deafening. "Luann's on a rant, having to stop production, what the hell's she gonna do with a smurf, yada yada."

Half Sack thought the odd situation over for a second. "She should use her...dye one of the guys blue and maybe try for some Avatar sorta thing."

"That's goddamn brilliant, Prospect. People would watch that shite." Chibs said while staring in awe of the kid. Half Sack smiled proudly.

Bobby sighed as his laughter came to an end, "Like I even need to ask this…suspects?"

Jax looked at Tig who glanced at the office. Tig smirked, "Public enemy one and two are talking to Gemma right now."

"Never piss off smart people." Bobby retorted.

Chibs nodded. "Or anyone with the last name Parker. Let's go get the story."

XXX

"I can't believe he's gonna be one already." Vix mused. "Time flies."

Jaci tapped her pen on the pad of paper in her hand. "Ok, theme…Abel seems obsessed with footballs and turtles right now."

"Footballs." Gemma answered decidedly.

"Ok…venue?" Jaci asked then lowered her voice. "I don't really think we should have it at Jax's place. I mean Donna…she died after his homecoming party there."

"Oh yeah, don't want any déjà vu-y feelings." Vix added.

Gemma nodded along. Donna was the last thing anyone needed to be thinking about. "Right…we can have it at our place. I've got plenty of time to clean before next weekend."

Before Jaci could offer to help with the setup, the door to the garage pushed open. "Hello, ladies!" Chibs announced brightly.

The guys all shoved in the doorway surrounding Jax. Gemma and the girls looked up, wondering why the crowd. Jax smiled, "There you two are. What'd you do to Ima?"

The girls looked at each other and then at glanced up at Jax innocently. Simultaneously they answered, "Nothing, why?"

"Someone broke into her place, doused all her clothes with bleach and put some shit in her shampoo bottle...dyed her whole damn body blue." Tig rattled off while staring at Jaci.

The Parkers stifled laughs. Jaci coughed into her hand and cleared her throat. "Wow, that's unfortunate."

Vix nodded. "And sneaky." Their words may have pled innocence but their eyes were twinkling.

The plan had worked brilliantly. They had waited for the call from Rachel, letting them know that Ima was leaving the set and heading home for the night. The twenty minute clock started ticking. Vix easily popped the lock of the sliding glass back door to Ima's apartment. They rushed inside and poured the chemicals into the shower gel and shampoo bottles and then headed back outside to wait. Dressed in all black, they were nearly invisible standing on the small back patio. Ima finally waltzed through the front door, threw her purse and keys on the kitchen counter and pilfered in the fridge for a drink before heading to the back of the apartment. Like most people after a hard day at work, she headed for a shower. The girls waited a long tense moment then poked their heads back inside and heard the shower running. Then it was a mad but very quiet dash for the bedroom. After yanking all the clothes off the hangers in the closet and emptying drawers onto the floor, the girls unscrewed the cap to the bottles of bleach and sanitized Ima's clothes in a very aggressive manner. Just as they were finishing up they heard Ima let out a shriek. They grinned at each other, pulled their hoods back over their heads and hustled out of the apartment.

Bobby played along with the ruse. "Well whoever did it...I give them props for creativity. I woulda thought Ima just had an ass kicking coming her way but THIS is so much better."

"I'm sure the perpetrators appreciate your admiration...you know, theoretically." Jaci smiled. "And I totally agree that this scenario is so much more effective than just beating her ass. This way she's stripped of her vanity and her bank account."

Gemma raised an eyebrow. "How's Luann working with the Smurf?"

Jax snorted, "She's not. The dye has to WEAR off so Ima's on the sidelines until further notice."

"Awwww, that's too bad." Vix said with fake sympathy.

"Well...if it was you two, that's IT. Everybody's even, got it?" Jax pointed at the girls.

Girls just shrugged as if to say sure- whatever, acting like the warning didn't pertain to them since they were innocent and all. Jax walked out of the office along with the other guys. Gemma waited until the door shut before giving them a smirk and then a full proud smile. "Clever…very clever."

Vix unbuttoned her pull over shirt to reveal the a baby-tee depicting Papa Smurf with the words WHO'S YOUR PAPA? Gemma saw it and shook her head, laughing. Vix sighed, "Man, I got no clue what he's talking about." But that statement was a little derailed as her and Jaci exchanged a fist pound and smile. The group of women finished up the plans for Abel upcoming birthday party and Vix headed into the garage to wait for Juice who was out on a call.

Jaci exited the office and walked toward the parking lot but threw a glance toward the garage. Tig up-nodded at her and headed in her direction. He walked her to her car and held his tongue until her door was opened. "So... how'd you do it?"

"Ima's probably pissed a lot of people off, not just us, Tig." Jaci replied in a coy voice. She cocked her head and faked concentration. "Mmm, how's that line from Top Gun go? Her mouth is writing checks her ass can't cash? Looks like shit just caught up to her." She gave an innocent shrug and smiled.

He rolled his eyes and snorted a laugh. "Cut the shit. This wasn't YOUR beef, why were you in on it?"

Jaci sighed and shook her head in disagreement. "Ima started shit with Tara and Vix both. She had been warned to quit and didn't. How many times do you let someone thumb their nose at you? Something had to be done." Tig gave her a blank stare. "Ok, ok…she was running her mouth about me too. Hinting around that me and Bobby had something going. How fucked up is that? That shit can't happen...rumors like that can't be getting around. I mean...if you and me are together again that's trying to cause trouble and I'm not having it."

Tig smiled, "I think I would have KNOWN you weren't fuckin' Bobby. And everybody knows that girl is full of shit."

"What if she'd picked someone else to lie about?" Jaci replied. She took a huge risk and voiced part of the reason she had reacted so strongly to Ima's implications. "What if she had picked someone more believable? Not everyone in this town knows she's full of it. Hell what if someone from another charter had heard it? Then I look like a slut and you look like a fool. Look at all the trouble Juice and Vix have been through...all it takes is a shred of doubt and a rumor." Jaci's brow furrowed. All it takes is her implying I fucked Chibs and a major shit storm could brew.

She seemed a bit jumpy, a bit too mad. Tig frowned. "What're you so worried about?"

Jaci knew she had said too much and waved him off. "Nothing. It's just...you and I have enough issues without some idiot starting shit." She gave a shrug, "I guess I'm just trying to protect us you know?"

Tig nodded. "I get it." He glanced toward the garage and then kissed her quickly. He pushed her into the driver side seat and looked down at her. "Put the chemistry set away…I'll see ya tonight."

XXX

Later that afternoon…

"At the risk of sounding like a complete grammatical moron... Ya done good with this, Rachel." Vix said with a laugh as she slid the bound copy of her friend's term paper across the bar towards her.

"Dare i ask how yours is going?" Rachel eyed her, knowing full well the answer.

"It's NOT. I tried to work on it but I'm stuck on the Drama Carousel. And I just... they couldn't give me Sociopath or Psychopath could they? I personally know a few of those, could write 20 pages on THAT no problem. But nooooo, I get Episodic Depression Compounded by Anxiety Disorder and Sublimated Acrophobia. I don't even know what the hell I just said."

"Means they're depressed, wants to kill themselves and are scared of heights." Advised a familiar voice.

Vix spun around on the bar stool and smirked. "Do I even want to know how you happen to know ..."

Hap chuckled "Nope." He settled down on the stool next to Vix. "Heard your old man stabbed ya."

