A/N: How cute was that last chapter? I loved it. I wonder though, when you imagined Opie and Dani dancing, what song came to your mind? I had a song playing while I wrote that scene, but I don't want to say yet, I want to know what came to mind for you.
So many of you have commented on Jax and Dani's sibling relationship. I have studied Jackson (and Opie, and all the characters, lol) a lot through multiple watchings of the show, but also I am drawing from personal experience. I am the only girl with three brothers. The protective moments, the lighthearted teasing, the serious conversations are al infused with personal experience.
I hope you aren't tired of me thanking you, because I love and appreciate every one of you for reading this story. If you haven't yet, please feel free to review and let me know what you think of the story! If you have, you're amazing, I love hearing what you think!
To mixedfictioner- I'm so glad you're enjoying the story and can see yourself coming back to read it a second time! Hearing that is so exciting for me. There will be more interaction with the rest of the MC coming soon! Lol I'm glad you liked the cheese, and yes I'm sure Jax could find some volunteers to help him kick some ass.
To Ghostwriter- Thank you! I'm working hard to bring you all more chapters that I hope you will love. So glad you have you reading along and sharing your thoughts!
To Guest ks- Thank you! I think so too, lol!
To Foreverkee- Thank you, I thought the moment at the end was a cute bit of fluff for a chapter that had more serious moments.
To DutchessTiki- Thank you for your review! I really want the plot of the story to develop naturally, slowly. I'm so glad you're enjoying the build up!
Alright, let's go read this story now…
Chapter Nine
Dani was sitting on the floor of the living room attempting to meditate. She had started one of the guided meditation recordings that her doctor had suggested. She was having trouble staying focused, keeping her mind clear. Her mind kept wandering. 'Breathing…I'm focusing on breathing…breathing breathing breathing… crap my nose itches. Should I ignore it? I'm ignoring it. I'm breathing. God it itches so bad, ok I'm scratching it, that's nice. Why do itches show up at the most inconvenient times. I guess that's life. Nothing happens when its convenient. Crap, breathing. Breathing… Did I water the garden? I think I did, but did I turn off the hose? Crap, I can't remember, I think I-' she was cut off from her mind wanderings by a knock at the door. "Thank God," she muttered. She made a mental note to tell the doctor she didn't think meditation was for her as she climbed off the floor.
She looked through the peephole to see two men wearing suits standing on the other side of the door. "Who is it?" She called out, tensing.
"Federal Agents, Ma'am," came the reply.
Dani sighed. Chief Unser had told her investigators would be in touch now that she had resurfaced but she had been dreading this. Reluctantly, she opened the door.
"Can I help you?" She asked.
"My name is Agent Greene, this is Special Agent Johnson, are you Danielle Teller?" he asked. Agent Green was of average height and build with a receding hairline and wire-framed glasses. Agent Johnson was taller, 6'1" or so, with short dark hair, brown eyes and broad shoulders.
"Yes." Dani responded.
"Ms. Teller, we are with the FBI. We've been assigned to investigate your kidnapping. We'd like to ask you some questions, would you mind if we come in? Agent Green asked.
Dani did mind. She did not know these men and did not trust them even if they were FBI, and she was home alone. "I'm sorry, I'm in the middle of something, perhaps we could meet down at the police station later today." She suggested.
Agent Johnson stepped forward, too close for Dani's comfort and she took a step back. The man took advantage of the space she had created and shouldered by her, entering the house, followed by Agent Greene. "We only have a few questions for you. This won't take long." Agent Johnson said.
Dani stayed near the open door, wanting to have a quick escape path. "What do you want to know?" she asked tersely.
"According to the information you gave Charming PD, you were being held by more than one person and were relocated several times, correct?" Agent Greene asked.
"Yes."
"Can you tell us how many?"
"Several." Dany said tightly, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Did you overhear any names, or could you describe any of them to us?" Agent Greene tried again.
