This Charter is Your Home

Chapter 45

Julie woke the next morning in Juice's old dorm room. It had been a long time since she had spent the night there. She looked at the other side of the bed and could tell someone had slept there. She also realized someone had taken off her shoes and jeans before tucking her under the covers. That's when she heard the sound of the shower running. She walked over to the bathroom door and opened it a touch.

"Juice?"

"Yea?" Juice croaked from inside the shower.

Julie sighed in relief. She stripped off her clothes and climbed into the shower behind him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his back. "I was worried about you last night. Why didn't you answer my call?"

Juice slowly turned toward her. Julie's eyes widened. There was a huge bruise covering on side of his neck.

"What the hell?" She reached up and gently touched his neck.

"I closelined a security chain down at the warehouse. Got knocked out."

"Jesus, are you -"

"I'm fine." Juice could read Julie's face and could tell she wasn't convinced. He worked up a fake smile to plaster on his face. "Come here." He pulled Julie into him and kissed her. He had thought the night before would be the last time he would ever get to kiss her lips. Now, standing in the shower with her in front of him, he was happy the branch had snapped. Julie tried to pull away from the kiss first, but Juice grabbed her by the back of her neck to keep her in place. He pushed her back into the wall of the shower stall and explored her body with his other hand. Just then the bathroom door opened and Opie called in to Juice.

"Let's go, Juice. We got the vote."

"Fine."

"Hey, have you seen my sister?"

"Hi, Ope,"Julie called out to him.

"Jesus Christ," Opie mumbled as he closed the door again.

* * *

Julie got dressed in her clothes from the night before and headed into the office. She had just sat down when a bright red truck came crashing through the gate. Julie jumped up to see what happened when they began shooting up the clubhouse. Julie ducked down and hid under the desk. It only lasted a minute or two, but to Julie, it felt like hours.

The members of SAMCRO ran outside.

"Check on my sister!" Opie order Juice. Juice ran to the office and found Julie under the desk.

"You ok?" Juice asked.

"Yea, I'll be fine," Julie said climbing out. She headed outside behind Juice. He headed over the where the rest of the guys were standing. Julie moved toward a large duffle bag laying on the ground that hadn't been there before, but Chuckie beat her to it.

"Oh, man. Clay! This is bad. Like, bad bad."

"What is it?" Clay asked him.

Julie reached the bag and gagged. The bag was full of severed heads.

"Holy shit," Juice said.

Julie continued to gag until she took a few steps passed Chuckie and threw up. Juice moved to pull her hair away from her face.

"That's Armando," Piney said.

Happy loaded the fallen shooter and the bag of heads in the back of the van.

"Hey," Chibs said to Juice. "C'mon. You're with me."

"I gotta go. You going to be ok?" He asked Julie.

"I'm fine. Just go."

Juice and Chibs got into the van with Happy and left.

"I didn't know you had such a weak stomach," Piney said to Julie.

"Well, now we know. Severed heads. That's what does it," Julie replied before heading into the clubhouse to rinse out her mouth. When she stepped out of the bathroom, she headed into the kitchen and got herself a bowl of chili, suddenly famished. She went outside and sat down at one of the picnic tables, passing Chuckie on her way out. Gemma came over and joined her at the table.

"Didn't you just yack?" Gemma asked.

"Yea, but I was starving. Had to eat something."

She was just finishing eating when Tara pulled in and joined them at the table.

"I thought you were working today," Julie said.

"I've been pulled. Apparently the hospital feels my presense there is a threat."

"Aw, shit."

"Am I crazy? Why do I believe him when he said it's going to get better?"

"Because he means it," answered Gemma.

"No one saw this coming, T. I hate this shit, too." Julie told her.

"I'm trying it his way. I really am," Tara said.

"I know you are and so does Jax.' Gemma told her. "We pull through. And we stick it out. That's what family does. C'mon, girls, let's go check on our chili."

"It was so good, Gem. Chuckie kicked it's ass," Julie told her.

The three headed inside to the kitchen. Gemma lifted the lid off the pot and began stirring.

"Um, hang on, Gemma. Hang on. It's not ready." Chuckie came in and Gemma got a shocked look on her face. Julie leaned over and looked in the pot. She started to gag, again. Tara guided her over to the sink and she promptly threw up.

"Did you follow the recipe?" Gemma asked.

"I had to add a few things of my own," Chuckie confessed.

"I can see that," Gemma said.

"Is it spicy?" Tara asked.

"Oh, very. Actually made my eyes burn. Chuckie, why don't you take it up to the reservation? I think Happy likes it that hot." Gemma grabbed Tara and Julie and escourted them from the kitchen.

"I accept that."