Vix rolled her eyes. "News travels fast, man. And they say chicks like to gossip." She gave him a questioning look. "Are you following me or is running into you here at Big Daddy Study Hall a crazy, random, happenstance?"

"Not here cause of you." Hap replied. "I'm waiting on somebody."

He didn't care to elaborate but Vix grinned and would have laid money on the guess that his waiting had something to do with a certain girl he had met at the bar during one very recent, wild night.

XXX

Early that evening…

"So...you out of condoms or something?"

"What?" Half Sack's head whipped around at the sound of the woman's voice. His eyes found Jaci standing behind him, smiling. "Oh, hey, J. I'm...I gotta pick up a prescription. All out of samples for the antibiotic...you know…for my…" He pointed down past his beltline.

Jaci grinned at the sight of the Prospect blushing. She nodded along. "I love how they give you free shit, get you all lined out and then drop the bomb on you later. Pills are ridiculously expensive."

"Yeah...I got the Army insurance so it isn't too bad."

"Well, maybe we should get married and you can pay for all my shit."

Half Sack grinned. They made small talk while they waited for the pharmacist to call their names and after wards he walked her to her car. She was headed home for the night to wrangle up some dinner for the guys after they finished working at the garage. She swore the guys were so tired after busting their ass all day working that they would file into the house and just mumble, "Beer...food...shower." She thought of them as her little Bama Zombies. She loved them to death, and ignored the fact that her water and food bills were tripling this month.

Half Sack waved to her as she pulled out of the parking lot. A movement to his left caught his eye and he turned to see Jenkins eyeing Jaci's Mustang as it pulled onto the street. The prospect frowned as he watched Jenks get into his red truck and take off in the same direction. Something felt wrong...and oddly familiar. He tried to think what that little SOMETHING was that was playing just at the fringes of his memory. Then it hit him...the truck. He had seen it before, two days prior on Jaci's street.

"Shit!" HS muttered and fired up his bike. He hurried to catch up to Jenks and see what the scumbag was up to.

XXX

At 5:53pm, Juice started to unbutton his TM work shirt, opting to ride home wearing his thermal and cut. One minute later, before he could even start walking toward his bike, the tow line phone rang in the garage. Tig delayed firing up the welding torch in his hand long enough to yell, "That's YOU, Retard!"

Juice groaned and grabbed the phone, his work shirt hanging half unbuttoned. He scribbled down the details of the job and ripped the sheet of paper off the grimy pad as he ended the call. He looked over at Tig, Trace, Motor and TNT, the only guys left at the garage. "This is way the fuck in the middle of nowhere. It'll take me over an hour!"

"You want some cheese with that whine?" Trace asked with a smile.

TNT watched Juice shake his head in frustration and grab the keys for the tow truck. He had been meaning to talk to Vix's man but just hadn't found the right time, but tonight seemed to be the perfect moment. He'd have Juice as a captive audience for a good long while. He slid off the work stool he was sitting on and gave a nod in Juice's direction. "How bout some company?"

"You wanna go?" Juice asked. He had been sorta shy around TNT up to this point but would rather have somebody to talk to than a long drive of silence ahead of him. The old biker nodded and Juice shrugged. "Ok then...sure...let's go." The pair walked to the tow truck and loaded up.

Trace and Motor shared an amused look as they watched the truck roll out of the TM lot. Trace chuckled thinking of Juice nervously chatting TNT's ear off and of all the straight forward hell TNT could give the kid. "I don't know who's gonna regret that drive more...Juice or Travis."

XXX

Thirty minutes later...

"Phone!" Trace yelled as the guys worked on the huge section of metal that would be Vix's new salon sign. It was the only piece of the salon not finished.

"WHAT?" Tig yelled in return over the loud noise of banging hammers and the loud buzz of a metal grinder.

"I can see your phone ringing!" Trace yelled and pointed towards Tig's pocket that was glowing from his cell phone.

Tig looked down, saw the glow and smiled. "Oh." He walked a few steps away, pulled the phone from his pocket and rolled his eyes. "Goddamnn Prospect." Trace snorted.

"What!" Tig yelled into the phone with a finger pressed in his other ear.

"Tig?"

"Yeah...what do you want?"

"I think we have a problem."

"WHAT?"

Half Sack started to yell back in return but hesitated. He was currently sitting on his bike, a block from Jaci's place. Jenks had parked about five houses from her place. The Prospect looked around and didn't see any people out and about so he felt safe to raise his voice. "I said, I think we have a problem! You said to tell you if anything concerned Jaci...so... I'm calling."

Tig grimaced and walked into the garage office so he could hear. He walked back into the main garage three minutes later. He yanked the power cord from the outlet on the grinder that Motor had been using causing the Bama SAA to look up in annoyance. Tig eyed the guys. "We got a problem. Prospect just called...he's sitting down the street from Jaci's place. Turns out she's been having a Nord escort for the last couple days and didn't know it." He watched as Motor's eyes narrowed. "It's Jenkins...I believe we re-arranged his leg a while back." Motor dropped the tool he was using to the floor and stood up.

"Darby's guys?" Motor questioned. "They're hanging around this Weston guy now right?"

Tig nodded. "They probably helped with the salon firebomb."

Trace hefted the hammer in his hand. "Didn't ya'll put a SAMCRO restraining order on those guys...after that hospital bullshit?"

"Sure did." Tig replied.

"Think it needs some re-enforcin'." Motor growled.

"Fuckin' A." Tig replied and twisted the valves on the welding cylinders to OFF. They pulled the garage bay doors shut, locked up and headed for the parking lot.

XXX

Juice kept the conversation flowing as he drove the tow truck North along the highway. "I keep fuckin' up with Vix though. This last time was pure stupidity. Well MOST of it is all stupid. Misunderstanding bullshit. I just don't know how many IOU's and please forgive me's Vix has in her."

TNT chuckled as Juice shook his head. "Ya want to know what she said when I apologized this last time?" He laughed remembering her face as she said it. "She said she prayed for the Lord to give her his choice of unlimited patience and understanding OR a loaded shotgun."

TNT turned towards the window to hide his smile.

"I love Vix, she deserves the best of me, which honesty isn't saying a whole lot. Geez, I don't even know what the hell I'm spewing out here... sorry."

The cab of the truck went silence for a mile then TNT spoke. "I couldn't love that girl more if she were my flesh n blood. And I've never seen her this tangled up. Vix loves you more than I think even she knows how to deal with. Became down right venomous in her protection and defense when I asked bout your head tattoos."

Juice let out a nervous chuckle and rubbed his hand over his head. "Uh...what'd she tell you."

"That they're deeply symbolic of something and if I want to know more I should ask you my damn self."

"She said you might want to talk to me about something important. Have you made up your mind if you are or aren't cause honestly I've been having heart palpations every time I see you coming for the last two days."

"Tell it or not, it's up to you... I'm not one for airing my personal shit so I get it. But both those girls mean the world to me and meetin' you... something has changed in Vix. I'm of the mind that she's found something in you that she ain't found any place else and that may or may not be a good thing." TNT ventured a look over at the young man. "A tropical depression need only find certain elements to turn into a Hurricane."

