Charming the Charming

Past weeks worries shunted themselves to the back of Helen’s mind while she sat in between Tara and Gemma looking at the pile of pregnancy books Juice had dropped off on the coffee table between Club runs that day.

“He is kind of...” Tara began.

“Obsessed? Yeah, just a bit.” Helen finished.

Gemma raised a brow as her hand moved a book from the pile and flipped through it., “Shit ‘1001 baby names’. You don’t need that.”

Helen nodded. “It’s great that he is happy and I am too...but we haven’t even had our first check-up,” she looked to Tara who without any question was in charge of that.

“Imagine how he is going to be when you do next week.”

Helen shot her sister a look., “It can’t get any worse than this...could it?”

Draping an arm around Helen’s shoulders Gemma leaned in. “Believe me these guys put on this tough act but really they are softer than teddy bears when their women are carrying. So you can bet your belly he will get worse.”

She groaned. “He already won’t let me do anything. I can’t even cook a dinner without Juice coming in and taking over.”

“Enjoy it sweetie ‘cause when that bub comes along you won’t get this time off, believe me. Jackson was such a screamer.,” Gemma pulled her arm back into her lap.

Tara wiggled in her spot. “Have you maybe thought of any names yet?” her smile grew into an uncharacteristic giggle.

“Ha,” Helen began sarcastically before caving in, “Actually, if it’s a boy we decided on-“

Gemma’s mobile cut the cute talk short as it sounded from her purse.

“Sorry ladies,” she pulled her phone out and pressed it to her ear. “What?." Gemma's brows lowered. "Dammit. Alright baby I’m on my way.”

“Gemma, what’s the matter?” Tara asked grabbing her hand as the Queen stood.

Her eyes swept over Helen. “There’s been some trouble at the Club.”

“What kind of trouble?” Helen dared herself to ask.

A sigh escaped Gemma’s lips, she really didn’t want to say anything more. “That idiot Hoss turned up and fired some shots around the lot,” her voice hit a graven note.

Tears grew in Helen’s eyes, “Is Juice ok?”

Gemma slowly shook her head as Tara stood. "Clay said he got hit."

The words resonated through Helen's body and she felt her stomach hit the floor. “I’m coming with.”

“No, not in your state-“

Helen cut Tara off and slapped away the hand that touched her belly. “He’s mine and I am coming with you both.”

Gemma and Tara sighed in union without a choice.

The drive was fast and Gemma’s wheels screeched over the road’s surface as she pulled into the lot. Helen was the last to pile out of the car meeting Jax’s eyes as she did.

“Inside,” he pointed turning as Helen took off at a run.

“What happened?” Gemma asked as she walked with Jax.

“That crazy bastard ran in waving a damn gun around and let it off. Before we could do anything he was off again and Juice was just there on the ground.” they walked past a pool of blood.

“Is it bad?”

Jax shook his head. “I don’t think so, at least we hope not.”

Helen hit the doorframe to see Juice splayed out on a pool table, cloth wrapped around his right shoulder and his normally tanned skin pale and almost green. Her fingers went to her lips as she slowly moved forward, Chibs moving aside as she swept past him.

“Baby?” her laid a hand on his chest, his eyes rolled towards her touch.

“Hey,” his voice croaked, forcing a smile.

Meanwhile Tara pulled out the emergency kit the members had put together and dragged it out to the pool table and dropping it on a spare chair.

“Helen, you need to leave the room and the rest of you as well,” looking around Tara jerked her head towards the door.

But Helen’s hand didn’t move from Juice’s chest until he lazily dropped his over it, “I’ll be fine, go outside and wait.”

"No." Helen brushed her hands through her hair and looked eye to eye with Tara. "What do you need me to do?"

Tara huffed and grabbed up a second pair of gloves. "Put these on."

Quickly Helen snapped the gloves on and following her sisters instructions had a thick wad of gauze in her hand.

Tara looked over at Juice. "This is going to hurt. One. Two. Three."

One the final count Tara inserted her forceps that took hold of the bullet with a 'chink' sound. Blood trickled from his shoulder as the bullet came sliding out.

