Knocking On Death's Door (J. Ortiz) (au)

Chapter Twenty Seven

     It didn't take long for the pizza to arrive. Persephone paid for the pizza, even though none of the guys were happy about it. It was almost as though she had emasculated them or something.

"Y'know, even though we're good," Chibs sighed,"There's no way you can be a member again." He said, and Juan Carlos nodded.

"I don't want to do this shit anymore," He replied,"I got a good thing going. Percy and I are happy, and the kids are great. I wouldn't wanna put them in the spot where they don't know if I'm coming home, if I'm in prison again, or if I'm dead. I couldn't do that to them."

     Chibs clapped his hand down on Juan Carlos's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. Tig and Juan Carlos then carried his boxes out to Percy's car, as Chibs helped her get up out of the chair. He then helped her into her car, before collapsing her knee scooter to put in the backseat.

"Don't be a stranger." Chibs commented,  and Percy simply gave him a smile.

     Percy normally only took one pain killer, but she had been hurting so bad that she had taken both. She was having a little trouble focusing while driving, but Juan Carlos kept her talking and alert. She knew it was very wrong of her to be driving under the influence, but she had to get them home, and Juan Carlos didn't have a license. She knew he was more likely to get pulled over than her, and she really didn't feel like watching him go back to prison, or her for that matter, considering she was cloudy from stuff that wasn't hers, and she couldn't prove was hers.

     Anyhow, once they got home, Juan Carlos helped her inside. He brought her to the guest room, and set out new pajamas for her to put on. Fran would be over later to help her bathe, but for now, all she could do was change her clothes. Alek refused to help her bathe, and Juan Carlos felt that it would be awkward for her, since they hadn't been together very long to see each other naked.

"You mind if I go through the stuff in here with you?" He asked, after she had changed her clothes,"I'd rather not go through it alone."

"Go ahead," She answered,"and please keep everything you want to keep. I'm not going to make you get rid of anything."

     The first box was simply socks, underwear, and a few pairs of gloves and a few beanies. The next box had pants and shirts in them, as well as a belt and his only three pairs of footwear, two sets of boots and a pair of sneakers. He never wore the sneakers, but he had them incase he needed them.

"We need to get you some more shoes." Percy commented, causing Juan Carlos to chuckle.

"You want a couple of the shirts?" He asked,"I know you're more comfortable in nightgowns after your showers recently, and I figure you only have a couple of nightgowns, so..."

"Yeah, that'd be nice." She replied, making him grin boyishly.

     The next box had all the random crap he had on his dresser at the clubhouse, including pictures of his mom and sister, and a few of the club and things like that. There was also a small box with the keys to his bike, and the only chain her ever owned, which he had gotten from his mother years ago.

"I don't need these anymore," He murmured,"I'm never riding again."

"You still have your bike?" She asked, and he nodded.

"It's at the clubhouse with the guys," He answered,"I'm going to send them the keys, and have them sell it or scrap it."

"Before you do that," She grabbed his arm,"What about bringing it here?" She suggested, making him raise an eyebrow,"You can buy stuff for it, and you can rebuild it and paint it to look like a new bike. Maybe...maybe it can be something you and Leo do when he gets a little older."

"You think so?" He asked, feeling a little unsure,"You think he'd want to do that with me?"

"Yeah," She replied,"I think it could be yours and his thing." She added, causing a large smile to appear on his face again.

     Juan Carlos then pulled out a couple more boxes from inside the box. One box held cash, which must have been what he had left, and he was surprised that it had still been there. He made a mental note to start two small piggy banks for the kids with the money and do some good with it. In the other box was is shiny weapon that he hadn't used in a while.

"I gotta get rid of this," He said,"It's not safe here, not to mention it's against my parole."

"I'll send it with Alek to sell it," She replied,"He'll get rid of your prints. It's safe to assume it's not in your name, is it?" She questioned, and he shook his head, no, it wasn't in his name.

     The very last box he opened had a couple flannels, a Harley Davidson tapestry he'd hang for Leo with the bike, as well as his kutte. His heart hammered in his chest as he held the leather in his hands. He had to dispose of it, but he was going to do it his way.

"Will you come outside with me?" He asked, causing her to furrow her eyebrows.

"What are we doing?" She asked, as she let him help her get out of bed.

"I'm going to burn it," He replied,"I'm going to properly say goodbye to that part of my life forever."

     Percy followed him outside, and watched as he started a small fire in the fire pit. She then watched as he tossed the leather into the fire, and it slowly began to burn. His eyes slightly watered, and Percy wrapped her arm around his and placed her head on his shoulder. Though he hated that part of his life at this point, that didn't mean it didn't hurt saying goodbye to the past forever...