Charming's Charmless

Lucy's car turned into the Irish warehouse parking lot where she cut the engine and sat engulfed by silence. Aching, wretching pain smouldered her face and dried blood caked her skin. Slowly she pulled the keys into the pocket of her jeans and forced her limbs to move from the fire red vehicle.
The flat bottoms of the shoes Lucy had chosen to wear that day made a clacking sound while she made her way across the gravel. This was insane. Why was she coming back to Jimmy with news that she had yet again failed? That was suicide.
Stopping in the middle of the car park Lucy took in a raggedy breath through her lips. The cool air around her stung the open wounds across her nose. Right now Lucy knew she only had two options and neither of them sounded all too appealing. Either she went in to face Jimmy who would surely gun her down or Lucy could leave Charming and as a pit of snakes began to rythe and hiss in her stomach she wasn't about to really do that.
The moment Helen had picked up that board and broken Lucy's nose with it the Irish deal ceased to mean anything. Pety revenge entered Lucy's thoughts. That bitch wasn't going to get away with this.
Turning on her heel Lucy ignored the blistering pain in her face and slid back into her car driving away from the Irish warehouse and for the meantime away from Charming.

Helen watched as the new make-up artist Luanne had hired by way of phone swept the last of her brushes over BabyDoll's lips.
“Shall I stick around set for touch ups?” The question came as her heavily tattooed hands moved clean brushes into her brush belt.
“Yea that would be great.” Helen had wanted to smile but found her attention caught by Halfsack answering the phone that buzzed at his hip.
“That was Clay just letting me know some stuff.” He looked up from his phone as he hit the end call button.
“Some stuff that's got to do with the Irish?” Helen turned to Halfsack as she asked.
“Yeah it is. I have my orders to stick with you until I get the all clear call and that could take some time.”
“Jesus Christ I hope they don't do anything stupid.”
Sack gave her a half smile. “Since when have you known us to do something that isn't stupid?”

Clay sat back on his bike across from the Irish warehouse flanked by his club as they all counted down. Juice and Jax the most anxious as they waited. Chibs had placed himself beside Juice and knew all to well the depths of what a man would go to do seek revenge on anyone who had the balls to mess with his woman. Funnily enough as Chibs stood beside Juice they were both after the same man.
A loud boom vibrated trough the warehouse to the Sons delight. Fire engulfed the structure and the sound of metal that once supported the warehouse now began to groan as flames licked and weakened it's great mass.
“Well didn't that feel good.” The smile on Clay's face was soon replaced with smug satisfaction.
“What now?” Jax asked disappointed in the whole plan.
“We wait for the Irish to come to us.”
“Is that all?” Juice snapped from his spot.
“For now.” Clay ignored the enraged manners of the two as he mounted his bike. “Let's go.”

“Well isn't that interesting.” Gemma said as she sat beside Tara on the edge of the boxing ring.
Tara's legs swung in space between her and the ground. “Sure is.”
Truthfully Tara wasn't sure what to say after Juice had asked her permission in regards to asking Helen that all important question.
“What did you say?”
“Well of course I said he could. I mean it's not as if they are unhappy, sure they have their moments but I haven't seen Helen act like herself in years.”
“So what's with the long face?” Gemma nudged Tara's shoulder. “Baby sis getting asked before you got you down?”
Tara let her head drop back and her shoulders relax. “Of course not. Just I worry about her is all. I don't want this to end up with Juice hurting her.”
Gemma watched Tara as she slumped back against the ropes. “Juice wouldn't do that. Not intentionally anyway. Sure the boy can be as dumb as bricks but it's plain to see how much he loves your sister.”
“Yeah.”
Just as Tara was fixing to move from her spot she could hear the sounds of bikes roaring back into the lot.
“I wonder what they did this time.” Gemma slid from the ring and began to make her way over to the group as they dismounted.
Tara stood back at the ring watching as Jax made his way over to her.
“How'd it go?” She asked as much as she was allowed to despite wanting to know more.
He nodded. “As good as it could have. Clay says we just wait for them to come to us now.”
“What?” Tara's jaw set in a hard line. “Come to you? Jesus Jax what if they come after us again?”
“They won't.” Truthfully that had been playing at the back of his mind as well. Jax snaked an arm around Tara's hip and pulled her close. “I'll protect you don't worry.”
“And what about Gemma? Helen? You going to protect them as well?”
“Mom has Clay and your sister's got Juice too look out for them. Now we know the Irish might pull that shit again there is no way any of us are going to let that happen.”
Not the answer she was looking for Tara let out a heavy huff against Jax's chest. “This is bullshit.”

