A Happy Coincidence

Chapter 20

Happy went with Tig and Chibs, the customary show of support, from the police station right back to the clubhouse. Everyone was waiting or at least that's what it felt like. He'd never been in a situation that earned him the full attention of the table and he wasn't overly fond of it..

"I was nailin' her," he said with a grin, "And that asshole busted in the house, came in the bedroom. I shot him, he bled out right there."

"Were you still inside her?" Tig asked with an eager glance at Happy.

"Jesus, really?" Juice asked as Happy nodded, his chest puffed out with pride.

"You're an animal." Jax threw in with an amused little chuckle. "You two deserve each other." He added, pointing at Tig and Happy.

Clay was amused but wanted to get the business at hand over with. "Hale and Unser bought her pulling the trigger?"

"Yeah, it's good, brother. I didn't wanna call em' but it's better we did."

Clay nodded approvingly. "I agree. I don't want something innocent like a self-defense burning us. You did the right thing, keeps us looking transparent to Hale and her buddies off our backs."

"That's why she called." He smiled a little, the room catching his dreamy expression.

"Fucking pussy whipped!" Chibs laughed, the table joining him. "Where'd she go with Unser?"

"Home, then back to Oregon to tell her old crew and shit. Said she'd be back by the end of the week."

"You know, she looks like a little freak." Tig mused, still thinking about the actual act.

"Twisted." Happy nodded at Tig while the others groaned, although it was far from surprising. "It's all good, Prez." He assured Clay again. "It's handled."

Clay slammed the gavel down, other than the shooting there was no other business to discuss. They men filed back into the main room, they all stopped at the bar before heading off to TM or the pool table.

Bobby seated himself beside Happy. "How was she?"

"Fine." He said, taking a long gulp. Replaying their last moments made him less confident than before. "Not her first dead body."

Bobby nodded. "No, but they were close, chicks are weird like that, brother. She may have wanted to kill him herself but knowing he's dead, being there and seeing it, it's going it screw with her head."

Looking at him, Happy shook his head even though he doubt started to nag at him. "That ain't her."

"It's all of them, trust me. Bet she was mad at you too."

"What?" That just didn't make sense to Happy which was exactly why Bobby was pushing this conversation.

"You want to hold onto this one? Actually keep her around?"

Happy nodded feeling less embarrassment than before as he grew more comfortable with his feelings for Rory, even if he couldn't exactly describe them.

"The quiet, twisted thing works for her but right now, she's gonna need more than that." Bobby was trying to help him although it seemed impossible knowing the man Happy was. "Talk to her, brother. Apologize. Check up on her."

--

Rory knocked lightly on Johnny's door really hoping he wouldn't answer. She didn't get her wish, Johnny opened, surprised to see her. He stepped aside to let her in.

"Where's Eric? He disappeared a few days ago and we just figured he was going after you."

"You didn't try to stop him?"

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "You know how he is."

"Yeah." She barked and shoved him. "I do and that's why I would have gone after him you idiot." Perching on the steps leading toward the second floor Rory covered her face. "He's dead, John."

"What?" He crouched down, pulling her hands away from her face, his sorrow clear in his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Her eyes fell, unable to look at him. "He broke into Happy's last night, scared the shit out of me, I shot him. I shot him in the chest, he died instantly, I think." She spoke coldly, using all her strength to turn off her emotions. "I'm sorry, Johnny."

Falling back to sit, he looked up at her wanting more. "You shot him?" He asked.

"Yeah. I uhh, I didn't know it was him."

"You've known him your whole life and suddenly you don't recognize him?" Johnny was up like a shot pacing the room. "That's bullshit, Ror."

Furious, she stood and followed him. "Hey. It was dark and he broke into Happy's place. Maybe you should have kept a closer eye on him. He lost his shit, you saw that switch but you let him kidnap me and run off without even questioning him. That's not on me."

"He loved you. That's why he went after you."

Rory shook her head. "Bullshit. He didn't really know me even after all this time. Don't act like he was some lovesick puppy. He was a jealous guy with abandonment issues. That's not because of me."

He began to cry, not quiet and manly but a full blown sob. Rory joined him, wrapping her arms around Johnny. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is my fault, I shouldn't have left." Rory didn't know if she actually meant it or it was just to ease Johnny's pain but the words left her without much thought.

"Stop." He pulled away, wiping his tears. "What do I do now?"

"After an autopsy they'll release the body and you can bury him. I'll help with planning it. It's going to be a lot."

Johnny turned to grab his keys off the table. "No. You wanted out, you're out. Go back to your outlaw boyfriend."

"Wait." She followed him out to his car. "What are you talking about? I want to be here. We're family."

"No. Me and Eric were family, you and Emmett were family, you made that shit clear when you left after he died."

"Johnny please." Grabbing the door as he turned the ignition Rory was desperate.

"Tell me the truth then. About that fucking asshole boyfriend of yours, the bounty too, when you actually met." The car idled as he looked at her expectantly.

"Johnny, I told you."

He shook his head, disappointed in her. "Maybe you're right, maybe none of us really knew you. I gotta talk to Jeffrey. You can either come clean about everything or consider yourself just about as dead as Eric, to us at least."