"Helen." Tara ordered her sister to cover the wound and hold down as hard as she could.

Juice ground his teeth and growled t the roaring ache the bullet had left behind. "Son of a bitch!"

Blood began to ooze through the gauze pad and slick Helen's gloves. "Tara!"

"It's fine. Just a bit more blood." She threaded the needle and gently nudged her sister to the side and began closing the hole.

Helen slid the gloves from her hands and placed a kiss on Juice's forehead.

"Go outside baby." His voice was thick with pain but stern.

With a little nod Helen spotted another kiss on his head and moved from the room.

Next to Jax Helen sat with one leg crossed over the other as he rehashed the event to her. Rage built up inside her chest and her skin grew hot and flushed red.

“He needs to die,” she said and turned to Jax, “And I gotta do it.”

His brows went up and he leaned forward. “No, Helen. No. This is a club matter now. He brought this into our house and we are going to stomp it out.”

She shook her head. “Jackson, no. This isn’t a club issue and it never was. He may have brought it to your house but he brought it to my territory. Stepping all over me is one thing but hurting my man? No fucking way.”

“And you’re pregnant. So the answer is no.”

Helen stood and tucked her thumbs into the back of her jeans. “I wasn’t asking your permission boy,” her tongue whipped like fire and Jax could hear the echo of Helen’s old no holds bar attitude begin to surface, “I was tellin’ ya’.”

Late that night as Juice sat against the bedhead Helen sat beside him watching his hands flick the remote on the TV that she had moved in, even against Juice’s loud protests.

“Don’t let anger settle you in a state, babygirl,” he squeezed her hand, feeling the rage roll off her.
“I think it’s too late for that.”

He sighed and turned his head. “Don’t ok? I will be as good as new in a few days-“

“And you’ll take care of this?” she did her best to keep the anger out of her tone to which he replied with a set jaw., “I am sorry Juice, but this shit needs to get dealt with now. We have a kid on the way and there is no way in hell Hoss is going to be still breathing by that time.”

Juice felt his stomach tighten as she talked. Oddly enough he found it pretty hot when she spoke like that. “You know you’re pretty hot when you talk that way,” he smiled, letting her in on his thoughts.

“Come on, this isn’t something to joke about.”

He shook his head, “I am not joking. If you don’t stop with that talk Tara is gonna have to restitch my shoulder up.” He leaned over and placed a steaming kiss on her lips to which, as she always seemed to, melted into and kissed back. “So let me deal with this.”

Her eyes rolled before her face found its spot resting upon his stomach and his free hand finding its usual home stroking back her hair.

As Juice sat back and began to focus on Helen’s breathing and the way her warm breath cast itself across his stomach he closed his eyes. This couldn’t happen in a few days, it had to happen now. The talking and planning was over.
She was right. With a baby on the way Hoss needed to be dealt with now.

Afternoon sun hit Charming like a greenhouse and its inhabitants couldn’t wait for a cold change come nightfall. Juice sat with Chibs outside an empty house, the house of a monster, while waiting for it to creep home.
Juice focused on the fresh pain driving through his shoulder, using it to bay down his anger and frustrations. Cool and calm was the state he needed to reach by the time dusk came. His gun sat firmly grasped in his hand as he leaned against his bike. Chibs stood next to him and looked over wanting to mention how this was a bad idea for the tenth time but he knew Juice wouldn’t be having any of it.
Stupid strong headed son of a bitch.

“Don’t bother,” Juice said.

Chibs shrugged, “I wasn’t going to.”

Looking over Juice narrowed his eyes, “It needs to be done and it’s needs to be done tonight.”

Chibs sighed, “And it can’t wait one more night? Hoss is going to expect some kind of retaliation after yesterday.”

“No. You of all people should understand wanting to protect your family.”

With a heart sinking feeling, Chibs dropped his head as thoughts of his love and his daughter played like a film through his mind and began to nod. “Yeah.”

A cold breeze brushed past them as the sun began to set and both men stood straight at the sight of headlights rolling up the driveway.

One last sigh left Juice, “This is it.”