Nightfall was drawing in early around Charming signalling the oncoming winter. Weeks had passed without a single hiccup from the Irish and everyone around the club was beginning to settle into the daily grind.
“Luanne is letting you run KerraKerra?” Juice was sitting against the headboard of his bed watching as Helen pulled on an oversized and self cut Guns 'n' Roses shirt getting ready to join him.
“Not run KerraKerra. Just continue to do what I was doing when she was away. It'll give her more time to deal with the issues from other porn companies while I get the everyday stuff on the go plus my usual chores there.”
Helen let out a tired sigh and began pinning her hair back when Juice shifted to the edge of the bed and wrapped his arms around her waist. He continued to pull her into his lap causing Helen to gasp a smile.
“You know how much I love you, don't you?”
Helen turned her head to the side and nudged his nose with hers. “Course I do.”
Resting his chin on her shoulder Juice let out a sigh. “Good.”
She felt him duck a hand into the pocket of his sweats and fiddle around for a moment.
“What are you doing?” Helen began to widen her smile.
“Getting this out for you.” Juice slid his arm back around her waist.
Looking down Helen noticed he had pulled out a little blue box with a neatly tied white ribbon sitting on its top. Two silver charms dangled from the side and Juice was holding it with fingers that began to delicately shake.
“Juan...”
Juice gulped down wetting his suddenly dry mouth. “So here is me going out on a limb and hoping you'll say yes.”
Helen watched as his other hand tugged at the ribbon and slowly removed the lid. Sparkling back at her were several small diamonds lopping around the eternity symbol along a thin white gold band.
“So what do you say?” Juice asked as his stomach did backflips waiting for her to answer.
A silent gasp let her lips as she looked down at the box. Helen felt tears pickle the backs of her eyes. “Of course. Yes. Yes!”
Juice's face broke out in a grin as wide as the sun was bright. “Really?” He asked her.
“Yes really.” Helen turned in his arms placing her hands either side of his face. “Really.”
Pressing his lip hard against hers Juice didn't take more than a second to pull the ring from it's place in the cushiony box and place it on her finger.
“I'm going to call Tara, ok?” Helen's smile couldn't have been wiped off her face as she shimmied over Juice and grabbed her phone from the bedside table.
Feeling his heartbeat slow to something more normal Juice placed his arms behind his head and watched as Helen dialled in her sister's number. Right in that very second he couldn't recall a time when he had been happier. More importantly to him he couldn't remember when he had been the reason that someone was even happier. Everything that had been the seed of pain in their relationship seemed to cease to exist and all that was left was this woman that was his.

Jeers came from the boys the next morning from inside the clubhouse when Juice had told them Helen had said yes and already they were making seedy plans for a bucks night when their Queen spoke up.
“Now hold on you old dogs. They haven't even had an engagement bash yet so shouldn't you be looking into that first?”
Helen looked over at Juice with a smile that was no longer tainted with sour memories but filled with prospects of more than a fair share of good ones.
“There has to be cake.” She leaned over the bar and pecked Juice's cheek. “A real cake. Not a stripper cake.”
Noises of protests arose from the men as their first idea was shot down.
“But you can have whatever else you want.”
Helen knew Juice was looking forward to whatever the boys were starting to plan and as far as she was concerned the parties didn't matter. What mattered most to her was the vows they would promise to each other when the day came.
“So have you set a date?” Tara draped an arm around her sisters shoulders and rested the other on her own hip.
“Oh um...” Helen looked to Juice who looked back at her biting his bottom lip.
“How does this date next month sound?”
Helen's brows went up. “Next month?”
“Why not.” He stretched his arms over his side of the bar letting that brush against Helen's.
She met his gaze and saw the glint in them shining back at her.
“Alright. But it looks like I need to get my arse out and pick up some stuff. Like right now.”
“I'll call someone.”
Helen nodded. “Guess I'll be seeing you at home tonight?”
The club watched on knowing that for a second they didn't exist. Something each man with a wedding band knew.
“Sure will.”

Jimmy sat silent in his office. Lights were off. Tumbler of scotch sat in his hand. Ashen cigarette in the other. There was something he had to do to salvage this mess with the Sons. Gritting his teeth Jimmy jabbed out his cigarette over the table.
“Fuck the Sons. If it's the drugs I want I'll have to go directly to the source.”