A/n: This takes place prior to the start of season 1. I will change most of the storyline so this is original, other than the characters.
Chapter 1: Chronically Cautious
Overloaded serial stresser, I'm sitting nauseous,
Panic on a loop in my head, I'm chronically cautious
How can I get off this?
The sounds of air compressors and banging from the garage filled the parking lot of Teller-Morrow. But the normal sounds were quickly disrupted by a loud squealing growing louder. A 98 Toyota Corolla pulled into the parking lot, and the sound was deafening. Smoke billowed from the front of the car, and it eventually died out about two hundred feet from the door. A few of the guys from the garage poked their heads out to check it out as a young woman jumped out of the car. Curses flew from her mouth as she ran her hands through her fiery red hair. She was petite, only reaching five foot one, dressed in all-black scrubs.
"Mother fucker!" she yelled, slamming her fist down on the hood.
"Ya ok, lass?" a Scottish accent broke her fit of rage, and she turned on her heel to see two men approaching her. One was older than her with scarring on his face. The other, a man her age with a faux hawk and tribal tattoos on his head.
"This piece of junk started making some noise. I was hoping to get it looked at." The guy with the fauxhawk walked up to the hood of the car. "Do you mind popping the hood?" The woman opened the car door, reaching to pull the hood latch. While he lifted the hood and began to inspect the car, the older man reached out to the woman.
"Hi Lass, I'm Chibs." The woman eyed his hand before reaching out to shake it.
"Josephine," she responded. After she let go of his hand, she stuffed her hands into her scrub pockets.
"Radiator is shot. Along with needing a timing belt and some other work," the younger guy said, shutting the car's hood before walking around it. "Should take us a couple of days." The woman groaned, running her hands through her hair.
"Any chance you can do it today?" she asked, "I gotta get my kids from the sitter."
"Sorry sweetheart, but gonna take us a few days to get the parts an' fix it," Chib said.
"Thanks, um.."Josephine trailed off as the younger guy smiled.
"Juice."
"Thank, Juice," Josephine nodded, her eyes sweeping over his face.
"Follow me into the office; I'll get it written up." Josephine reached into the car to grab her bag, slamming the door behind her.
"Just my fucking luck," she muttered as she followed Juice. Once inside the office, an older woman looked up from her desk.
"Hey Gemma," Juice started, "She's gonna need a radiator and timing belt replaced on her car." Gemma nodded, eyeing the woman before turning back to her computer. After a few minutes, Gemma looked back at her, "Looking at least a grand for parts and labor." Josephine muttered a slew of curse words under her breath, causing Gemma to raise a brow and glance at Juice. Rubbing a hand over her face, Josephine looked down, "How much would just a tow back to my place cost?"
"Sweetheart, towing it to your place won't get it fixed," Gemma said casually.
"Yeah, I, um, I know," Josephine began to wring her hands together, "But I don't have that kind of money to fix it."
"Suit yourself. It'll be $150 for the town," Gemma said before returning to the computer. Josephine wrote down the address and turned to walk out the door but stopped quickly, turning back.
"Any chance I can use our phone?" Narrowing her eyes, Gemma nodded, turning the office phone to the woman.
"Thanks," she said quietly, picking up the receiver. Dialing the number, she played with the cord while waiting for the person to pick up.
"Hey yeah, It's Jo…I, um, I…I won't be in tonight…Nah, car's broken down. Yeah, I'll check with you tomorrow…Thanks, bye." Hanging up the receiver, she shot Gemma a small smile, "Thanks." Turning to walk out the door, she headed for her car.
"Don't charge her for the tow," Juice said to Gemma before following her out of the office. He jogged lightly to catch up to her, watching as she pulled two infant car seats and their bases out of the backseat.
"Hey, thought you said you'd have to pick up your kids," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. Josephine put the car seats on the ground and pulled back her hair into a loose bun.
"Yeah, it's fine." She shifted her bag on her shoulder before reaching to pick up the car seats. "I'll figure it out."
"How old are your kids?"
"Three months old."
"Shit, and you work nights?" Josephine nodded, not sure what he was getting at.
"Their dad watch them when you work?" Juice asked. He didn't know why he was curious, but the cold look on Josephine's face told him it was a touchy subject.
"No, um…Actually, one of my coworkers watches them. She works Mondays and Wednesdays; I work Tuesdays and Thursdays. We alternate weekends. So it works out." Juice nodded, reaching into his kutte for his cigarettes. Taking one out of the pack and putting it between his lips, he lit it before holding out the pack. Josephine hesitated before cursing under her breath.