Juice glanced nervously over at TNT and sucked in a deep breath. Only two people had ever asked REALLY asked about his head ink, most just eyed it and shook their head. Gemma'd been the first to ask. When he'd told her the story she'd sat and listened to the whole tale without a word. When he'd finished she'd nodded and quietly dismissed him; to this day he wasn't sure her real reaction. Vix, she'd been the opposite. She'd asked at least 50 questions and at the end had shook her head and announced if there was ever a story that would get him laid... that was it. Then she disappeared into his bathroom and when she came out her eyes were a bit puffy, she sniffled and then smiled and proceeded to do just that. Juice sighed "You got a few hours to hear this?"

TNT shrugged. "That answer is far from up to me. I got as long as the Good Lord feels willing to grant me."

Juice raised an eyebrow and shook his head. He was still a novice at this southern-speak thing but it seemed honest enough. He stared down the highway, finding it easier to tell the story without making eye contact, driving gave him an excellent excuse to have his eyes elsewhere. "In their simplest form they're a memorial. In their most complex, they're a reminder. The memorial is to my mom, she was killed when I was nine ... by my old man, in cold blood, in our kitchen, while I sat at the table watching. I didn't do anything, I couldn't react I was frozen. It didn't seem to be happening, like I was watching some show on TV or something. I still get repulsed by the smell of oatmeal."

A long moment passed and Juice let the initial shock of the story set in. "My mom was a free spirit sort and a wannabe hippie. She loved rain storms. Everyone's always so startled by the thunder but she'd laugh and say stupid fools it's the lightening that's the most dangerous. The thunder is loud, it rattles the roof and lets everybody know it's around but that is all it can do. The lightening, it's beautiful, it's quick, it's silent and it's deadly. No one appreciates the lightening; they're too distracted by the noise or bogged down by the rain coming down. She'd always tell me to remember that the real damage comes from what we fail to notice until it's too late." Juice cleared his throat and glanced over at the man. He found TNT's face an emotionless mask but he knew the older man was listening.

Juice stared down the road for a moment. In a darker voice than the heavy hearted one that had accompanied the story about his mom, he continued. "He got LIFE but he's been up for parole every four since serving ten, so three times now. And each time my Gram has had to relive that nightmare when she goes to testify about why he shouldn't be released. All three times he's been turned down, obviously cause he's still in lock up, but eventually the board is gonna grant it. The pleas of the family won't matter. I love my Grandmother and I want her around for a long time but I pray to any god that'll listen that she be dead and at peace in Heaven when that day comes."

"I told Gemma I love this club and I told Vix I love this club and I love her and because of that love I will push ALL of that aside THAT DAY. I'll keep what I HAVE to do from blowing back on what I love but I WILL settle the score. Maybe he knows it, maybe he doesn't but he won't ever see it coming."

Juice got silent and TNT took that for the end of his tale. It was his turn to clear his throat. "The damage comes from what you don't see coming." He mused and nodded. "Lightening." He sighed and nodded again. "I reckon that's deeper than a road side rut."

"Excuse me?" Juice blinked at the man.

TNT smiled just slightly but coming from that man it was practically a Shout Out. "Nothin', very moving story. I respect the ink now."

"I wasn't done." Juice said quietly.

TNT eyed him. "You sure?"

Juice nodded quick and kept eye contact since they were on a straight stretch. "Two words: Keith Whitley."

TNT eyed the kid, astonished. "Attention gotten... and tread lightly, I'm a fan."

Juice chuckled and turned his attention back to the road. "I know... Vix told me that would get your attention. I never knew who sang the song, Vix was the one who told me who it was. I was 27 the last time the parole board met. I'd spent 14 years in this town, living with my grandparents. Gramps had just died, I wasn't real sure that Gram wasn't gonna toss in the towel and go with him. They'd been together since The Flood she'd always joked. She even told me once that if she didn't have me to worry on constantly and to see to that I made my way, she'd have probably done just that. I knew about the club, hard not to living in this town. I was a handful to say the least but I towed some sorta line to spare my Gram too much worry. But when Gramps died I really sorta lost it, dove deep into some bad shit. I was over in Pope and got into a real bad situation...luckily Jax ended up in the same place, saved

my ass for sure."

"We ended up arrested and when Gram came to bail me out she was totally tearing me a new one right in front of the guys in the Pope PD parking lot. Jax stopped me as I was leaving. He smirked and told me that if I survived the car ride home to stop by TM and talk to him. Said they might be lookin' for some help around the place. I don't know what made me take him up on it but I did. Good thing too cause just after that Opie got locked up for 5 years. But Jax got Clay to give me a test run workin' at the garage; gofer - grunt - tow driver, but it was something. I started hanging out after work. I'd ridden before but I decided to put my inheritance from my Gramps into a Harley and from hang around to prospect to patched. Long, slow progression but one I needed to make and am thankful every day that Jax saw something in me that would benefit the club."

The kid stopped talking and TNT eyed him. "Interesting as that story was, son...how the hell do you get Keith Whitley out of it?"

Juice grinned. "I was getting to that."

"Were you now?"

"Yep." Juice nodded. "Like I said I was 27 when the last parole board met, a year before I met Vix, year after I earned my top rocker. The night the NO vote came in I celebrated or repressed such as it

was a bit too much. Heard his song I'm no stranger to the rain and the words kept running through my head like the sound track of my life. It brought back memories of my mom and her rain storms, the literal and figurative RAIN in my life. I have been no stranger to it, I've fought with devils outward and the ones inside and sometimes they would knock me down but I'd get back up, never gave in. And that line about through it all I've withstood the pain. It rang some loud bells and I know all about getting depressed or foggy as he sings it. And when he sang that line 'if I don't keep my head I may drown' that was when I came up with the bolt idea. I'm a friend of thunder...man is it any wonder lightening strikes me. These bolts remind me to keep my head and I really try. Sometimes it works and sometimes it don't but I know if i don't even try, I don't stand a chance. That's hard to remember sometimes with all the rain and shit that keeps pouring down so..." He tapped the side of his head. "...a little visual reminder never hurts."

Juice finished speaking just has he brought the tow truck to a stop at their destination. He looked over at the man riding shotgun, the man looked stunned... well sorta, it was hard to tell with the beard and

the fact that from one emotion to another his expression didn't change too much..

"You done now?"

"Yeah." Juice answered with a laugh and a nod.

"That's some story, son. It'll earn respect. You've got mine. My condolences bout your mama and your granddaddy. One word of advice, I ain't too keen on getting it or givin' it, but when THAT DAY comes, don't go pushin' those closest to you too far away. If they love you, they'll want to see you set to right, they'll understand and they'll support you in whatever you're needin'to do." TNT opened the passenger side door. "One last thing...BB Parker, he's a fan of Keith Whitley too. I am sure he'd love to hear that tale one day."

XXX

The Sons parked even further down the street from Jaci's house and waited for Half Sack to limp up the street to them. Thankfully all their cuts were at the clubhouse, not much need to wear them since they were either working at TM or the salon 24/7. They got a report from Half Sack on Jenk's location and worked out a quick plan.

Jenks was horrible at surveillance which was good for the Sons but bad for the Nord. He was 100% focused on staring at Jaci's house and never saw Motor creeping up along side his truck. Motor crouched down next to the driver side and waited a half second before yanking the door open. He shoved a gun in Jenks' face before the man had a chance to even move. "Remember me, motherfucker?" Motor hissed. "Scoot the fuck over."

Jenks threw his hands up and slid to the middle of the bench seat as Motor climbed into the driver seat of the truck. A second later, Trace opened the passenger side door and climbed inside. Jenks knew he was in deep shit and decided to try and bail but he didn't get very far. As soon as he made a move, Trace slammed his left elbow into the side of the guy's head and then slammed his face into the dashboard. Jenks slumped in the seat and Trace snorted a laugh, "Take a nap, bud. I'll wake ya when we get there."

