Together

65. I thought we were on the same side

You, you would always see the signs
The echoes in my head they rhyme
I felt they never went home at all
Tomorrow is another day that we need
I don't know where I'll be searching for the things I've seen
And I'm a feeling all this things before I go through
All that I do I do for you
-Chad Valley

Shoupe stood outside the Wreck after watching the Maybank man slouch off with his tail between his legs. He took a breath, trying to control his heartbeat after the rush of adrenaline he'd just had. Physically, it wasn't anything really. He'd been in bigger dust ups with perps in the past.

Emotionally though, he felt spent. He'd never felt that level of rage. In the back of his mind he knows it was more fear than anything. Afraid that JJ was about to be assaulted in front of him, that he wouldn't be able to protect him.

He's silently thankful that he responded to Anna's call alone and that the other officers were busy breaking up a party farther into the Cut. His behavior wasn't strictly professional and the last thing he needed was for his fellow deputies to witness it.

He glances towards the doors to the Wreck. He sighs, relieved JJ hadn't followed them out as well. Kid didn't need to see that either.

"Are you alright?" Mike asks. Shoupe turns around. He forgot the Carrera man was with him, again. When he didn't respond, Mike's features softened, shaking his head as his mind worked out something Shoupe had a while ago. "JJ didn't get into a fight at the competition, did he?"

"No, he didn't."

---------------------------------------------------

Inside the Wreck, JJ stands still after he watches Shoupe drag his father out of the establishment. Mike told them to stay inside, not that he could move if he wanted. He felt frozen in his place. What the fuck just happened?

He does want to see what's happening. Wants to know what's going on. Was Luke being arrested? Is Shoupe going to charge him for trespassing or getting handsy with him? Was he going to expect him to give a statement? God no, he couldn't do that. A thousand questions around those lines go through his head as well as the consequences of those decisions.

"Jayj."

His expression of stunned curiosity changes when he hears Kie's voice cut through the scene. He closes his eyes, taking a breath.

She lied to him.

Before he can turn towards her to speak, everyone's attention goes back to the door as Shoupe and Mike reenter the building. JJ eyes Shoupe and looks beyond him before the doors slam shut, watching for a silver haired man, expecting him to be standing in the parking lot, and waiting for him again. He doesn't see him though.

"Mike, is there anything else?" Shoupe asks briskly.

"No, no Vic," Mike says quickly. "Thank you." Shoupe doesn't even nod.

"You," he says, hand gesturing a come-on motion to JJ. "Let's head out."

JJ glances at Kie. She looks terrified and he's not sure if it's from Luke pressuring her for more cash, or going after him again or that fact that he hasn't said a word to her since before Luke showed up.

"You can talk with him later, Kiara," Shoupe says. JJ feels like that's more of a warning to not sneak in his room in the middle of the night then a comment to get him moving out of the Wreck. "Let's go JJ, we got a lot to talk about tonight." Yup, that was definitely a warning.

JJ nods and walks towards the doors without a second glance. Shoupe follows quietly behind him, leaving the Carreras to discuss the events of the night on their own.