Living with the Club

The Culling

"Babe, I need to be at the club in less than an hour. Start getting up" Juice says, shaking her a bit.
She does as he asks, rolling out of bed. She pulls two duffle bags out.
"Pack me one?"
"I was planning on it" she says.
She fills them with clothes and toiletries.
She pulls on yoga capris and a cut-off then throws her hair in a bun.
"How great do I look?" She asks sarcastically.
"Beautiful as ever. You almost ready?" He answers distantly.
"2 more minutes."
She slips on shoes and grabs her labtop and chargers.
"Okay. Now I am."

By 10, the club is completely locked down and everyone was crowded into the clubhouse.
Veronica sits on the couch beside Lyla, waiting to see what is next.
Tigs whistles, "everybody! Listen up!" He shouts and the room goes quiet.
Attention turns to Clay.
"I want to welcome you all to the club reaper. I'm glad you made your reservations early because as you can see we are booked to capacity. You're here because you're family. And because SAMCRO takes care of its own. Next couple of days, this club's got some business to handle that could put our members and those connected to us in unfriendly situations. Now chances are, nothing's gonna happen but people have already been hurt on my watch. And that ain't ever gonna happen again. Nobody gets in, nobody leaves without an escort. You got a safety concern, you talk to Piney. You got a comfort concern, you talk to my queen. Under this roof, you will all be safe. Want you to make yourself at home. I love all of ya."
People clap.
Juice and Veronica's eyes meet.

Juice goes to his room in the clubhouse to say goodbye to Veronica. He finds her, curled in a ball.
"Are you ready for all this shit to blow over?" He asks.
She sits up, looking at him.
"Can you tell?"
He nods.
"Going to see Zobelle's right hand man."
He gives her a deep, quick kiss.
"Be safe, babyluv" she says, trying a new nickname that she had read in Lisey's Story by Stephen King.
He smiles, "I like that."
He turns to leave.
"I'm serious, Juice. Be safe."
"I'll do my best."
They left it at that.
Veronica wanders to the garage.
She stares at the Chevy, seeing herself driving it. She was sick of the motorcycle if she wanted to be on a bike, she had Juice for that. She wanted her own car.
She sits in the drivers side.
She leans the chair back and just sits there, wondering how the Zobelle thing is going to play out.
She eventually falls asleep.

Veronica awakes because she feels herself being carried.
"What happened with Zobelle" she mumbles as Juice lays her down on his bed.
He begins to strip down go his boxers and she slides off her yogas.
"Well?" She asks as he lays beside her.
"Clay had his fucking gun to Zobelles head but Hale showed up. Uncer talked him down. Then Zobelle yelled that he had possession of illegal narcotics. He's now comfortably sitting in a cell, contemplating how he's gonna get out of this one. That mother fucker."
Veronica sighs, Juice wouldn't stop until he got his revenge regardless of what she said.
He pulled her close.
"Maybe It's better this way."
"Are you kidding?"
She shrugs not wanting to get into it.
"Veronica. Are you kidding?"
"Juice, we really don't need to talk about it right now."
"Veronica Fugal."
"Juan Carlos Ortiz."
He groans frustratedly.
"I don't need justice or revenge because I don't care anymore."
"Yeah, well nobody walks into my town and fucks my love. I need revenge to make my point."
She sighs heavily.
"You don't need to agree with me."
"Okay" she says.
"I do want to know that you have my back."
"Always. I always have your back."
He kisses her neck.
"Babyluv" he says.
"King."
"Queen."
"Badass biker."
"Perfect nerd."
"Nerd?"
"Yeah, nerd."
"Hate."
"Why?"
"I'm not nerdy!"
"You're super nerdy."
She gives him the silent treatment.
Although she isn't really mad.
"Baby?"
She doesn't say anything.
"I know you aren't actually mad" he mumbles, kissing her favorite spot on her neck and she gasps.
She can feel his smile against her neck.
His kisses travel up her face and now she was into it.
"Say you aren't mad" he whispers.
"Make me."
He continues kissing her neck, teasing her.
"Okay, fine. I'm not actually mad" she smiles, pulling him close.
He laughs, getting on top of her.
Juice pulls off her shirt.
Veronica kisses him, running her fingers over his Mohawk.

Veronica and Juice are intertwined, both still wide awake.
"I've been thinking."
"About?"
"Clay. His daughter was raped and he didn't say one word but his step son does. That's bullshit."
"He's really focused on his old lady."
"Juice, I'm his daughter though. There should be room for both of us."
"Don't get to worked up over it, he's got a lot going on."
She wanted Juice to be on her side.
"Do you have cigarettes?"
"You don't smoke?"
"I want one."
"Why?"
"Juice" she says, ignoring his why.
"No. I'm not giving you one, it's a terrible habit."
She scoffs, sliding out of bed and throwing on a long shirt and a thong.
He was allowed to smoke but she couldn't. She didn't understand that logic.
"Baby" he calls as she steps out into the hall.
She walks out into the hall, walking toward the entrance.
"Roni" a familiar voice calls from the meeting room.
"A word?" She turned and it was Clay talking.
"I suppose" she said, sitting in a chair near Clay.
"I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier. I haven't been a part of your life and it's different having you back here. I'm so sorry that clubs shit affected you in more ways than one. You should have never been.."
"It happened though."
"Believe me, there will be consequences for that. Nobody comes into my town and does this to my family. Nobody."