Tig pulled past their truck and they followed the black Ford out of Jaci's neighborhood and then out of town. Half Sack continued down the street to complete his assigned duty.

Jaci heard the bike and walked to the front door. She opened it and stuck her head outside expecting to see the guys pulling in her driveway but she saw only Half Sack. She frowned but waved. He nodded at her. "Guys are gonna be a bit late for dinner. Actually, I wouldn't even wait up."

She nodded, totally used to something coming up with the guys but Half Sack seemed a bit off, on edge. "You ok?"

"What? Me? Yeah, I'm fine." Half Sack assured and looked down the street.

Jaci sighed. "Well...you wanna come in and eat? Watch TV?"

"Sure." Half Sack replied, happy that he didn't have to weasel his way into her house to perform his babysitting duties Tig had assigned.

XXX

I want to take his eyes out just for looking at you, yes I do
I want to take his hands off just for touching you, yes I do
And I want to rip his heart out just for hurting you

Tig drove north out of town, heading for the old cabin site. Now all burnt and mostly fallen down, he knew it would be quiet and secluded there. It was where he and Jaci had started their little journey and now here he was defending her in the same place...the irony was not lost on him.

As he steered the truck down the bumpy road following Tig, Motor mused, "Ah dirt roads...feels like home."

Trace let out a low whistle as they came to a stop and he hauled Jenks out of the truck. "Middle of nowhere...nice. No one gonna hear ya scream out here, buddy."

Tig walked over, grabbed a hold of Jenks and half dragged, half walked him several feet away but still in the beam of the Ford's headlights then promptly kicked the feet out from under his captive. "Have a seat, asshole." He motioned to Motor, "Tie em up."

As Motor grabbed some rope from their work truck, Tig pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket and walked a ways from the group of men. He dialed Clay on his prepaid and quickly explained the situation, at the end asking, "What do you want me to do?"

In his living room back in Charming, Clay stood holding the phone, stunned at the night's turn of events. He shook his head and hissed, "If that prick had been stalking say...I dunno, ANYONE BUT JACI PARKER... how quick would you have been to kidnap and torture?"

Tig gritted his teeth. "This isn't personal."

"Don't fool yourself and more importantly DON'T FOOL THIS CLUB." Clay spat.

"Fine...you're right, Clay... it is personal." Tig hissed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "But I'd do the same motherfuckin' thing if that fucker was stalkin' Gemma, Vix, Luann, Tara... ANYONE a part of or associated with this club." He paced while he seethed. "This fuckhead's no longer workin' for Darby... he's in bed with Zobell and Weston and all of 'em. This HAS to be done. They're making moves, Clay. BIG goddamn moves. They're watching her...half the club has been in out of her house lately that means they're keepin' tabs on us too."

Clay knew his SAA was right. He paced into the kitchen and drummed his fingers on the counter top. They needed something to make Zobell rethink his current Charming take over strategy, but subtlety was key right now. Maybe taking out a low level like Jenks so easily would send a message. "Then do it...but you keep it off our welcome mat, you hear me? I want the option of deniablity."

"Absolutely." Tig retorted and ended the call. He slid the phone back in his pocket and made a beeline for the men and their captive. He smiled as he neared the group, "Green light."

Motor had tied Jenks' hands tightly behind him. Tig covered the distance to the man and punched the guy in the face without any pretense. "You payin attention?"

Jenks grunted then nodded while answering breathlessly. "Yes!"

Tig hit him again, "Louder Jenks, I can't hear you!"

"I'm paying attention! Shit!" Jenks screamed.

"Good...cause you know me…" Tig said and then pointed to Motor, "And I know you remember him and you know we aren't fuckin' around. You better answer every fuckin' question I have or it's gonna get really fuckin painful for you real fuckin quick, got me?"

Jenks nodded profusely. Tig stood in front of the obviously terrified man and asked his first question. "Are you high on your own home cooking, Jenkins?" He tossed a look to his Bama brothers and added, "Crystal meth." by way of explanation. He turned his cold stare back at the skinhead fuck before him "What the fuck part of Stay the fuck away from the Parkers doesn't fuckin' sink into your fuckin' Nazi head?"

"Managed to squeeze the F-Word four times into one sentence." Trace mused. "I reckon he's a bit pissed, Mr. Jenkins."

"What're you doing outside her house?"

"Who's hous..." Before Jenks could finish his question Motor punched him in the face.

Tig let out a laugh, "Thanks brother, you read my mind." Tig held a finger in Jenks face, "Don't play fuckin' stupid with me. Answer me."

"I was...I was just watchin'...her...and you guys. I wasn't going to hurt her, I swear I wasn't."

Tig made a tsking sound, "You threw her down a flight of stairs before, pretty sure you had a hand in torching her business...sorry if I think you're full of shit."

"That wasn't just ME! Why are you doing this to just ME?" Jenks questioned in a panic. He had been terrified since the second the damn mountain man looking fucker had opened his truck door on the Parker bitch's street. He had seen that familiar face and knew he was in deep shit.

"Cause you're the dumb motherfucker that got caught." Trace growled from his perch, leaning against the hood of the truck. "Everybody's got a purpose for takin' up space on God's good Earth. And it appears yours is to be an EXAMPLE of what NOT TO DO and who NOT TO DO IT TO."

Tig tossed more questions at Jenks, who had decided he had already said too much and began a strategy of stonewalling.

"Tight lipped now are you?" Motor asked the captive. "Guess we'll just have to charm the truth outta ya." Each non-answer was meant with a punishment; Tig and Motor took turns hitting Jenks until his face was hamburger.

"Come on, Jenks...you're making this so much harder than it has to be." Tig chided. "Just ANSWER the question and this all stops."

"I ain't saying shit!" Jenks yelled.

Tig was beginning to lose patience. He pulled his knife and walked behind Jenks, the guy jerked his head around, trying desperately to see what the SAMCRO SAA was doing. A second later, Tig rammed the blade through Jenks' calf muscle. The guy screamed at the top of his lungs then whimpered as Tig pulled the knife free and tapped his Achilles.

"You want to keep these feet in working order, you'll start talking." Tig said quietly.

Jenks came to the harsh realization that the Sons had no intention of letting him go and even if they did, he was still a dead man. Weston would have his ass for getting caught. Now he had a decision to make, go out like a coward or like a man? Did he rat on his crew or save face and stonewall?

"I'm done...not telling you anything." Jenkins said while staring down on the ground, accepting his fate.

Tig noticed the shut down and cocked his head. "Oh don't go getting all noble warrior on me, Jenks. Little too late for name, rank and serial number."

"You're not letting me go...we both know that." Jenks said quietly, blood pouring down his face from being hit so many times. He spit a wad blood out onto the ground.

"We could...let ya wander back a beaten limpin' mess again." Motor retorted, teasing.

"But if you wanna curl up and die...I'm guessin' we can oblige ya." Trace mused. "Either way an example's gettin' made out of you, boy."

"Fuckin' A." Tig seethed. He gave Motor a look that told him how this night was going to end; Jenks wasn't limping away to anywhere.

Motor looked Jenks over and then looked to Tig. "Well, brother...more than one way to skin a cat...which way we usin'?"