"They would drug me at times. I don't remember a lot very clearly, and what I do remember is very difficult for me to discuss. I've met with a psychiatrist. She's diagnosed me with PTSD, I'm working with her to get a handle on the symptoms and address what happened to me, but we've only just begun, I'm afraid that I wont be much help to you at the moment." She told them, stretching the truth of those statements just a little. She wanted the agents to leave. She wanted to call Jax, but her phone was on the kitchen counter and she would have to walk by the agents to get too the kitchen; she couldn't let her put them between her and the exit.
"Do you recall if your kidnappers ever mentioned the Sons of Anarchy?" Agent Johnson asked.
"What? No, why would they have?" Dani asked startled.
"Do you have any reason to think that you may have been targeted because of your family's affiliation with the Sons? Or that the Sons themselves may have been somehow involved?" Agent Johnson pressed further.
"Of course not!" She replied. "What would a bunch of guys who ride Harley's have to do with me being kidnapped. I think you shou—"
"Are you aware of any illegal activities that the Sons of Anarchy might be involved in?" Agent Johnson interrupted.
"You need to leave. Now." Dani demanded.
She stared at the agents, and after a moment they both began walking towards the door. Agent Greene walked by her and out the door, but Agent Johnson paused in front of her. "We'll be in touch." He said.
"You can direct any further questions to my family's attorney, David Rosen." She told him, refusing to step back this time when he again invaded her personal space. Instead she met his glare, and clenched her fists, preparing to strike if he came any closer. He did not, he simply grimaced and continued by her out the door. She shut and bolted the door before hurrying into the kitchen to grab her phone. Her hands trembled as she dialed Jax's number and listened to it ring. There was no answer. She tried Opie, and then Gemma, neither of them answered. She grabbed the phone book and looked up the number for the garage. She cried out in frustration when there was no answer there either. She tried Jax one more time. When there was still no answer she began pacing. "Fuck this," she told herself and went into her room, grabbing her bag and car keys. She looked out the window to make sure there was no sign of the FBI agents and left, locking the door behind her. She climbed into her truck and started to drive.
She pulled into TM before she knew it, not bothering to pull into a space before throwing the truck into park. Her hands were still shaky, and she was struggling to control her breathing. She couldn't have been sitting there for more than a minute or two before Jax was at her door. "What are you doing here?" Jax asked as he opened the door to the truck. "I thought we agreed that you weren't going to drive til we got you your license."
Dani jumped out of the truck and gave him a shove. "Unless it was an emergency, asshole! Where the hell were you? I called you! I called Opie, I called Gemma, I called the garage. I couldn't reach anybody!" She shoved at him again.
"What's going on?" he asked her.
"Something happened, and I fucking needed to talk to you!" She went to shove him again, but he stopped her, grabbing her hands.
"I'm sorry you couldn't reach us. Gemma is gone today and the rest of us were handling some shit for the club, we just wrapped up. Now calm down, come inside and talk to me." Jax said as he gently, but quickly pulled her into the club house. Dani had never been inside, and while she was normally alert in new places, taking in each detail, the people, and the quickest way out, she barely registered her surroundings or the other club members loitering about. Her brain did register that Opie was there, sitting at a table. She pulled her hand away from Jax and took a few steps away from him and began pacing.
"Dani, talk to me. Tell me what happened." Jax said.
"The FBI showed up at the house today to talk to me about my kidnapping," Dani said. She became fully aware that nearly every member of the club was there, and they became fully alert as soon as she said FBI.
"We knew they were gonna show up eventually. I'm sorry you were alone when they did. What did they do to get you so worked up Darlin?"
"They showed up, wanted to ask some questions. The one man, Agent Johnson, practically pushed his way into the house," Dani was gesturing wildly as she spoke, "and they asked me if I could remember anything. It's too hard to talk about so I told them no, but then the one guy, the one who pushed his way in started asking all these crazy questions. Asked if my kidnappers ever mentioned the Sons of Anarchy, if it's possible that I was taken because our family is part of the club. I said know but I really fucking need you to tell me that that's impossible Jackson!"
