Join The Club

Grave

"Thanks again for coming with me you guys." Bayley thanked as her Finn and Xavier piled their things into the van.

"Sure, no problem." Finn smiled. "By the way, my dad wanted me to keep tabs on you but I'm not gonna report anything."

"What was your boyfriends name?" Xavier asked.

"Jimmy." she answered, buckling Rei into the carseat. "I wanted Rei to be closer to him in a way since she never got the chance to meet him."

He furrowed his eyebrows, "Why do you want your sister to be close to your boyfriend?"

Bayley completely forgot that she never told him that Rei wasn't really her sister. "Xavier... I have something to tell you."

He crossed his arms with a childish smile on his face, "Rei's your daughter isn't she?"

"How'd you know?"

"Resemblance."

She and Finn chuckled. "Guess it is kinda noticeable, huh?"

Before they drove off, Jax walked up to them. "I want you guys back by noon on Sunday, got it? Not a minute later. And if anything happens just-"

"Just call you." Bayley finished his sentence. "I got it. Anything else, VP?"

Jax smirked. "That's it. You guys be safe."

"We will." they assured in unison.

The trio backed out of TM and were on their way to HB.

Juice walked out shortly after they left. "Hey." he slid his hands deep into his pockets. "When are they coming back?"

"I told them noon on Sunday." Jax pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He handed the open pack to Juice who accepted the offer. "You feeling alright, Juicy?"

"Yeah." he lied. The truth was that what he learned was eating him up inside. Juice felt that his vote could have made a difference. It would have made a difference. He let his feelings get in the way of his judgement and now he regrets his decision. Bayley deserved to know the truth.

Jax raised his eyebrow. "Look man, I know you feel guilty-"

"I don't." he lied again. Juice didn't want the club to know about his second thoughts. It would be for his reputation. You have to be able to live with what you've done without letting your demons haunt you. "Promise."

Jax shook his head, "You're a god awful liar. But no matter what you can't rat." he put his hand on Juice's shoulder. "It's what's best." Deep down Jax wanted to trust Juice that he wouldn't say anything but he couldn't. He knew Juice had his weaknesses and Bayley was one of them. He knew having him around her was a bad idea. "How about you take sometime to yourself for a while." Jax suggested.

"What? No. I already told you that I'm fine. I don't need-"

"I'm not asking, Juice." Jax flicked his cigarette to the cement and crushed it with his sneaker. "By noon on Sunday, I want you out of here."

"Jax that's when-"

"I know. Can't risk it. I need you to get your priorities straight."

Jax walked off while Juice stood there. A war between truth and lies were going on in his head. He hated how the club knew that he was troubled. Juice wished that he was more like them- living with tons of guilt on their heads but still not breaking. It was almost impossible for him to get on that level. At least that's what the voices in his head told him.
_______________________
-Huntington Beach-

Bayley pulled up to the motel they were staying at. "I'm dropping you guys off. I'm taking Rei with me and we'll be back before it gets dark."

"You're going alone?" Finn rhetorically asked. "We told Jax that we'd keep an eye on you."

"Are you going to report to your dad now or what?" Bayley shot back.

Xavier slapped his hand over his o shaped mouth expression.

"No, I just think you going alone is a bad idea."

Bayley rolled her eyes, "I'm sick of everyone telling me that I can't survive on my own. You people forget that I was basically alone before I even came here."

Xavier grabbed his bags. "Yup. I'm not arguing with you. Have fun Bayley." he hopped out of the van and payed for the room with the money that Bayley gave him. Finn stared at Bayley then shook his head before following Xavier inside the motel room.

Bayley sighed. Finn didn't deserve how rude she was being to him. She wasn't used to people being protective of her. This was what it was like when people actually cared about you.

After about 15minutes, Bayley pulled up to the cemetery. The clouds were parting to where the sunshine beamed in a diagonal direction, landing upon one grave. It was as if God knew that Jimmy's family was here to see him.

Bayley got out of the van and unbuckled Rei from the carseat. She started getting fussy. "Shhhhh, it's okay. We're going to see daddy." she sang in a cooing voice.

Bayley walked over to the grave, with Rei observing her surroundings while she was in her mommy's arms. Before they went to the cemetery, Bayley picked up some orchids from the store. Those were her and Jimmy's favorite flower.

Bayley sat down at the tombstone. She let Rei crawl up to it. She held her tiny hand up and touched the stone. She looked over at her mother and babbled. "That's your daddy, sweetie. I wish you got to know him better. You would have loved him." Tears wet the grass underneath her. Bayley found herself praying that one day she'd wake up with Jimmy laying beside her. Rei in her playpen. Living in their own house in San Jose like they planned.

A cool breeze blew over the 2. It dried up Bayley's falling tears. Bayley wanted to think it was Jimmy's way of wiping her tears away. She looked up and smiled. "I love you Jimmy Sullivan. Forever and always."

"He loved you too." a deep voice said from behind her.

Bayley quickly pulled Rei into her arms and turned around. "Jeff..."

(^Jeff^)