"I'm done fuckin with you, Jenks." Tig warned and held his bloody knife in front of Jenks. He thought of Jaci, safe and sound in her house, while this asshole had been lying in wait for her the whole time. His jaw clenched as his protectiveness amped up. "And I'm done having your beady spying eyes on HER, on ME, on my BROTHERS."

Jenks was weak and could barely hold his head up but managed to let out a grunt of panic at seeing the knife again. He started to squirm.

"Hold him." Tig instructed quietly. Motor grabbed Jenks from behind, put his knee in the man's back and slammed a palm on the man's head, holding him immobile.

"FUCK YOU." Tig seethed and rammed the point of his knife into Jenks' left eye. There is a loud wet sound when the blade popped the eyeball but somehow the blade missed the brain, leaving Jenks alive and screaming. Motor struggled to hold the bleeding man still as Tig repeated his vicious stabbing, this time to the right eye. This time around he must have nicked something important because Jenks stopped screaming and could only moan and twitch. Motor let the man slump to the ground and stood over him with Tig at his side.

"He's still kickin'." Motor pointed out without any emotion.

Tig held his knife up toward Jaci's cousin."You said you wanted in if it ever came to this. You drove half way cross the country...you do the honors."

Motor took the knife and kicked Jenks flat on his back. "Night, night, motherfucker." He dropped to his knees and slid the blade of the knife between a few ribs and straight into the heart. It was a quiet, intimate move. Those over the top, hacking, stabbing gestures were for the movies and for show, Motor knew anatomy from years of skinning deer, you had to slip the ribs just right to nick the heart.

Trace finally looked over to his brothers, who stood over the still dead body. Once he knew how Tig was going to finish Jenks, he had stared at the hood of the truck. He had plenty of horrible images in his head from over the years, he didn't need anymore. He was a tough guy but this brutal shit was out of his league. Poking a dude's eyes out, that's what guys like Tig and Motor were for.

"Well, now what?" Trace asked. "Back home, we'd chop him up and dump in a few different hollers out in the middle of bumfucknowhere. We need a pig farm." Tig frowned but Trace smiled. "That shit works...'specially if you shave the body and pull the teeth first."

"Fuck that." Tig spat and raised his eyebrows in thought. "Well...we can burn him, bury him, chop and toss him...I know where a wood chipper is. Got a connection at the crematorium too. Hell we could put him in a bait box and drop him in the damn ocean, let the fish have him but that would take a few hours to pull together."

Trace listened to the suggestions with unease. To him Tig sounded strangely like Bubba Gump rattling off different ways to cook shrimp.

Motor wiped his hands on his jeans and rubbed his chin against his shoulder. "What we need is a couple buckets of Lye and a shovel. Bury this fucker and let that shit eat him up."

Tig snorted a laugh. "Holy shit, bro...we actually have some of that at the goddamn clubhouse, well the garage anyway."

"What the hell for?" Trace asked.

"Bobby started some bullshit soap making hobby thing but he quit when he kept getting lye burns." Tig answered with a smirk. "But I know what WE'RE using it for." He nodded at the body. "Who's staying with the dead guy while I go get it?"

Motor raised a hand and then proceeded to fish his cigarettes out of his pocket. "I got him. Ya'll go on."

Tig and Trace loaded up in Trace's truck and started to back down the driveway. Motor stared down at Jenkins. He took a drag off his cigarette and grimaced. ""Don't look at me you stupid Nazi fuck. That's what you get for messing round where ya ought not."

XXX

Inside the cab of the truck, it was a tale of two personalities. Tig felt fine, good even...he had just avenged a whole list of shit by taking out Jenks. Trace was feeling a bit disturbed by the whole incident, especially by Tig and his ease with the situation. Trace would have just shot the Nazi bastard, would have never dreamed to cut the guy's eyes out.

Trace pulled onto the dirt road and ventured a glance at Tig. This was the man Jaci had decided to be with and it disturbed the hell out of him. He was a bit protective over Jaci. Dean was his nephew, but he felt more like a father to him, so he had been more than excited when there had been a shot at Jaci becoming his quasi daughter in law and he still harbor guilt about what happened with that whole situation. He wanted Jaci safe and happy and that was looking to be a stretch here in Charming. It was time to test some waters. "You gonna tell J about this?"

Tig snapped a look at Trace, "Why the fuck would I do that?"

"Some guys tell their old ladies everything. This sorta concerns her...guy was watching her, had hurt her before."

"She ain't my old lady."

"Then what is she?"

Tig frowned at him and shrugged, waving his hand around. "I don't know. She...just ...IS. We don't put labels on shit." He stared down the road for a mile or so, annoyed but finally continued, "Besides, what we've got...its sorta fragile right now. Hell, JACI is fragile right now. I ain't doing shit to upset her. Think of me as a giant goddamn buffer...nothing GETS at her right now if I can help it. I stop all threats and bullshit."

"I see that." Trace answered with a nod. He let a few hundred yards tick by. "So what's different?" Tig shrugged not sure what he's asking and Trace clarified, "Ya'll broke up...now you're back together. What changed?" He noticed Tig's look of defiance and explained. "Just askin' cause I don't do repeats. I flit from woman to woman...six months here, a year there but I don't ever go back to the same one. Not sayin' its SMART or RIGHT...but the way I figure it, there was a reason bad enough that I left so why go back to something that's broke. Whadda they say about the definition of crazy? Somethin' bout repeatin' the same thing and expectin' a different outcome."

Trace wasn't a bad guy...he never promised any of his women the world. He'd tell them he's just out for fun and they'd nod along, yeah me too...but it always changed, some girls just took longer to flip on him. Soon enough, they'd try to CHANGE him, nail him down, want to FIX him and he wasn't having it. He'd never found a woman that he cared about enough to settle down for and couldn't imagine someone like Tig being able to be domesticated either.

"I'm the one that LEFT...she had to be the one to take me BACK. So who's the crazy one?" Tig asked with amusement.

It was Trace's turn to frown. He shrugged. "She's not perfect...the heart makes the mind do stupid shit sometimes."

"Well, just so you can sleep at night and not worry..." Tig said with deep sarcasm. "Things aren't the SAME this time around."

"Oh really...care to enlighten me?"

"Nope." Tig answered curtly. In his mind the conversation with Trace was over, it had gone from concerned to prying. He wasn't going to get into some deep discussion about his shit with Jaci, concerned relative or not. It wasn't anyone's business but his and Jaci's. They were back on track, end of story. He was done thinking about it and defending it, people were just going to have to deal with it.

XXX

It was a LONG night. They had snagged the lye from the clubhouse and drove all the way back to the woods. After taking turns with the hard labor, the grave had been dug and Jenks had been tossed in and covered with lye. The moisture from the dirt would have the chemical working its magic in no time. Once more they headed back to Charming. Tig had donned gloves and drove Jenkin's truck to its rightful house. It was a risky move but necessary to confuse the situation. With the truck parked in his driveway, it would take a few days for anyone to realize Jenkins wasn't around anymore. By the time the LOAN group figured out Jenkins had been taken out, the exact execution would be a mystery. If he had been watching the Parker house, how did his truck make it home? Who had taken him? Where was he now? They would be left with endless questions and the Sons would just smile smugly.

After heading to Tig's house to clean up, the Bama crew was set to leave and head back to Jaci's house for what was left of the night. Trace fired up the truck as Motor stepped out of the backdoor to the house. He turned to say something and noticed a look in Tig's eye, he wanted to go with them. Motor nodded toward the truck. "Come on...you know you wanna. Hell brother you EARNED a night with her. Trace ain't gonna give ya any shit for it. TNT's already passed out, won't even know you're there. Who really gives a shit anymore anyway?"

