Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from "Sons of Anarchy." They are the property of Kurt Sutter and Fox Network. No money is changing hands in the writing, reading or distribution of this story.

Chapter 36

Joss waited until Lauren and Lauren were out of earshot, and so had Opie, further confirming it had been her he'd wanted, standing there beside her in silence until both of the girls were well across the garage lot. Then he'd looked down at her, like there was nothing out of place in any of this.

"How's the finger?" He asked, and even though there was nothing threatening in his demeanor, there was a little twist of something in his words, some strange inference of something private he was trying to remind her that they'd shared.

One of the clubs that Joss had been owned by used to fight their hangarounds and sometimes old ladies too, sort of like how some assholes fought dogs; there was betting along with punishments for the losers. Joss had only avoided being thrown into the ring because she was "one of the pretty ones," and was more valuable luring in men and money on the street than she was fighting another girl. She'd always been grateful for that, but right now, she felt every bit ready to climb into that ring! She looked up at Opie, thinking of Tig, and feeling stronger than she'd ever felt. "Shut up!"

Opie laughed a little, but stood un-moveable. "Sounds like you're talking to me now."

"Don't get used to it." She answered, her eyes narrowing. "What's with you? That's all I want to fucking know."

"Maybe I'm tired of watching Trager shred up little girls like you and eat them on top of his cereal," Opie's tone was amped up now, but it still didn't match her own viciousness, but he was leaning over a little more, accentuating the fact that she was in no way a physical match for him, or possibly even Tig should something be witnessed and reported back to her man now. Being caught alone with Opie, whom she had no permission to be talking to, was an even graver offense than having written "TRGR" behind her first initial.

But Joss didn't care, she knew well what she was getting into the moment she'd decided to hang back and confront Opie. She was shaking her head, her blood passed boiling, just turning to steam in her veins. She was so fucking tired of everyone around her assuming they knew Tig better than she did, or understood what their relationship really was and really couldn't ever be, despite what impression Tig obviously had her under. And now here stood Opie, the knife that kept moving nearer and nearer to plunging through the heart of what she knew she had with Tig, telling her that it was all nothing anyway. Oh God damn it, she wanted to just grab that scraggily beard and rip his head off. "Assuming that you're correct, because I'm sure you're the utmost authority on everything Tig does and why he does it, why is that even any concern of yours?"

"I know what he does to people!" Opie nearly yelled that time. "I know first hand!" He was pointing to the stitches still in his face, but Joss had some odd sense that he'd been insinuating more than just the sutures. He paused long enough to take a deep breath, like he was trying to settle something inside him. "I was trying to look out for you, didn't want you to end up lying dead in the street some day."

"Bullshit!" Joss did know it when she heard it, she had been around. This guy was working something on her, or trying to, and she wouldn't give up until she figured it out. "Tig owns me, I'm his, and what he does with me, or to me, is his business, not yours. You don't have the right to be worried about something you don't own!"

"What are you, about nineteen? Eighteen?" Obviously he wasn't going to abandon this 'concerned citizen' bullshit. He may have been spouting 'concern,' but his eyes were mean and level. "You're too young to even have that patch on your back, you have no idea what could be out there for you, and now you never will."

"Then that's my problem, not yours!" Whatever he was trying to sway her towards, Joss wasn't going. Opie was just one more know-it-all, telling her Tig was a mistake.

"You don't even know what your problem is. You don't know what he's capable of taking away!" His voice was growing louder, but not so loud that anyone passing by might notice. He looked at Joss with some kind of hurt in his eyes that she hadn't expected to see, like he was pleading with her to believe him, and for a moment, she felt herself want to understand…which quickly snapped in two and made her angrier with him, and herself.

She didn't lose it, not quite, but she damn sure felt something slip, take her over for a moment, and she charged at Opie, hitting him in the chest with two balled up fists full of claws, screaming in a high pitched wail. "What do you want?"

Initially Opie was shocked to have her just come at him like that, from out of nowhere, but then when Joss lost it, it just seemed to spring from nowhere…which was part of the reason she was so afraid of it. But before she'd been able to do any real damage to him, as if she could have through the black leather he wore, Opie had just stepped back from her, looked at her and started to laugh as if he knew something she didn't. "So that's it?" He smiled, like he was genuinely amused now and no longer caught off guard. "You really are a smart girl, aren't you Joss? Throw the first punch, so I'll have to defend myself, smack you around a little and then you have something to take back to Tig, which gives him every right to take me out, no questions asked?" Joss was quiet, too angry to talk, she just stood there, watching him chuckle again and hating him even more now than she did before. Opie just smiled and sighed at her though. "Not a bad plan; very self sacrificing too. But sorry, I'm smarter than that."

Joss heard herself growl and the rage inside her shook her body like she was going to lunge at him again, but this time, she stood still, glaring up at Opie, even more undaunted now than before, realizing she wouldn't win this, not tonight, but she would win...she'd end this…forever. "If Tig doesn't take you out, I will!"