"Why the fuck not," she said aloud, taking a cigarette out of the pack. Juice passed her his lighter, watching her light it up and take a long drag.
"Fuck, I forgot how much I missed smoking, " she laughed. Juice smiled as she passed him back his lighter. Tucking it back into his kutte, he took a drag.
"Thought nurses weren't supposed to smoke?" The smirk on his face made Josephine roll her eyes while a smile crept across her face.
"I quit when I found out I was pregnant." She paused, looking him over. "How'd you know I was a nurse?" He motioned to her scrub top, and she looked down, realizing she still had her St Thomas badge on.
"Ahh, I gave myself away." Juice offered a slight shrug, and she shook her head. Looking around the lot, she took in the bikes and the kuttes. When her boss first recommended Teller-Morrow to look at her car, this wasn't the scene she expected. Not in a quiet town like Charming.
"Leave the car." Juice's words broke through her thoughts, and her eyes quickly shot to his face.
"What?"
"Leave the car. We'll fix it." She shook her head and finished her cigarette before stubbing it out with her sneaker.
"No, it's fine. Just tow it back to my place and I-" She stopped. As much as she wanted to say she'd figure it out, she couldn't. "I can't pay for the car to be fixed."
"Listen, we can figure something out." Josephine gave him a look much similar to Gemma's classic look. He sighed, "I'm not gonna let a single mom worry about that. You got enough on your plate." She looked down at the ground and started wringing her hands again.
"Payment plan?" she asked when she looked back up. Juice nodded before stubbing out his cigarette.
"If that'll help you sleep at night, sure. But don't worry about it."
"Thanks, um... seriously." She reached down to pick up the car seats, but Juice beat her to it.
"Let me drive you home."
"No, it's fine. You're already doing enough," Josephine reached for the car seats, but he stepped back. "I still need to get my kids at the sitter and everything. Fixing the car is enough."
"Pretty sure Gemma would kill me if you walked out of here with these right now to go get your kids." The smirk on his face made her heart flutter. He continued, "Let me drive you to get your kids, and I'll drop you off. Scouts honor." Deep down, she knew there was no way he would accept any answer other than yes. She nodded, shifting the bag on her shoulder.
"Thanks Juice." He jerked his head in a motion saying follow me and headed towards the Cadillac in the parking lot. He put the car seats down and turned towards Josephine, "Hold tight for a second." Turning, he jogged back into the office. After a few minutes, he walked back to the Cadillac and unlocked it. They each took a car seat to buckle in the back seat before hitting the road. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Josephine turned to look at the biker.
"Didn't take you as a Cadillac guy." Juice glanced over at her, a light laugh rumbling in his chest.
"Can't exactly fit car seats on my bike. This is Gemma's." Josephine's face paled. Gemma was intimidating as hell, and Juice had taken her car to drive a charity case home.
"Well, tell her I said thanks," she muttered.
/
After picking up the twins, Josephine gave Juice directions back to her house. Not only was her friend highly suspicious, but she knew she had to tell her the story the next time she saw her. They pulled up in front of a small, run-down house.
"This is it." She quickly jumped out of the car and started to undo one of the car seats. Juice followed her and undid the other car seat, carrying the sleeping baby to the porch. He watched as she undid the locks on the door and opened it, carrying the seat into the house. Placing it on the floor in the living room, she turned to see Juice had followed her into the house with her other baby. He put the car seat down and looked around.
"Thanks again, you really didn't have to," she said quietly.
"I know," he said with his famous grin. "I'll keep you updated with the car." Josephine nodded, dropping her bag down on the couch. Juice had turned to walk to the door, stopping at the threshold. He looked over his shoulder, "Nice to meet you neighbor." Quirking an eyebrow, she stared at him with a confused look.
"I live a few houses down. If you need anything, call." And with that, he walked out, shutting the door behind him, leaving Josephine standing there with her mouth slightly open. He's my fucking neighbor, she thought to herself.
/
When Juice returned to Teller-Morrow, he walked back into the office and placed Gemma's keys on the desk.
"What was that about?" Gemma asked him, an eyebrow quirked.
"Couldn't let her walk to get her kids."
"Yeah I know, but offering to fix her car?" Juice shrugged, "My mom was a single parent. I know what she struggled with. Felt like the right thing to do." Nodding, Gemma smirked, "Helps that she's cute too, right?" Juice laughed, giving a slight nod.
"Yeah, I guess," he said before walking to the door.
"She didn't leave her number to call when the car's all set." He stopped to turn around and quickly replied over his shoulder, "Don't worry about that. I'll let her know."