Tig rolled his eyes and started to protest but Motor reach out and grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him outside.

XXX

They arrived at Parker Place and quietly trudged inside. The house was quiet. Half Sack had faked drunk off a few beers and slept on the couch but woke up as the guys came in. He scratched his bedhead hair and looked at Tig questioningly.

Tig nodded, "It's done." The Prospect nodded and made a motion to get up and leave but Tig waved him off. "Go back to sleep, kid. You did good tonight."

Motor and Trace headed to Vix's old room. Motor was content to sleep on the floor instead of his usual perch on the couch, overall too tired to care.

Tig walked to Jaci's door and knocked softly. He didn't want to wake up her but didn't want to scare the shit out of her either by just walking in her room. He opened the door and saw her sitting up in the bed. He whispered as he walked inside, "Hey...it's me."

"Tig? What's going on?" She looked at the bedside clock, 3am. "What's wrong?" She flipped on the lamp.

He walked to the other side of the bed. "Nothing's wrong...everything's ok." He shucked his clothes down to his boxers and crawled in bed. Jaci was completely stunned, knew something had to be up for him to be pulling a stunt like this. "Turn the light off...go back to sleep. I'm staying here tonight."

His voice was soft but firm so she complied and laid back down. In the darkness, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against him. He silently intertwined his fingers with hers and they laid there without talking for a long time. Their minds were busy though, Tig replaying what he had done that night to protect her, Jaci wondering what he had done to warrant his need to hold her at 3am. She wanted to ask a million questions but kept quiet, knowing he would tell her want he wanted her to know and that would have to suffice.

Soon enough his right hand was caressing her arm then her upper leg. He closed his eyes and felt the soft warm skin he had fought to protect. She felt him breathing a bit harder as he kissed her bare shoulder not covered by her tank top.

She smiled and whispered, "Oh I see why you stopped by."

"No..." He replied but his actions didn't mesh with his words. He rolled her onto her back and moved on top of her. He kissed her slowly. The reality of the night was starting to hit him. He had taken huge risks for her. He had killed for her, put his club at risk for her, to make sure she was safe. Sure he had been protecting his brothers too but his first urge had been her safety. He needed her to be ok, hell he flat out needed her and he hated that feeling. It made him vulnerable and he loathed weakness but look where he was now...with her.

And now is when things got complicated and twisted. Emotional releases were hard for Tig, a normal guy would have just held her and went to sleep, happy with the fact that everyone was safe and sound. But Tig would never be accused of normal. Those violent feelings from earlier, the protectiveness, the worry he had for her all got meshed together and pushed into the need for a release. Feeling mad? Go fuck somebody. Sad? Go fuck somebody. Guilty? Go fuck somebody. Happy? Go fuck somebody.

Tig shook his head at his predictability. He wanted to fuck somebody, he needed it...but at least this time, he was going to the right person. Small victory, right? He kissed her and felt himself get more turned on. "I...need this. Can't explain it...you can't ask me."

He kissed her again and she closed her eyes. He was being so tender but there was an urgency, a desperation to his voice and his movements. It was scary and exciting at the same time. Something had happened, something bad...but he came to HER, needed HER and that was what mattered at the moment.

"Ok." She breathed and decided not to push him for answers. "Ok."

As soon as the words of submission left her lips, he wanted inside of her as quickly as possible. He didn't bother stripping her naked. He pulled his boxers down slightly and pushed her panties to the side, kissing her more urgently as he pushed inside her, She splayed her hands on his shoulders and clung to him as he struggled to start a slow and deep rhythm. This wasn't a quick slam bam thank you ma'am booty call, it wasn't about getting off, well it was but it was something very different as well.

Jaci didn't think there was any way she could get turned on after being woken up out of the blue at 3am but she was wrong. Having Tig so intently focused on her, knowing he wanted her so badly was definitely causing some strong stirrings. She ran her hands up and down his back as he worked and has the minutes ticked by she felt a shift in his movements; he was getting close. Up till then they had been quiet, only breathing and grunting. But Tig suddenly whispered, "Say it."

She frowned, not sure what he was talking about... she hadn't said anything."Say what?'

"What you told me..." he answered distractedly.

She hesitated for a moment, confused but then realized what he was asking.

"Say it." Tig whispered again. He had always said that words were bullshit, but coming from her, they held weight with him. After doing the brutal shit he had to Jenks, he knew he and the club could get burned for it. He needed some confirmation that he had been JUST, to know that she was worth the risks he was taking. "Say it." He repeated, half demanding half pleading.

"I love you." Jaci said quietly. She felt him nod his head against hers and suddenly she wasn't just saying the words, she FELT them as much as she ever had. "I love you."

He didn't respond, his breath was ragged as he pushed into her over and over. He hit his stride and gritted his teeth as he came hard a moment later. His hips moved automatically with the aftershocks and he started to collapse onto Jaci, letting the overwhelming moment wind down slowly.

"Don't stop." She whispered. Her hands moved from his shoulders down to grip his hips and she ground herself up and into him. She wasn't done with him, his urgency had finally transferred to her. "Don't move, please don't move."

Don't stop, don't move...contradictory orders but he was spent and couldn't really do anything but hold still but that was exactly what she needed. Jaci bucked her hips up against him and worked to try and finish herself off. He tried to stare down at her as she pulled him closer. He loved the way she was clinging to him, in the moment she needed him as much as he had needed her. She gripped his ass hard with her hands, her body searching out every bit of leverage it could to get what she needed so badly. She came quickly, with panting breath, doing her best to be quiet, ever mindful of the others sleeping in the house. She relaxed finally and pulled him down with her. He kissed her and held his head against hers silently for a long while as they steadied their breathing. He had made the right decision...protecting this woman at all costs was the right thing to do, he would never regret that.

XXX

Later as Jaci slept soundly next to him, Tig jerked and grunted in his sleep, lying on his back. Five minutes passed and he gasped violently for breath as he shot awake with a start. He sat up in bed with his chest heaving and tried to get control of his irregular breathing. He swallowed hard and pulled his knees up under the sheet, leaning forward he rested his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. In the dark of the room he struggled to get a grip on reality.

The dream had been bad, worse than the prior ones that had come over previous months. He had been in the cemetery, standing over a fresh grave when a rotting hand had shot up suddenly from the dirt and latched violently onto to his boot. He had tried to get free but the hand had gripped his leg tightly and as the body began to unearth itself more and more, Tig had fallen on his ass. The body had started dragging him down, inside the grave. He struggled and fought but he was quickly losing his battle. He had flipped onto his stomach, clawing at the dirt, desperate to pull away, but was being dragged backwards. When he finally ventured a look behind him he fully expected to see Jenkin's eyeless face seeking revenge...but it was Donna who was pulling him to the grave.

Tig blew out a shaking breath and reached over, lightly touching Jaci sleeping form, trying to convince himself the dream was over. He thought of Donna's vengeful face from the dream and shook his head. When's this shit gonna stop? When do I get OVER it? He finally lied flat on his back and stared at the ceiling, not eager to shut his eyes again. An hour later, he rolled onto his side and wrapped his arm around Jaci, pulling her close against him and finally fell asleep but mostly from exhaustion, not from a settled conscious.

