Seize Control

"Teller family?"

This doctor was obviously new to Charming if he didn't know who the Teller-Morrows were. He looked around the waiting room and when his eyes found the group of about twenty people, most of them very intimidating men, he gulped and cautiously took a few steps forward.

Gemma was first on her feet with Clay, Jax, and Juice right behind her. They all stood in front of the doctor and the rest of the group closed in behind them. "How's my baby?" she asked anxiously.

"She's out of surgery. We removed the bullet from her shoulder but she'll have to keep her arm in a sling for a few weeks. Her left wrist was broken so we've put a cast on that for a few weeks as well. Some cracked ribs, severe bruising all over. Minor scrapes for the most part but there was a deep cut on her cheek that required ten stitches."

"Shit," Clay muttered under his breath, running his hand down the back of his head.

"There's one more thing." The doctor hesitated for a moment and shook his head. "Juliette wouldn't consent to a rape kit. Now, she didn't outright say anything did or didn't happen, but in my professional opinion......." The doctor trailed off, not finishing the thought, but he gave them a sympathetic look. "I have to warn you folks, she's in very bad shape. We've got the blood washed off and got her all cleaned up so you can go in and see her, but her appearance might be very shocking to you."

"Thanks, doc," Clay nodded and the doctor left the family alone in the waiting room once again.

"Jesus Christ," Jax groaned, his eyes tearing up as he sank down into one of the stiff blue chairs. "This is all our fault!"

His stepfather stood over him, but he didn't say a word as he patted his shoulder. Gemma wanted to comfort her son but her other child needed her more so she left the group in the waiting room and headed down the hallway to her daughter's room. She let out a gasp of surprise when she opened the door and stepped inside.

Juliette was sitting in the bed, propped up by multiple pillows. Her left wrist sported a clean white cast and her entire arm was resting in a dark blue sling. Her face was bruised and cut. Her right eye was surrounded by a particularly dark ring of purple and the deep gash in her left cheek had been sewn up with stitches. The busted lip she had received from a heavy gold ring was swollen twice its normal size. Her long wavy hair was still damp from the prohibited shower the nurses had helped her take.

She stepped closer to the bed, her heels clicking against the clean white floors. "Hey baby," she said quietly, reaching out her hand to gently touch Juliette's arm. The girl flinched away from her touch but didn't look up at her mother. She lifted the remote control in her hand and changed the television station, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"Julie? Baby?"

Still the girl made no effort to acknowledge her mother's presence but Gemma saw her swallow hard before changing the channel again. The door to her room opened and the young nurse stepped inside with a polite smile on her face, carrying a large bag for Juliette's IV.

"Just have to put some more fluids on. She's severely dehydrated," the nurse informed Gemma. As she took down the empty bag and hooked up the new one, Juliette watched her. She adjusted the IV where it went into her arm before she left the room without another word.

Gemma took a seat in the recliner next to her daughter's bed but she didn't attempt to get her to talk again. Hell, she wouldn't even make eye contact with her own mother. Finally, it became too much for her and she stood up quickly from her chair. "I'm gonna be just outside, baby. I think Juice is dying to get in here to see you."

Juliette made no acknowledgement as her mother left the room and rejoined her stepfather in the waiting room with the rest of the Club. "How is she?" he immediately asked as she sat down in the chair next to him.

Gemma shook her head. "Won't talk to me. Won't let me touch her. Won't even make eye contact."

"Maybe she just needs some time. She's been through a very traumatic experience," he offered as an explanation.

Juice slowly rose from his seat, stopping in front of the two. "Mind if I go in?" he asked Gemma politely.

"She ain't gonna talk to you."

"Doesn't matter," he automatically replied. "Just wanna see her."

"Go on then," she agreed, motioning for him to leave them and head down the hall. Juice followed the way she had just come from until he reached the door to Juliette's room. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for whatever he was about to see, before he pushed the door open and stepped inside the room, shutting it quietly behind him and walking slowly over to her bedside.

Doc was right, he thought. Even though he had seen her when she was still covered in blood, she still looked worse now. The blood had only been masking countless cuts and bruises that were now visible.