"Dani, that's not true." Jax said in a low, even tone. "Dani, we made sure that wasn't true, the club reached out to everyone back then, friends, enemies, everyone. We looked for you everywhere. If you were taken because of us, we would have gotten threats, or demands. We would have found you."
"Ok, I believe you, but don't you dare fucking say they looked everywhere. Clearly, they fucking didn't." Dani glared at him before resuming pacing. "So after that, the asshole agent asked if someone IN the Sons may have been responsible. Now that one I knew was fucking ridiculous, I know that much. Then he starts to go off in a different direction asking me if I know about any illegal activities the club is involved in."
"What did you say?" This time the question came from Clay, and Dani turned to face him.
"I told them to get the fuck out. I wouldn't even know anything TO tell them. That's just fine by me; I don't want to know, but don't think I'm stupid, I know there's more than Harleys and brotherhood happening here." She turned back to Jax. "I told him if he had any more questions about my case that he should direct them to that lawyer, Rosen. I don't know if that's ok, I know lawyers cost money and shit, but I needed to get them out of the house, the asshole one kept getting too close."
"Too close how? Jax asked.
Dani walked up to him and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him so he was standing inches from her. "I mean he kept coming close, acting all intimidating and shit."
Jax took the opportunity to pull Dani into a hug. "You did good with them Dani, real good. That was smart, sending their questions through Rosen, they won't be able to come at you like that again."
Dani nodded, relieved. Dani pulled back from Jax's hug, she still had too much nervous energy flowing through her to be comfortable, even with Jax. She finally acknowledged that all eyes were on her. "Hey guys," she said sheepishly.
"Alright, Dani, you need to relax. Why don't you come sit down and we will get you a drink?" Jax said guiding her to the table where Opie sat.
"I don't want to sit down," Dani told him quietly.
"We can go stand at the bar and have a drink instead," he offered, and Dani nodded. Jax turned to Opie and jerked his head, indicating for him to join them and he led Dani to the bar with Opie trailing behind them.
"Wait. Did you mean a drink, drink?" Dani asked, "I've never had a drink." She told him.
"Really? Well let me get you your first. Prospect!" Jax called out to a young man standing behind the bar and ordered three shots of whiskey. Shot glasses were soon placed in front of Opie, Dani, and Jax.
"Wait," Dani said as Jax and Opie each reached for their drink. "I don't know if I'll like it. I… the people who took me, they used to drug me, I think they hoped that I would like it and listen to them more, but I didn't, I hated it. It made me feel sick, feel nothing. This won't do anything like that, will it?" she asked.
"If you drank too much, too fast, it'll make you sick. We won't let that happen. One shot here will help take the edge off those nerves, darlin, and then we'll get you one drink. You won't want to drink that one too fast. You don't have to drink if you don't want, we can get you something else. Just thought it might help after the day you've had."
Dani nodded and reached for the shot glass. Jax and Opie raised their glasses and Dani followed suit before downing the shot in one gulp, wincing as it burned it's way down her throat. Jax and Opie chuckled at her crinkled face and Jax got her another drink. He told her it was the same whiskey from her shot, mixed with Coke. Dani took a small sip and nodded. It was much easier to drink this way, almost pleasant. Jax told her he would be right back and left her with Opie as he and Clay stepped into a room off the bar.
Dani turned to Opie and gave him a small smile. "Hey," she said.
Opie returned her smile, though she could still see the concern in his eyes. "How are you doing?" He asked her.
The shot HAD helped ease her nerves, and she climbed onto the barstool next to her. "Better, I think. I'm so used to literally working through it when stuff like this comes up that it feels weird to not be doing anything with my hands right now." She admitted.
Opie nodded. "If you think you are ok with moving over to one of the tables now that you're a little less jittery, I can grab a couple of the other guys and we can play a game of cards. Give you something to focus on. Plus, you can get to know the guys a little better."
Dani thought for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, that sounds ok. You'll stay with me wont you?"
Opie reached over and squeezed her hand. "Yeah, I'll stay with you."