XXX

In the morning, Tig opened his eyes and heard music playing. He frowned and lifted his head to look toward the master bath. The door was slightly ajar and a block of light spilled partially into the bedroom. He glanced at the clock, 6am...entirely too fuckin' early. He rolled out of bed, walked to the bathroom door, and listened as Stevie Nicks pleaded for someone to tell her lies, sweet little lies. The room was filled with steam from the shower and Jaci could be heard singing softly along to the chorus. Tig pushed fully into the room and shut the door behind him, asking. "What the fuck are you listening to?"

Jaci jerked slightly as the sudden sound of his voice. She mouthed a curse at being startled and rolled her eyes as she held the soapy loofah to her chest. "It's an 80s kind of morning." Tig snorted and she heard the sink cabinet slam shut and then a cap spin off a bottle, next came the sound of swishing and then Tig spitting into the sink. She smiled...mouthwash...guess he's coming in. A second later the shower door opened and Tig stepped inside. Without a word, she stepped to the side and let Tig slide past her, knowing he liked to stand closest to the spray. She turned her back to him and continued shaving her legs as he let the water pound against his shoulders.

A new song starting playing, this one slower. A guy sang about catching his breath, closing his eyes.

"Bama crew's rolling out from TM today." He reminded as he slicked his wet hair back from his face and stared at her naked form bent over in front of him. She muttered a 'yep'. He thought about the fallout from the night before with Jenkins. They'd have to go to Chapel about that and he wondered how split the guys would be about it. The singer talked about being in love before.

"You and Vix need to steer clear of the garage today." He reached out and ran his hand down her back, hooked his hand around her hip and pulled her ass against him. "We got some club shit to handle before they hit the road. Say your goodbyes at the salon or something."

"Ok." Jaci answered but she didn't like the avoidance directive, not after his weird behavior the night before. She finished with her legs and dangled the sponge over her shoulder. "Back please." Tig took the sponge and soaped up her back, keeping her bent over slightly when she tried to straighten up. Soon the sponge hit the shower floor and he slid his hands up and down her back, swirling the soap all around. She closed her eyes and tried to enjoy the moment. The song rolled into the second verse and Tig's hands roamed over her body with a more carnal task in mind.

She stood up straight and turned to face him. "You sure everything's ok?"

They stared at each other for a long moment before he nodded. "You got nothing to worry about."

With that assurance he kissed her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes as he pushed her back gently against the side wall of the shower, making his intentions crystal clear. She added another song to the list of ones that would forever have an explicit memory tied to it.

XXX

Jaci called Vix and told her to steer clear of TM that morning. The guys were going to Twisted at 9am and she'd drop by to say their goodbyes. She followed Trace and the guys in the truck as they headed for the garage. She broke off and headed to work for a bit, wondering just what the hell had went down the previous night.

The Teller Morrow parking was full of bikes, all SAMCRO and Bama crew Sons were present and waiting as Trace pulled his truck to a stop and everyone got out. Tig stared at Jax, who was giving him the evil eye from the door of the clubhouse. He looked to Trace and Motor, "This shit goes sideways, just stay quiet. It's on me."

"Fuck that." Motor retorted and they filed inside the clubhouse.

Once inside, everyone took their usual seats with the Bama crew standing in the fringes. Bodie and Nolan had slightly confused looks on their faces, not really sure of the reason for the morning's urgent meeting.

Clay sighed and looked at Tig. "Ok, spill it."

"Prospect caught Jenkins sitting outside of Jaci's place last night...surveillance for LOAN or some shit. We took him out."

Murmurs of surprise came from all of the Sons.

"What?" Jax asked, stunned by the nonchalant announcement. "Details, Tig! What the fuck did you do?"

Tig felt instantly defensive and glared at Jax. He spoke to him like a child, spelling it all out. "We caught him watchin' the house, we took him out in the woods and we killed him."

Before Jax could respond, Clay nodded at Tig. "What kind of ceremony we talkin' here? Communion or confirmation?"

"Definitely communion." Tig answered with a smirk.

Chibs raised his eyebrows, knowing that communion meant no one would find the body.

"You knew about this?" Jax asked Clay.

Clay nodded. "Reactionary shit happens quick. Heat of the moment, son...I gave 'em the green light. Not everything can get a vote."

"Well it should...we all know what happens with rash thinking." Jax spat back, his words shining a light on another heat of the moment decision that had involved Tig and Clay.

"Rash? Who was rash?" Tig growled. "Jenks pulled shit a while back, he was warned not to do it again. He helped torch that salon and he was spying, fuckin' plotting against us. How many passes do you want to give him? What's the magic number, Jax?"

Jax snorted and just shook his head, too angry to talk. Juice was silently freaking the hell out. Vix ran in a very predictable pattern this days and that pattern exposed her. She was either at school, the salon or Cara Cara. The wheels in his mind kept turning and led him to horrible thoughts.

Tig felt an indignant fire blooming inside himself. He watched Jax and couldn't help but throw a barb. Jax had pulled a stunt just as rash; he was sure of it but just didn't know the details. "How many chances did you give that ATF agent of Tara's huh? One day he's here stirring up trouble then he's just gone..."

Jax gritted his teeth. "He went back to Chicago."

"Chicago huh?" Tig replied with a smile. "Mmmph...maybe that's where Jenkins went too. Maybe he's there with Kohn and Elvis and Jimmy fuckin' Hoffa."

"Jesus, cut it out you two." Bobby said with irritation. "Who else was in on this little covert operation?"

Trace and Motor raised their hand proudly. Half Sack raised his hand a little more tentatively; hating that Jax was so pissed about the situation.

"Put your hand down, Prospect. You didn't do anything wrong." Tig chided. "NONE of us did."

"Well...did Jenks give ya anything useful?" Bobby asked, hoping for something good to come out of the matter.

Trace shook his head. "Said he was just watching, asked why we were after just him, but then he clamped up. He knew he was fucked."

"Ay, fuck it. Good riddance." Chibs spat. Opie nodded his agreement. Piney eyed Jax and kept his opinions to himself.

"So now what?" Juice asked.

"Now nothing." Clay answered. "Jenks disappears and maybe LOAN think twice about fucking with us and ours. But enough of this shit...our Southern brethren are rolling out today. Let's give 'em a proper goodbye." He banged his gavel and ended the meeting. The men dispersed into the main room of the clubhouse to say so long.

Jax and Tig lingered behind in the Chapel. Jax stared hard at the SAA. "You two are killing this club...little by little."

Tig smirked and shook his head. "You ever have to make a hard decision, your head's gonna explode." He left his Vice President standing alone to ponder his words.

XXX

Jaci stood looking over Vix's shoulder at the present Trace had just handed them. It was an 8x10 framed black and white photo of Vix at age five holding a pair of scissors and grinning mischievously. He had been digging through old pictures and had come across it. It had been taken at his place during one of those long ago summer visits. Instantly he had thought its proper home was in Vix's salon and had taken the picture to a photo place with the simple instructions of 'here, make this look cool.' When the salon had burned down, he packed it in his bag, intent on hand delivering it to the girls.

"Jesus, I'm gonna tear up." Vix said quietly. Between the photo and the guys helping Half Sack install a mini bike to serve as the hair cutting chair for the kid's station, she was getting overwhelmed by all the caring.

"Nonono!" Bodie announced. "Enough of this sentimental bullshit, I can't take it." He grabbed each of the girls and gave them a tight hug. "Ya'll stay out of trouble and away from fire." He put his hat back on his head and headed for the front door. "I'll be in the truck."

