Join The Club

The Ghost of a Reaper

"Juan Carlos Ortiz." The judge began, "The jury has came to the decision that you are to not be held against your false confession due to being deceived into believing a false ultimatum." Juice exhaled in relief. AJ tried to maintain her excitement. He turned around and they both shared the same exact wide smile. "You are free to go." The judge banged the gavel. The case was now closed.

AJ went up and hugged him tightly. He lifted her to where AJ's feet were a few inches off the floor. "I'm coming back home."

"It's where you belong."

They left the courtroom together. Walking down the stairs to the outside, they stopped when they saw the SAMCRO members leaned against their bikes across the street. "Stay behind me, okay?" Juice advised. AJ agreed to the order.

They crossed the street and walked up to the club. "Congratulations on winning the case." Clay commended. "We're proud of you, son."

Juice nodded. It felt weird to hear those words. The only person that ever told him that was AJ. He always felt like he let the Club down. "Thank you." He held AJ's hand and was about to walk past them. That was until Jax, the VP, grabbed him by the arm. "What is it?"

Jax turned around and picked up a leather cut that was resting neatly on his bike. It was the one they stripped of Juice when he was exiled. He stared at it in awe when Jax held it out. "It's yours if you want back in."

Juice looked at the rest of his former brothers. They all nodded in approval. "You've earned your way back in." Opie made known.

"It'll be nice to have you back, brother." Bobby agreed.

Juice reached out and held the cut in his hands. He observed the Reaper on the back. The logo that ID'd who he was.

AJ looked up at her boyfriend and back down at her converse. All of the trouble Juice went through with the Club was going to happen all overs again. Her face showed how sad she was. "Thank you." He gripped the leather in his hands. "But I can't, Jax." He handed the cut back to him. Jax raised his eyebrow. "I have too much to lose now. And... I can't put the Club first anymore. I'm sorry."

Jax took the cut back and folded it over his arm. To much of Juice and AJ's surprise, the VP smirked at them. He rested his hand on Juice's shoulder. "You did the right thing, brother."

"What the hell happened to you in that prison that your brain got knocked into place?" Tig joked, leaning back onto his motorcycle. "Y'know what. Don't answer that."

"This is the only time that this offer will be on the table." Clay reminded. "Are you sure you don't want this?"

Juice half smiled, "For once in my life, this is something I'm 100% sure about."

"Okay." Clay took the cut from Jax. "We'll see you around, brother."

"The Club is here if you need anything." Opie told he and AJ.

"So we're good?" Juice asked.

Chibs walked up and hugged them both. "Yeah. We're good, Juicy-Boy. You too, lass."

They all got back onto their motorcycles and sped away from the court house.

Juice exhaled softly. The person he was before was gone now. He wasn't so sure if that was a bad thing though. Now he could work on bettering himself for the sake of his family.

"Juice?" AJ held his hand at as in to regain his attention. "You ready to go home?" He leaned down, kissing her so passionately to where they didn't want to pull away. "What was that for?" She blushed.

"I haven't kissed you in so long and wanted this to make up for it."

AJ pulled him back down to kiss him one more time. After she unwrapped her arms from his neck, she then rested her head on his chest. Juice brought her in closer. "I love you so much, Juice."

"Juan."

"What?" She looked back up at him.

"You don't have to call me Juice anymore. That side of me is dead."

AJ smiled widely. "To be honest, I never liked calling you Juice anyways, Juan."

He chuckled at how quickly she adjusted to calling him by his real name. "I love you, AJ." he tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "Let's get outta here."