Juliette didn't look at him as he sat down in the chair next to her bed. She had already decided that she wasn't going to talk to or even acknowledge any of them, but Juice had been the one who had carried her out of there. When he reached over to take her hand in his, she let him.

Considering Gemma's words just a few minutes ago, he took this as a good sign. He decided not to push it by trying to talk to her and get her to talk back. He was satisfied with just sitting there holding her hand, comforting her.

She yawned and briefly removed her hand from his to push the button on her bed to lay her bed back a little. It took her a few moments to make herself comfortable again, but she eventually found a position and she laid her head back against the pillows, turning her face away from him.

This time, it was she who reached over to take his hand. He couldn't help the smile that made its way onto his features as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and her eyes fluttered shut, letting sleep overtake her now that she finally felt safe.

When visiting hours were over, the nurses had to force him to leave her side. Even when he finally did leave her room, he plopped himself down in the waiting room so that he could go back in first thing in the morning. Gemma and Jax were still in the waiting room discussing Juliette and what to do next.

Kip stood at the waiting room entrance, hiding on the other side of the wall as he eavesdropped on the conversation. When the two of them got up to leave, he ducked into the bathroom to wait for them to pass before he went back out into the hallway. When he peaked into the waiting room, he saw Juice slouched down in one of the chairs in the corner, his hood up over his head and his eyes closed.

He crept past the doorway and continued silently down the hall. The nurses were all standing around the coffee pot with their backs turned so he took the opportunity to run past them and down to the door of Juliette's room, pushing it open hurriedly and shutting it behind him.

Juliette's eyes flew open at the sound of the door closing less than quietly. The only light in the room was coming from the crack under the door and she had to squint to see in the darkness.

Kip turned his head toward her and saw her in the process of trying to sit up. "I know visiting hours are way over, but I had to come see you when your family wasn't here." He silently walked over to her bedside, dropping his jacket into the chair and taking her hand in his. "Overheard your mom and brother. You're supposedly not talking?"

"Not to them," she answered.

Kip sat down next to her on her bed, examining her face. "Jesus Christ, Jules. They really got you good, huh?" he said bluntly. He wasn't worried about upsetting her. She had come to expect him to be honest and straightforward.

"You're tellin' me," she mumbled.

"What the fuck happened?"

"Club shit," she answered sadly. "I don't know. I was just on a date. They were hiding in the back of my car when we got out of the movie."

"Shit," he muttered. "I'm sorry about Silas."

Her eyes began to tear up at the mention of his name. She hadn't thought of him since before she'd fallen alseep but bringing him up only made her upset all over again. She nodded in response and used her blanket to gently wipe the tears from her bruised cheeks. "Everything is all just so surreal still."

Kip wasn't sure what else to say. Mentioning Silas only made her upset and he wouldn't dare ask what had actually happened to her to cause her injuries. He cleared his throat as he ran his hand over his hair. "I just wanted to stop by. This was my last chance to see you when your entire family wasn't hangin' around."

"Oh shit, it's Friday isn't it? You're leaving tomorrow."

"Actually, I'm leaving in a few minutes. I have a 11 o'clock flight so I can be there first thing in the morning."

"I still can't believe you joined the army. You're leaving me."

"Julie-"

She held up her hand to stop him. "You know I'm not mad at you. I'm just going to miss you."

He smiled, grabbing her hand and squeezing. "I'll miss you too."

"Just.....be careful, okay? I can't lose you too."

"Come on," he said, attempting to lighten the mood. "I may not even make it through boot camp."

"It's not funny," she mumbled, pouting.

The door to her room opened and the nurse who was behind it froze when she saw him sitting on Juliette's bed. "You are not supposed to be in here. Visiting hours are over," she scolded, putting her hand on her hip.

He nodded, standing up from the bed. "I was just leaving," he told her. She held the door open and just stoof there watching him as he leaned down to give her a gentle hug. "Don't worry about me, Julie. I'm gonna be fine."

"Can't help it."

"Well try," he grinned, planting a kiss on her forehead. "And for Christ's sake, please take care of yourself. I can't lose you either. I love you too much."

"I love you more. Be careful, Kip. And try to call me every once in awhile."

"You know I will."