Opie stiffened at her promise, looked at her daringly, but there was a petrifying element of fear in his stare that wasn't for himself. "Take it easy," he said to her in that serious, level tone of voice again, but then his eyes shifted downwards. "My fight's not even with you."

"Then why are you always fucking with me?" She demanded, a little more in control now, but no less infuriated, thinking for only the second time in her life how good it would feel to actually let herself slip under control of that dark madness, and let Opie face the crazed, slashing, biting thing he'd been prodding at for so long now. But it wouldn't have been what Joss wanted, and it wouldn't have ended things; Opie would be the only one with marks on him, and that was counter to the evidence she would need to present to Tig and the club…but Opie had been smart enough not to fall for that. Joss was trapped; there was nothing else she could do, not tonight. She didn't know how, she didn't know when…but eventually…this would be over. Opie was her problem, a problem she was unable to tell anyone about, just like her father had been.

Opie looked up at her; something in his expression was a little different. "Because there are a lot of guys out there who will treat you better than Tig will." He said; his eyes on hers, lingering there just a little too long, his voice still flatly serious and a little bit exasperated too. "And maybe I'm one of them."

Chapter 36; Part 2

Joss was a little more herself after she'd gone over to talk to the new girls, was exactly herself when she'd dragged them over to ask about going over to the lady's room at the garage…there had been a lot more to that request than what it was, and Tig knew it. She hadn't had to kiss him twice, or even bring her new little girlfriends over to where he was…nope, that had all been Joss's subtle way of saying to the Laurens, "Look what I've got!" It had made Tig smile a little; his Joss was showing him off! Hmm…first she wanted his body, then she apologized for not being expressive enough to him and now, she was showing him off…damn…there was just no diminishing, or slipping out of the hold of, this love thing now. Shit, did the "L" word just come forth effortlessly in his head? Well, why the fuck did he keep thinking about shit that was going to prompt its appearance anyway? C'mon…it didn't have to be every waking thought he had, did it? But it was getting to be…and it was even showing up in his dreams too…the other night, he'd dreamt he was playing 'she loves, she loves me not,' only instead of pulling the petals off of the traditional flower, he'd been throwing bologna on the ceiling, and if it stuck, then that was a "she loves me." Maybe that might have alarmed some people, but Tig chalked it up to his fucked up feelings, and his opposition and misgivings over Joss's vegetarianism. Damn that girl…she made him do all kinds of things…in all kinds of ways.

But some of them…well…he hadn't meant to interrupt her bath, but now was a much better time to soothe some of his own worries and also apologize to her for how the whole night had started out. Talking to the new girls had helped her mood immensely, but after they'd all returned to the clubhouse from the garage, something about Joss just was not relaxed, and Tig could only fathom that perhaps she'd been in pain, because of him. Joss's announcement that she was going to take a long, hot bath when they'd arrived home only confirmed his suspicions, and Tig knew he had to somehow make it up to her. She'd left the bathroom door into the bedroom open, so he knew she wouldn't mind if he stuck his head around the corner and said, "Hey," which he did.

She smiled at him but ceased to be just laying there enjoying the hot water, starting to move like she was going to get up. "Sorry, I'm done anyway." She said, reminding him of just how perfect she was; this was not the only bathroom in the house, but if she even thought he wanted her out of this one, she didn't ask why, she just vacated. Sometimes she may get a little snippy, but that wasn't who or what she was and Tig would do his best to remember that from now on.

He shook his head at her, striding over next to the tub and kneeling down. "No, you're cool, take as long as you want."

"Thanks," she smiled at him again, and laid back once more, looking relaxed amid all her green tea and ginger scented bubbles, her black and red hair twisted around itself and pinned up on top of her head, the red and black contrast looking sort of like some tie-dye design. Joss closed her lovely peridot eyes again, and looked like she really did need a long soak in the tub…and that's when Tig realized that he was going to have to make her move again.

"I'm sorry baby, but lean forward a minute," he said, touching the back of her shoulder lightly and then giving a gentle push.

"What?" She asked, a bit like she didn't want to move, but then she smiled as she drew her knees up and leaned her beautiful tits against her thighs. "You coming in?"

The thought was more than appealing, but Tig shook his head. "No, I don't wanna smell all flowery." He said, and he didn't…no one should be able to figure out that there was a woman in his life just by taking a whiff of him. He sighed then looked away from her, remembering. "I wanna see your back for a minute."

"I'm okay," Joss turned her head towards him and smiled warmly. "You did just what you had to, and nothing more than that."

Indeed, there wasn't a mark on her back, not even a little lump that had yet to bruise, and Tig then looked at the place where his hand had shoved her on her chest, but there was nothing there either. "Nothing hurts?" he asked as if he didn't believe his eyes.

