Out of Touch, Out of Love

She sat with her legs crossed in front of the giant slab of marble. She fingered the name that was engraved on the headstone – Liliana Breaux. Jacqueline hadn’t been to Charming, California in almost ten years but here she was once again.

“I miss you mom,” Jack whispered to the headstone. “I’m sorry I never come to visit you. Jack had been away ever since her mom died. As much as she loved the second family she had, she couldn’t stand staying in a town without her mother and a father she couldn’t see.

She stood up, kissed her hand and touched the headstone one last time. Jack walked around the cemetery with a second bouquet of flowers until she found the headstone she was searching for. She placed them on Donna Winston’s grave and stood back with her head down.

She loved Donna. Not only was she her best friend’s wife but she was like an older sister that Jack always wanted. Jack sucked when it came to trying to make an effort to make it to big occasions. She almost missed their wedding because she was so wrapped up with her own life. She didn’t even make it to her mother’s funeral. She packed and left for Belfast as soon as she could get away from everyone.

She was good at running away. She needed to fix that horrible habit of hers. When the going got tough, Jack was quick to flee.

She was about to leave when she saw a familiar face walking towards her. She froze where she stood and waiting for him to waddle his way over.

“Hi Pine Needle,” she said in her soft voice using the old nickname she gave him when she was five. The man looked at her and squinted his eyes. Finally a big smile spread across his face

“There’s only one person that I would ever allow to call me that,” he said in a gruff voice, “And that talks in that horrendous across the pond accent.” He walked closer to Jack and embraced her in a huge hug. “Good seeing you honey.” The two embraced for a while until Piney finally let go. “What are you doing back? Not that I’m not happy seeing you. I thought you would at least call me if you were coming. We could have thrown a party for you.”

“Sorry,” Jack said folding her arms across her chest, “I just felt like coming I guess. And please, no party.”

“You try talking Tig out of throwing one then,” Piney said. “He’s sure as hell is going to get everyone he can to celebrate.” Jack smiled up at Piney. “You are planning on coming down to the shop, right?”

“I suppose,” Jack admitted. She hadn’t really planned how long she was going to stay in Charming let alone if she even wanted to see everyone again. Finally after thinking about she decided seeing her old family wouldn’t hurt.

“Where are you staying?” Piney asked after he paid a few minutes of respect to Donna and the two of them started walking back to his car, Piney’s arm around Jack.

“Hotel.”

“Did you just get here?” he questioned.

“This morning,” she said. “I took a cab down here. I didn’t know what else to do or where to go. I thought it would be weird to just stop by the shop unannounced.”

Piney huffed and leaned on his car door. “We’re getting your stuff and you’re staying at the clubhouse. No ifs, ands, or buts, you got it?”

“Um…”

“No ‘ums’ either,” Piney said with a small smile on his face. “You can stay in my room. I’m usually up at the cabin, unless you wanted to go there instead.”

“I’m not a very woodsy person,” Jack admitted. “If I really have no choice in the matter I’ll stick with the clubhouse. At least I can talk a prospect into cooking for me.” Jack laughed at her own joke while Piney shook his head and smiled at her.

“God I missed you,” he admitted. “It really is good seeing you kid.”

Jack’s bright blue eyes twinkled up at Piney as she went to embrace him once again. “Missed you too.”

xx

After the two picked up Jack’s bags from her hotel room, they both made their way to Teller-Morrow Automotive Repair. Jack was feeling anxious seeing everyone again but she felt a little more relaxed when Piney reached over to give her hand a squeeze.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head off,” he said. “They’re going to love seeing you again. They’re a bunch of softies around you, Princess.”

Piney’s car rounded the corner and pulled into Teller-Morrow. Waves of memories came back to Jack. She remembered being a little girl and running around the lot with her fake dads on her tail. She remembered playing baseball with Jax and Opie in the lot and accidently hitting the ball to hard, breaking one of the windows to the chapel inside.

