Out of Touch, Out of Love

In the last three days all the guys weren’t around the clubhouse as much which was a bit of a relief for Jack. She didn’t have to deal with them and their stares. The last few days were weird and uneventful.

Jack wanted to work on her dad’s car, talk to Juice a little more (just because she wanted to and because she wanted to piss off the guys that kept him away) and hang out with Opie and his kids. Instead the guys were nowhere to be seen most of the day and when they were actually around they were all acting weird. She didn’t care what legal or illegal activities they were up to but she just didn’t want to be lied to. Jax hadn’t even showed up once to the clubhouse which was weird. She knew he had Abel to take care of since supposedly he was “on and off” with Tara.

Instead of having Juice help her like Tig suggested, Jack was tinkering underneath the car with the help of one of the mechanics, Sonny. After he got over the initial shock of a girl knowing her way around a car, the two of them got along well for the most part. He helped her as much as he could in between working on the other cars that came to the shop.

Currently he went on a quick run to find a few parts Jack needed for the car. They were completely rebuilding it and turning it into a manual car. If Jack was going to drive around in her dad’s 1960 Chevy Impala, she wanted it to be a stick shift.

Jack was underneath the car lying on the creeper when she heard footsteps enter the garage. “Godamn it Sonny. I thought I told you to work on the Volkswagen, not this.” She felt her leg being pulled and with a wrench in hand she stared up wide eyed at Juice. “Holy shit.” He let go of her leg and she sat up trying not to laugh. “Sorry, I thought you were Sonny.” He shoved his fists into his pockets as Jack continued to stare up at him.

“Are you calling me fat?” she jokingly questioned.

“No!” he quickly shouted. “I said sorry. Sonny has these really skinny legs and I just assumed, well, you’re wearing the overalls we do. I didn’t know you worked on cars.” He scratched the top of his head.

“You never asked,” she said. She stood up and wiped her hands on her already dirty overalls. “You sort of run the other way whenever I’m in the same room as you.”

“Do I?” he asked. Jack nodded her head. “Oh. I’ve been busy I guess. You’ve got a little something…” Juice pointed to his right cheek which caused Jack to wipe her left cheek. “No, other one.” Juice laughed. “Now they’re both dirty.” He pulled out a handkerchief from his back pocket and waved it in front of her face. “Do you mind?”

“As long as you don’t use your saliva like an old gran,” Jack said with a smirk. Juice laughed and stepped closer to Jack. He held her head as he wiped her cheek softly. “You can wipe harder than that. I’m not going to break.” Juice added more pressure and he soon got the black dirt off both of her cheeks.

“You’re good as new now,” he said.

“Why thank you.”

“So this is Lenny’s car, right?” Jack nodded her head while Juice inspected under the hood. “You know a few things about cars then?”

“A few things.”

“Man, I would have loved to help you out with this,” he said. “This thing is a beauty. Are you sure Sonny knows what he’s doing?”

Jack laughed as she leaned on the side of the car. “Piney said he’s the best. Tiggy said you’re pretty good but you’re always ‘so busy’.”

Juice looked around the garage which was empty and he smiled. “Well, I’m not busy now. Do you need any help?”

“Are you only asking because there’s no one here to pull you away or tell you to do something?” Juice shook his head and continued to smile. “Well, I don’t need any help now but maybe you can make me a sandwich.” She nudged him with her elbow and flashed him the biggest grin she could muster.

“Seriously?” he questioned. “All you want is a sandwich? I still owe you a better meal than a sandwich though.”

“Well, for now you can just make me a sandwich. I can eat and you can watch."

"I have to watch you eat?" he asked. "I don't think so. I'll make the sandwiches as long we don't eat in here."

"My room in ten minutes then," Jack said.

Juice chuckled to himself as he jogged out of the garage and towards the clubhouse. Jack quickly started cleaning up where she was working. She left a note telling Sonny they could finish up tomorrow and started walking towards the clubhouse.

Tig and Clay were sitting by their bikes talking when she walked past.

"How's the car doing?" Clay shouted. "You getting any work done?"

"It's going good," Jack said. "Sonny went to get a few parts for it. Hopefully I can get it running by the end of the week."

"Good to hear," Clay said. "Glad you didn't lose those skills we taught you."

