The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most - An SOA Fan Fiction

Chapter 18

"I need to get a statement." Unser said sympathetically as he and Jax spoke in hushed tones, huddled in the corner of the waiting room. The rest of the club came in one by one when news of Tig's injury got around, Chibs sat a few seats down from Juice and Amelia while the rest paced anxiously around the room. "We all know what happened, got two neighbors who agreed to give statements, she's not in any trouble."

"I know," Jax groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. It was a damn mess. "Why's it gotta be now if you know? She's upset, she didn't shoot anybody but she thinks this whole thing is on her head." Glancing back, he saw Amelia huddled up, elbows on her knees, crying with Juice's arm around her. "Can you just give her some time, at least until Tig's stable?"

"It doesn't look like you're her handler anymore," Unser said slipping his pen away and nodding toward Juice as he rhythmically rubbed her back and tried to soothe her. "Maybe I should run it by him instead?"

Jax nodded, for the first time he could see how well they interacted with each other as Amelia leaned over and buried her head in Juice's chest. "You know what, if he makes her happy I don't give a shit but for now, you go through me. I just want this to be over with as little drama as possible."

Things had been smooth, considering what had happened, until a furious Clay marched into the hospital. His cold stare was on Amelia in an instant, Gemma's expression matched his as she stood firmly behind her man.

"Don't even start," Jax intercepted Clay before he could tear into anyone and everyone in his path. "You either, Ma. The guy's dead. Tig should be fine, just has a long recovery ahead of him."

"Goddamn it!" It was as if the news that his best friend was going to live wasn't what he didn't want to hear. Clay slapped his hand to his face and turned his back to Jax and Unser. "She brought this on. I knew it, the moment I saw her, I knew she'd bring more shit down on the club."

Juice was trying to keep her distracted from Clay's angry and loud words but Amelia seemed to be listening specifically for someone to blame her, she already blamed herself. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't want this, I never thought he'd do this."

"This isn't your fault," Juice tried to hush her but it did nothing. "Maybe we should get you to the station, you can give Unser your statement." And it would get her away from Clay, Juice's main objective at the moment.

"No, I want to see him first. I can't leave until I see him." Staunchly she shook her head. "Clay's right, I led him here." Amelia gasped, covering her face in her hands. "You killed him, you had to do it."

"I wanted to." Juice said softly, still trying to put her at ease. "After all he did to you, I really wanted to, Tig and Jax did too. Meels, he's a piece of shit who got what he deserved."

"But it's on you, his death is on you." She rested her forehead on his shoulder. "What if you get arrested? Murder, JC, that's murder."

"Self-defense," Unser corrected as he stood over them. Juice and Amelia jumped; they hadn't noticed him join them. "He won't be arrested, Amelia. He did a good thing." With a fatherly way about him Unser gave Juice a hard pat on the shoulder. "You did good, kid."

The surgeon came out, Tara following close behind, and called Amelia over. She barely heard anything he'd said, she really tried to focus but there was too much clouding her mind to catch any more than the that he'd he live. Juice thanked the doctor as she silently stared, a blank look on her face, and Tara relayed the prognosis to Jax and Clay.

"I couldn't perform the surgery but I was able to assist. He'll be fine, we did have to remove a small portion of his lower intestine but after his recovery Tig'll be, well, he'll be Tig again."