"I'm fine," Joss laughed a little as his fingers gingerly walked down her spine, looking for something, anything, that might make her wince. "You wouldn't hurt me, Tig. Not that way, anyhow. I know that, even if you don't."

"Really?" Her faith and trust in him was more than amazing, it bordered on being fantasy. But Joss was nodding at him infallibly.

"Can't you trust me on something and then just go with it?" She laughed, but then her eyes closed and she moaned softly. "That feels good!" She said, and leaned more forward to give his fingers more of her back to press against and rub.

Tig smiled; somehow making her feel good while meaning to ensure he hadn't injured her before made his misplaced aggressiveness easier to let go of. He quickly pushed up the sleeves of his black t-shirt and got more up on his knees to give Joss more of what she said "felt good." It wasn't something he'd ever done for her before, but he owed it to her tonight. He hadn't hurt her, and he wouldn't hurt her, Joss even said so. Things were good between them again, or were pretty damn close at least. "I forgot to tell you, I found you a car."

"You did?" She asked, not overjoyed, but still grateful.

"Yeah, an old Ford Explorer," he said. "Not shiny and new, but it's easy enough to work on, and I won't feel like bitch driving it if I ever need to," he watched Joss's eyes drift closed as he rubbed soft circles up by her neck. "And, it's an automatic, easier for you to learn to drive."

"I know how to drive." She remarked as if they'd been discussing her ability to read or count.

"You don't have a license." He replied, as if reminding her.

"Yeah, but how does not having a little laminated piece of paper make me physically unable to step down on an accelerator and turn a wheel?" Joss laughed. "I caught this prospect skimming his own take out of the 'Silver Wing's' meth, and I blackmailed him into teaching me to drive…I had this escape planned at the time, it was so stupid…won me four broken ribs and an orbital fracture, but no freedom whatsoever."

Tig pretty much knew everything Joss had been through, but still, hearing her talk about it now, what with all the…"L" going on, it made him cringe inside, and wish he could stop it, even though there was nothing to stop anymore. He'd done what he could, when he could, but knowing there were things he couldn't stop, and people he couldn't rescue her from in the past, bothered him to no end in the present. But he didn't want to feel angry right now, or think about Joss being hurt; he'd thought about that enough tonight. "So, you think you can pass the driving test, though?"

Joss smiled. "I can if I get a copy of it to read first, can't I?" She said, and then sighed in a way that made Tig want to make her do it again and again as he slowly moved his hands downwards from her neck. He'd never imagined she could feel as tight and tensed as she did…his poor, perfect, little angel, she'd been under a lot stress. "So, when are you taking me to the DMV?"

He laughed. Yeah, like he was going to the DMV! "I think that sounds like a more enriching experience for Sack."

"Whatever," Joss sighed, not even bothering to ask why. She more slumped forward now than leaned, still reacted to where he touched her, but seemed like she was a little farther away in her mind. "Let's just get it over with."

"Let me get the Explorer fixed first, it needs new spark plugs and I'm not happy with the brakes." He said, beginning to wonder if everything was still okay, particularly when Joss sat up, halting the massage he'd been giving her and looked at him eye to eye.

"Tig, I don't ask you for a lot things, do I?" She wasn't whining it like some put-upon and underappreciated wife, it was an honest question about how spoiled he thought she was, and the answer was simple.

"No," He answered, and put his hands on her back again, rubbing her shoulders now because she wouldn't lean forward. Her head was somewhere he couldn't identify, but Tig knew he wasn't feeling too good about it being wherever that was. "Why are you worried about that? I thought we had that talk about why we're into each other?"

Joss sighed and let his hands all but take the weight of her body as he kneaded her deltoid muscles. "We did, and I love you, and I'd do anything for you, we're good, so don't worry, please!" She smiled at him, but it faded. "There was something I was going to ask you for, but I didn't want to be turning into some privileged bitch who was always demanding something from you."

Tig laughed a little. She was perfect! So perfect! "Joss, if you were anything even close to that, your head would be under this water right now." He promised, reaching over and catching her under her chin, making her look at him. It was rare that Joss asked for anything, usually waited until he asked if she needed anything, and even then, Joss was always so shy to say so. She should have been just the opposite, he'd always imagined she would be…the little rich brat that lived in a mansion…and even later on, after she'd been nearly starved to death by the fucking 'Warlords' who wouldn't let her eat unless she had their permission to, Joss should have insisted that Tig giver her everything in the world, on a silver platter, but no. She was happy with what he had given her. That, and the apology Tig still felt he owed her, despite having miraculously not hurt her tonight, made Tig want to give her whatever she desired. "Now, what do you want? Tell me."

She was a little hesitant to ask, he could tell, but she took a deep breath that seemed to make her stronger in this request as it filled her lungs. She sat straighter now, looking at him like he could make life so much easier for her than it felt like it was. "I want a gun."