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

Chapter 17

“Jesus Christ!” Amelia shrieked at the sound of crunching steel and shattering glass. She scampered over to Juice and gripped him tight. “He’s here, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I brought him here, JC.”

“Hey,” Juice started just as Keith’s rage filled shouting hit their ears. “It’s okay. This isn’t your fault. Just don’t move from the couch Meels, please.” She nodded, even though she didn’t believe him in the slightest, and he stood, pressing her against the back of the sofa and pulling his gun from his pants. “What the fuck is that smell?” Moving quickly to the other room Juice could see smoldering flames melting the siding. “Goddamn it, fucking psycho!” He jumped over the burning grass outside the door to try to put it out before it burned through and grew out of control.

“JC,” Amelia shouted and jumped up as Keith struck the bike again. Her throat closed as she saw him putting out the growing flames with the garden hose. Keith had really lost it this time. “I have to call my dad,” she said with a blank look on her face. He nodded, backup was necessary, and crept through the side yard along the side of the house. Holding her phone with her shoulder Amelia listened to the ringing as she searched for some kind of weapon to defend herself. As scared as she was there was a new, visceral reaction bubbling in her stomach, she was tired of all the fear.

As Keith saw Juice step out from the cover of the house he began shouting at the top of his lungs, “She’s my girl”. At this rate, the cops would be there in just a few minutes, that wasn’t debatable. Juice already had good reason to shoot this guy dead, all he needed was a witness to prove it was self-defense. “I want her back.”

"She doesn't belong to anyone," Juice snapped. “And she’s not going anywhere with you.” He didn't care to try and talk Keith down, it was only ending one way and that was with one of them dead. “You should have gone home like I told you to the first time.” With a side-glance, Juice cursorily inspected his bike, it physically hurt him to see the headlight was shattered, handlebars bent and body smashed, even the SOA artwork was unrecognizable. "What do you think you're going to do?" Juice asked, dripping with the confidence SAMCRO instilled in him. "A sledgehammer won't protect you from a bullet."

"You won't shoot me." Keith sneered, where Juice had rightful confidence, Keith had a boldness only madness could provide.

"Try me."

Slowly his lips began to twitch, a smug smile forming. "You must know how she feels about violence; if you want her you won't hurt me."

"I will and Meely won't care," he spat. “Do you really think that woman gives two shits about you? The crazy asshole who beats her half to death? She'll be happy to see you in a shallow grave and I’ll be happy to put you there."

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Amelia poked her head out the front door with a large kitchen knife in her hand. There was one day when she loved Keith with every part of her but she knew now that he never actually felt anything for her other than the need to own and control. She was so sure she knew what kind of person he was and there he was swinging a sledgehammer while being held at gunpoint. How could she have been so wrong?

"Keith, stop," it was barely a whisper but it calmed him the moment he heard her. "Please, just stop."

The cruel, evil smile fell from his lips as he looked at her, it wouldn't help him win her over. "I'm doing this for you, Amelia." The sledgehammer slipped from his fingers as she took careful steps closer to him. "Can't you see how much I love you?" He spread his arms out to display what he claimed to have done for love. It was this act, with less violence, that had roped her in so many times, but she could see the darkness in him now. It was such a stark contrast compared to what she felt from Juice. All these realizations about Keith pushed her away from not only him but Juice as well. She trusted him once and look how he had fooled her, what made Juice any different?

"I do," as she passed Juice, his gun still raised, she felt her body weaken. She was scared to trust him but she wanted to, more than anything and in that situation she had to. "I'm sorry I hurt you, it's okay though, I see it now." Glancing back Amelia told Juice, her words mouthed rather than spoken, to put his gun down. He faltered but could see the conviction in her eyes. He lowered it but kept his eyes on Keith ready to aim again in an instant.

Amelia was only just beginning to see Keith for who he really was but he knew her better than anyone ever had. She was playing him, he knew it and it drove him absolutely wild. "Why did you leave me?" Keith asked as Jax and Tig raced down the street, the rumble of the bikes didn't break anyone's stare.

"I was confused," as she reached out to take his hand, Keith yanked her wrist. Spinning her, he held her tight against him and bent her arm at the elbow, pushing the knife she held in her hand to her throat.

"Let her go." Juice warned with his gun up and aimed again. Unlike in Oakland, this time around he didn't have the upper hand.

Jax and Tig didn’t wait to dismount before pulling their guns and training them directly between Keith’s eyes. With one arm around her stomach and the other holding her hand and the knife Keith’s eyes moved from Juice to Tig with an eerie smile. “Who’s gonna shoot?” He asked, flinching around to spook them from daring to take a shot.

“I will.” Tig pulled the trigger, the bullet tore through Keith’s shoulder. He didn't trust taking a closer aim with Amelia in the firing line but it weakened him considerably.

Howling, Keith pushed Amelia away and using his good arm reached back to pull his own hidden gun from his pants. He fired at Tig while, with one swift move, Juice yanked Amelia toward him and shot in Keith’s direction without really aiming. Luckily, he had managed to hit Keith in the chest while Tig had taken a bullet to the gut. Instantly, Keith crumbled to his knees, stunned, as blood poured from his chest onto the ground.

“Dad!” Amelia pulled away from Juice and ran to Tig as he leaned over his handlebars, a hand pressed against his stomach. “Dad, shit, I’m sorry.” She tried to help him keep pressure but she was shaking and barely able to keep her composure. No one cared as Keith fell flat to the ground, dead, no one even noticed. Jax was trying to help Tig off his bike while Juice held Amelia back, her hysteria wasn’t helping anyone, the standoff ended better than they feared it would but worse than they hoped. “What did I do?” She asked, her hands stained red from the few moments she had been trying unsuccessfully to help Tig.

Lights, sirens and the smell of gunpowder overwhelmed them all as the ambulance and Unser arrived, just late enough to have missed everything, as per usual. The Chief looked at each one of them with sorrow in his eyes, it was a mess he didn’t want to have to suss out.