"Knuckle head's right…we gotta get goin'." Nolan announced and then grabbed Vix's head in both his hands, pulling her face close to his. "I ain't meaning' to jinx you and your man and I don't give a fuck if you are sportin' a crow. If this shit don't work out, that 40-year plan of ours is still on the table." He gave her a stern look. "You MAKE him take REAL GOOD CARE OF YOU." Nolan kissed her smack dab on the lips and then let her go.

He looked to Juice who was looking a bit stunned. He pointed a finger at Vix's man. "There ain't no where safe on this planet if you hurt her." He lowered his voice and stepped closer. "And you remember what I told ya... some women need handled with kid gloves, Vix Parker ain't one of 'em. She lives and loves full bore. Take care of my girl, now." Juice nodded and extended his hand, Nolan shook it firmly and then walked for the door. "Come on y'all LET'S RIDE!"

Jaci had pulled Motor away from the odd love triangle of Vix, Juice and Nolan. She smiled at her cousin. "I promise...one day we'll get you out to Cali for purely recreational purposes."

Motor snorted, "Believe that when I see it." He extended his arms wide and she wrapped him up in a hug. "Take care of yourself, J." She nodded against him and then pulled back. He raised his eyebrows and added, "Good luck with your man."

Jaci gave a wry smile and said sarcastically, "You say that like I NEED luck."

He shrugged, "He may wear the pants in ya'lls relationship...but you got the brains. Holding that shit together...that's gonna fall on you, J."

"We really have to find you a girl, Motor." Jaci teased. "Then you can have all this relationship fun for yourself."

He rolled his eyes and walked outside to his bike but couldn't help but think about that girl from the bar the other night...Hope. He wondered how much drama she'd be; didn't matter though...he was headed back down South...to home.

XXX

After a final check of trucks and bikes, the Bama crew stood in the TM lot, loaded up and ready to hit the road...well as soon as Bodie got back from the bathroom. TNT looked at his friends and cocked his head. "I think our girl Vix might have found her man. Thinkin' ole Juice might be the ONE. Where everybody at on that? Where's BB at on processing that? Vix is convinced JJ wouldn't approve."

Trace chuckled. "That's cause he wouldn't. Hell old timer, you were shocked and stunned by him few months back at that webcam thing. I ain't got nothin' against the guy... bit tweeky at times but he's no more fucked up than anyone else in his generation. And he's a shit ton better than Preach."

"Thousand times better than Preach." Motor chimed.

Nolan shrugged. "Juice is solid. Crazy as it seems, I think they're good together. She's happy, I'm happy ya know?"

TNT nodded and then asked a slightly harder question just has Bodie walked back into the fold. "What about Jaci and that Tig guy?"

Nolan just shrugged while Bodie frowned. "I don't like it."

Motor rolled his eyes, "You don't like it 'cause you've always had a thing for her and she won't give you the time of day." Bodie shoved him and told him to shut up.

"She loves him." Trace stated with a sigh. "She ain't a dumb girl, we all know that so there's something to it."

"They ain't got a snowball's chance long term...but they're tighter than shit when they're ON." Motor noted. "Hell even when they're OFF, they're still half way ON so who knows."

TNT cracked a smile. "Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em."

"Amen." Bodie quipped. "And what I can't live without right now is some downhome Alabama pussy. Let's hit the road!" He looked at Motor expectantly. "Can I sing it now?"

Motor rolled his eyes again but nodded. Bodie grinned and burst into song, "EASTbound and down, loadin' up and truckin!"

XXX

Around 4:30 that afternoon, Juice called Vix, telling her to come to TM and see the new sign for the salon. She called Jaci on the way and her sister agreed to meet her there. As they arrived in their respective vehicles, it was clear the garage was shutting down for the day. Most of the guys were standing around talking in small groups with Gemma and Tara in the midst.

"Ok, let's see the masterpiece!" Vix called as she walked toward where Juice was standing. She rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

Juice smiled at her and pulled a tarp away in dramatic fashion, revealing the sign underneath. It was huge. Twisted Scissors was spelled out, each letter made from thick ropes of metal that had been twisted and welded together. In the middle of the sign, between the two words, was a pair of scissors that had been made in the same fashion.

"Holy shit!" Vix exclaimed, a huge grin spreading across her face.

"Now...it doesn't light up like your old one." Juice cautioned. "But we might be able to..."

"I don't care. This one is SO much better!" Vix replied as she ran her fingers along the sign and pictured it above her salon.

Jaci looked at the sign and nodded in agreement. "Wow...that is...awesome."

"Thank you, baby!" Vix grabbed Juice, smacking his lips with a big kiss.

Juice grinned and accepted her small assault of affection but soon came clean. "Well, you're welcome and everything...but I didn't really make it." He pointed behind Vix. "Tig did it."

"What?" Vix said with a frown. "Seriously?" She turned and looked at Tig. "You made this...for me?"

Tig just shrugged and nodded ever so slightly, not happy having the spotlight shining on him for somewhat noble reasons. He stared at his feet and then ventured a glance at Jaci, who wore a confused but happy smile. He stared at his feet again. Goddamnit, why's everybody staring at me like that.

Vix's face softened as the weight of Tig's thoughtfulness hit her. "Aww...Tigger. Thank you!" Before he could protest, Vix launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and planting a loud kiss on his cheek.

"OFF! Goddamnit, OFF!" Tig growled and Vix let go of him, laughing...along with everyone else that was gathered around.

It was a fun, light moment and after the laughs died down, everyone returned to their little groups. Vix and Juice stood by Jax and Tara. Clay and Gemma stood a few feet away with Bobby. Tig and Opie had wandered away by the bikes.

Jaci watched as Tig fired up a cigarette and shook his head, a slight smile on his lips as he said something to Opie. She gave a nod to Tara and then walked to the row of bikes. Chibs caught her eye and waved as he headed to park a van in the lot, getting it set for working on tomorrow. She waved back and was thankful he hadn't seen the Parker affection attack on Tig, he would have NEVER let Tig live that down. As she looked at Tig, she smiled. She knew he was embarrassed...never had liked taking any credit for doing something good. "Hey...thanks for the sign."

Tig pointed his finger at her in warning. "You jump me like your sister did, I'll put you on your ass."

Op snorted a laugh that drew Tig's attention. "What are you laughin' at, asshole? You should be thankin' me...I didn't let 'em know you HELPED with the goddamn sign."

"Oooh, you helped?" Jaci asked Opie with a grin. "Do you want attacked?"

Opie held his hands up in mock surrender. "Naw...I'm good." Jaci jerked like she was going to jump him and he took an automatic step backwards. The trio laughed but the happy moment was cut short when a deafening explosion erupted a second later. The concussion of the blast temporarily rocked everyone's senses and they all seemed to be looking at one another, frozen for a second, trying to figure out what had happened.

The flames pouring from the van in the parking lot grabbed everyone's attention at the same time.

"Oh shit!" Jax mumbled then screamed, "CHIBS!"

~ To be continued

Musical Selections:

Vix and Jaci's revenge: Sabotage, Beastie Boys

BOLTS explanation: No Stranger to the Rain, Keith Whitley

Tig and Jaci morning after:

Tell me Lies, Fleetwood Mac

Been in Love Before, Cutting Crew

We also put up a pic of Juice's mama over in our fic folder at TigNation.