Hands All Over

Ch. 94 Old Ghosts

Juice took a long toke of his joint as he stared out at the scenery in front of him. They'd pulled off at some random truck stop along the way to Eden for a piss break. It was rare he smoked when he knew he'd be riding, but his nerves were all over the place and he needed something to take the edge off or he'd end up laying his bike down on the road. He heard the click of a lighter and looked over to see Happy at his side. The Tacoma killer looked pensive for a moment as he took a long drag of his cigarette. "How's she doin'?" he asked after a moment.

He didn't have to ask who he was talking about. They didn't have much in common besides Angela and the club. "She's scared, stressed," he said, flicking of the ash off his joint before rubbing his forehead with his thumb in a nervous gesture. "She's not...producing enough milk for Evie. The stress 'n' everything is uh...its really gettin' to her, I guess."

Happy grimaced at his bluntness and then sighed. "She'll get over it."

He shook his head quickly. "Hap, this club shit is fucking with my family now. I got to...I gotta get them outta here before they get hurt."

"She ain't just gonna leave."

He looked down at his feet and sighed. "I know," he said, kicking at the ground. "Brought it up earlier this morning. She didn't take to well to it."

Happy smirked, he could only imagine his cousin' reaction. "You ain't the only reason she stays."

"Hap, I'd pay anything to get all of them outta here, your Ma, hers, Chlo..." he admitted. He didn't know why he included the nurse in there. Somehow, she managed to sneak into their little family, and he couldn't imagine it without her there. "They're not safe here."

"You think they'd be safer somewhere else? You give me a place, and I'll take her. Won't have a damn choice," he offered, completely serious. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Juice considered the idea for a brief moment. "I don't know," he said finally. "I don't know where to...to put them so that they'll be safe."

"You know what'll make her leave, right?"

He hung his head and nodded. Of course he did. If he hurt her, cheated on her, she'd leave. She'd almost done it before after she'd caught him with Carla. The pain he felt at that memory was a reminder of why he didn't want to do it again. He didn't want to hurt her. Didn't want the kind of pain that came with being without her and knowing she didn't want him anymore. The idea of losing her, even temporarily made that familiar lost feeling start to grow inside of him. It was an empty, desperate feeling that he didn't know how to handle. He didn't know how to survive without her at his side. He didn't want to be alone, but he didn't want her in danger either. "I can't hurt her again, Hap. I won't. I know it'd work, and she'd leave, but I'd never get her back that way. And she...she's all I have. I can't lose her forever."

Happy felt a surge of pride in his brother as he looked over at him. He'd thought that Juice would take the cowardly route and try to manipulate her out of Charming. "You got another idea?"

He scowled. "There's gotta be a better way, man."

"You figure one out, lemme know," Happy said, stubbing out his cigarette. He patted a heavy hand on his shoulder before turning to head back to his bike.

Juice threw down his blunt, crushing it under his boot. With a deep sigh, he headed back to his bike, determined to find another way to get his girls out of Charming and keep them safe without losing them forever.

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Angela sat at her desk in the funeral home, contemplating the way Juice had been before he left. He'd had that look in his eyes again. That sad puppy look that broke her heart. He was worried about them, sad, scared, everything all wrapped up into one. Juice didn't deal with his emotions well on his own, and the fact he wouldn't talk to her made her nervous as hell. She knew he didn't want to worry her by unburdening himself, but he didn't seem to notice that by not saying anything, he was making her worry more. She drummed her nails on the desk, itching for a distraction from her thoughts. Evie was asleep in her bassinet and Rigor was passed out on his little bed in the corner. Bones and Kenny were out digging a grave and Skeeter was sleeping off a massive hangover leaving her completely alone. She briefly considered waking up her daughter just to have something to do. The buzzer over the front door rang, signaling that someone had walked in. She let out the breath she hadn't realized she been holding and stood, happy to finally have something to distract her.