Piney stopped his car and got out. Jack took her time getting out of the car. She saw only a few people working on cars nearby, but nobody stood out. Piney had to walk around to open the door and practically pull her out of the car.

She stretched her long legs and slammed the car door shut staring at Piney on what her next move should be.

He whistled and called over a few guys to where they stood. Two guys walked over to them and Jack looked at their names on their shirts while they looked at her chest and eventually her face.

“Hey,” Piney snapped practically reaching over to slap them both, “Eyes up and watch yourselves, boys. Filthy Phil, grab these bags out of my car and help Juice clean out my room. We’re going to have ourselves a guest for a while.” Piney opened his trunk and looked back at the two guys. “And behave yourselves. Don’t try any shit with this one. You won’t only have me to kick your ass but everyone else will be down your throats.”

Jack chuckled as the two guys looked at her intensely and Piney walked away. They were both probably wondering who she was and why Piney was treating her like such a queen. She was a little too young for his taste even though they’ve never seen him with anyone but his wife.

“You got it,” Filthy Phil said quickly. He grabbed Jack’s two bags and started walking towards the club house. “Aren’t you going to help?”

“That’s your job, Prospect” the one called Juice said. Phil walked away with her bags while she continued to stand by the car with her arms now protectively covering her chest as much as she could without looking weird.

“Hi,” she finally said, “Nice name. I had a friend named Hugo but his mom always called him ‘oogo’ and of course being a dumbass I thought she meant “jugo” which is Spanish for Juice… and wow I can’t believe I just told you that.”

Juice smirked at her. “Cute story little lady. And you are?”

“I’m Jacqueline,” she said. She stuck out her hand and even eagerly grabbed it. “Nice to, um, meet you I think.”

“You think?” he asked. Juice chuckled while Jack finally loosened up putting down her other arm instead of covering her chest. “I like your accent. You’re easier to understand than Chibs.” Jack giggled thinking about Chibs.

“That’s because I have an English accent,” she said. “It’s completely different, silly.”

“And here this whole time I was thinking I was the one speaking English.”

Jack laughed once again. She really liked Juice. He was cute, funny, a little snippy but his head tattoos and mohawk made her smile. It was definitely different from anyone she’s ever met. She wondered if people were afraid of him. Well, of course they probably would be especially if he wore his Sons of Anarchy cut everywhere he went.

“So where is everyone?” Jack questioned. Juice used his thumb to point to the clubhouse behind him. “Thanks.” Jack started walking towards the clubhouse and was halfway there when she saw a few familiar faces.

“Jackie girl!” she heard Chibs call out. “Look at my little girl. She ain’t a wee girl anymore.” He ran towards her and embraced her in a tighter hug than Piney’s. “Sweet, sweet girl.”

“Hi Chibby,” Jack said into his chest. “I can’t breathe.” Jack thumped his back a few times to see if he’d let her go.

“Don’t care,” he said squeezing her tightly still. “You might run off on me if I let go.”

“I won’t…”

“Chibby man,” another voice said, “Let the poor girl go.” Chibs finally released his tight grip on Jack and held her face in his hands.

“Jaysus Christ, you look more beautiful than the day you were born,” he said. “Look at those eyes.” He leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

“Because clearly blood and vag juice is a cute look.” Jack looked behind Chibs to see Tig coming over. “C’mere girl!” He embraced her and lifted her off the ground, spinning her in circles. “Chibs is right though. You can’t leave this time or I’m going to send a bounty hunter out for you.”

“Can’t last five minutes without you threatening the poor girl?” Jack turned to see Gemma standing with her arm around Clay. “Come here baby.” Jack smiled at was embraced by Gemma. She kissed her cheeks and took her hands in hers. “Glad to see you back where you belong, baby.”

“Good to be back,” Jack said as Clay also embraced her and kissed her cheeks. The rest of the guys came out and Jack felt like after hugging Bobby that her ribs were bound to break soon. Everyone was glad to see her again and there were no weird feelings between any of them. She was glad for that.