"It's about the only thing I still remember," Jack said with a grin. "I'm going to go clean up now. See you later." Jack walked in the clubhouse and it was pretty quiet. She walked into her room. She really wanted to get out of these dirty overalls but she knew Juice would be coming soon so she just sat on her bed with the same clothes.

Within minutes, Juice walked in with two paper plates and handed Jack her sandwich.

"Wow," she said, "I didn't think you'd actually listen to me." Juice laughed as he sat down next to her. "Thanks for this though." She immediately took a bite into the sandwich.

"Well, I figured it was the least I could do," he said. He bit into his sandwich and they both sat in silence while they ate.

"So you work on cars?" he asked again. Jack nodded since she had her mouth full at the moment. "Anything else I should know?"

"I could probably kick your ass," she replied which caused Juice to laugh. "Not much else that's interesting enough for you to know. I'm sure the guys told you the basics."

Juice swallowed what was in his mouth and asked, "And what basics are those? They really didn't say much besides...well, that you were a bit..."

"Of a bitch?"

"No," Juice said quickly. "That you were a little on the wild side. Did your own shit. Never listened. That sort of stuff. None of it sounded too bad."

"Why are they telling you all my faults?" Jack asked. "Assholes." Juice stared at the floor while Jack glared at her empty plate. "Which one of them told you to stay away from me?"

Juice made eye contact with Jack. "Well..."

"All of them?" she asked.

"Mainly Chibs," Juice said. "Tig was the only one that didn't say much. He seemed to want to let you do whatever you want." Jack continued to glare. "I guess they're just being...fatherly."

"But they're not my fathers," she snapped. "They always do this! In high school Jax and Opie practically scared away any guy that would even breathe in front of me. Chibs was never like this in Belfast."

Juice flashed a smile at Jack and touched her knee. "Don't worry about them."

"I'm not worried. You're the one avoiding eye contact when you clearly like what you see," she said bluntly.

"Well..."

"Juice, stop saying 'well'.”

“So, how long were you planning on staying?” he asked. Jack shrugged her shoulders unsure of when she wanted to leave. She didn’t even like New York all that much to go back to it but she knew she didn’t want to stay in Charming very long. “Well, I hope you stay a while.”

“If I stay will you stop being a pussy?” she questioned causing Juice to raise his eyebrow. “We’re practically hiding out in my room and we’re not doing anything. Not to mention you keep fidgeting every time there’s a door slam outside.” Juice laughed and seemed to relax finally. “We’re just talking. They let me spend the last few days with Sonny of all people. The stories he told me practically makes me saint like.”

“Did I just hear you compare yourself to a saint?” Jack turned her head to see Piney standing there. “Because I have a few pictures that could say otherwise.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jack said. Piney cleared his throat and walked more into the room.

“What are you two talking about?” he asked. He looked at Juice and Jack rolled her eyes.

“Nothing important,” Juice said. “Just about...cars.” Piney scratched his chin and took a deep breath.

“Do you mind if I have a minute alone?” he asked looking at Juice.

“Piney, come on,” Jack said. “We’re not doing anything. I don’t need you being all protectively annoying as well.”

“This is different,” he said. “I just need a favor from you.”

“I’ll leave you to it then,” Juice said. He stood up and grabbed the plate off of Jack’s lap smiling at her as he left.

Piney sighed again and sat where Juice was. “He didn’t mention anything about what’s going on?” Jack shook her head waiting for Piney to fill her in. “Thought so.”

“What is it Piney?”

“Shit’s been happening these last few days,” he said.

“And? What kind of favor do you need from me?”

“I need you to go see Jax.”

“What’s wrong with Jax?” Jack asked with concern. “Is he alright?”

“Long story short, Gemma is being framed for murdering Edmond Hayes, Cameron went to Jax’s place and took Abel and he’s been missing for the last two days and that’s pretty much it.”

“Wait,” Jack said. She couldn’t comprehend anything after Gemma is being framed. “Wait a second.” She continued to stare wide eyed at Piney. “Holy shit. And the cops are doing nothing to find Abel?” Piney shook his head. “Motherfuckers. Piney, this is bullshit. He’s just a baby.”

Jack had yet to meet Abel since she’s been here but he was Jackson’s son. She loved Jax and she knew the second she would lay her eyes on Abel she would love him just as much.

“That’s bullshit Piney,” Jack said. “They have to do something.”

“They’re not,” he replied. “I need you to talk to Jax though. He’s been cooped up at his place. You need to get him to get off his ass and help find Abel. He won’t listen to any of us.”

“What makes you think he’ll listen to me?”

“You’re our last hope,” he said. “We can’t keep this from you any longer. As much as you’re against everything that goes on here, we need you.”

“Fine,” Jack said quickly. “I’ll do whatever. Just… I just don’t want Jax to be shut out from everything. Not to mention poor Abel and Gemma. Where is Gemma? She’s not in jail, is she?” Piney shook his head and Jack let out a sigh. “Can you take me to Jax’s?”

“Ask Juice,” Piney said. Jack could have sworn she saw a tiny smile form on Piney’s face but she didn’t pay any attention. Instead she kissed him on his cheek and without changing she walked out of her room to find Juice who was sitting at the bar.

“Can you take me to Jax’s please?” she asked. Juice nodded his head and they walked out to his bike without saying a word. He handed her a helmet and she quickly put it on. Juice hopped on his bike and Jack quickly jumped on the back. She held on tight to his waist as he drove quickly to Jax’s house.

When they got there, they noticed a few bikes already parked in the driveway. Jack quickly took off the helmet, handed it to Juice and started walking towards the front door. She decieded it was probably open and she turned the knob. The door opened and when she walked in she saw Bobby, Clay, and Chibs sitting in the living room smoking.

“You’re here,” Chibs said first. “And they were worried you wouldn’t come.”

“Where’s he at?” Jack asked as Juice walked into the room and closed the front door. “Why wouldn’t I come?”

“You tend to slither away from club shit,” Chibs said.

“As she should,” Clay commented. “He’s in the back room. You’ll smell him.” The guys all laughed and since Jack didn’t find his comment so funny she walked away towards the back room. She quickly found Jax sitting on the floor; she assumed he was chain smoking since there were over 50 cigarettes lying in a pile next to him.

“Jesus Christ,” she muttered to herself but loud enough for Jax to hear her. He looked up and stared blankly at her. “Jackson, what are you doing?” She walked in the room and sat next to him where the pile of cigarettes wasn’t so big. “Do you want to end up like Piney?”

“At least Piney got to watch his kid grow up,” Jax muttered. He put an unlit cigarette to his lips and before he could get it to light Jack snatched his lighter from him.

“Well, why aren’t you doing anything about it?” she asked. “Sulking and giving yourself a reason to get lung cancer isn’t helping any. We’ll get him back Jackson.” Jack took the cigarette from his lips and put it down. She took his hands in hers. “Your baby needs you to be strong. I’ll do whatever I can do help you get him back. We will get him back.”

“No,” he said quickly. “No, you’re not helping. You’re going to go back wherever you were and stay away from all this.”

“I’m not leaving,” she replied. Jax took his hands out of Jack’s grip and put the up to his face. He ran them through his hair and leaned his head back.

“She let him get taken,” he whispered. “I didn’t need her. She just let him go.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Tara!” he shouted causing Jack to lean back a little. “He’s just a goddamn baby and she let that piece of shit take him. He’s not hers!”

“Jax,” she replied quietly. “It’s not her fault.”

“She’s still here,” he shouted. “She’s here and he’s gone. How is it not her fault?”

“Would you rather she was dead or something?” Jack asked. She couldn’t stand Jax at the moment for blaming Tara. She couldn’t have possibly let Abel go without a fight. That wasn’t the same Tara she knew from before. Tara would always put up a fight.

“Maybe,” he replied causing Jack to stare at him in disbelief.

“You’re so fucking stupid,” she shouted. “How could you say something like that?” Jax stared at her without any emotion. He looked over her shoulder and noticed some of the guys were standing at the door. “I know you don’t mean that Jackson. You have always loved her. We’ll make everything right, okay?”

Jax turned his head and looked into Jack’s eyes. He turned his body and pulled Jack into his arms. He squeezed her tightly and she hugged him back. “I really love you.” He was whispering into her ear and she heard him sniff. She had never seen Jackson cry before and it tugged at her heartstrings. He couldn’t have meant anything he said about Tara. He was hurting and when we’re hurt we never say what we really mean.

She heard the guys at the door and kept hugging Jax. She was sure he probably didn’t want them seeing him so vulnerable. She ran her fingers through his hair. “Promise no more yelling?” Jax squeezed even harder and nodded. “Good. Now take a shower and we’ll get started. Don't you worry, we’ll find him.”