Firefly

Chapter 15

The nausea didn't leave Amelia until two weeks later when she heard the judgment and punishment, or lack thereof, then it turned into complete panic. Tyler took a plea deal, which with such little evidence meant he was only coping to misdemeanor assault and would end up serving no jail time. There were so many cases with strikingly similar circumstances that ended with the assailant doing time, drugging someone is usually a major offense, but there was little to be done in Amelia's case.

"This is bullshit." She cried. "He got probation for two years, suspension from school for a semester and community service. I don't even want to go back to class."

Juice felt his blood pressure rise rapidly as she spoke, her fear rattling in voice and making her chin tremble as she spoke. He wasn't sure what made him think it but Juice was sure Tyler would go after her, either as revenge for going to the cops or simply because anyone who would do that was a mental health case to begin with.

"You're going back to class, Meely. You only got a little bit more to go before you graduate, don't let that piece of shit take that from you." They sat in the clubhouse holding hands over one of the old wooden tables in the corner. "We'll figure something out, you're not getting hurt I promise you."

"You thought it too?" She asked, the accidental reassurance that her fears were not absurd was the last thing she wanted to hear. "You think he's coming after me too? Oh shit, that means I'm not crazy."

"I don't think that." He said quickly. "I think he's a pussy and he wouldn't dare go near you again but I'm going to make sure you know how to protect yourself. No one, not that fucking faggot or anyone else, is going to hurt you."

"How did I get so lucky?" She asked switching from her seat to his lap.

"I ask myself the same thing every day." Tucking her hair behind her ears, Juice kissed her sweetly. "We'll figure it all out, baby, I promise." He heard some of the guys pull up so Juice wiped her tears and chuckled. "You have streaks, honey." Really, he thought she looked cute, despite being so upset, but Juice could use a minute or two when the guys came in.

"Oh shit," Amelia jumped to her feet. "I'll be right back."

Juice watched as she hurried to the hall toward the apartment. Once she was out of sight, he met Opie out front. "Ope, can I get a second?"

"What's up?"

"Donna, she doesn't know anything, right?"

Opie shrugged. "She does but no details, she's not an idiot, she knows were outlaw. Why, the redhead?"

"Yeah. I'm trying to figure out how to make this work without telling her I'm a fucking criminal."

With a hard slap on the back, Ope chuckled ominously. "Sorry brother, you gotta tell her something, it's impossible to hide if you're serious about her. You think she'd bolt?"

"I do but even if she didn't it's easier pretending I'm the good guy. I don't want to bring her down."

"I think we all went through that, I did with Donna, Jax with Tara but it's their call." He pointed to Amelia as she stepped out into the sunlight. "If she doesn't run, she isn't much different anyway or she's just one of those chicks."

"Ride or die?" It was awkward, Opie wasn't the one Juice usually opened up to but he seemed to be the one who understood relationships and had experience with keeping the woman and the club separate.

Opie laughed at the phrase. "Yeah, ride or die. Let's keep the dying outta our heads though, brother."

--

"He's a good guy, I swear."

The weekly call home had become more of a chore than ever. Amelia sat on her couch with her phone on speaker as she waited for her fingernails to dry.

"When do I get to meet him?"

"It's only been a few months." She protested. "He'll be at graduation maybe, but not before I can promise you that. We're still finding out footing, it's new." Maybe she wasn't exactly honest but it would keep Aunt Helen and Uncle Max far away from Charming.

"And what's his name again?"

"His friends call him Juice but his name is Juan Ortiz," purposely she left Carlos out. "I call him JC, Juicy JC, you know? They sound alike and but it's not weird like Juice."

"Juice is very weird."

"I really should go, my pizza is here and I gotta eat." Amelia opened the door and held her finger to Juice's lip as she and her aunt said their goodbyes. She rolled her eyes, taking the pizza from him and leading him quietly into the apartment. "Yep, I got it, thanks. I love you too, bye."

"Auntie Helen?" He laughed.

"Yeah," she was already opening the box. "She wants to meet you."

"Moms and mom figures love me." With his patented wide, sunny smile, he extended his arms as if to display himself. "I don't mind."

"No." Amelia's smile fell and she shook her head. "Aunt Helen and Uncle Max are snobby. She used to be cool I mean she still is kinda, but when she legally married Uncle Max when I was like ten she married into Jewish money and suddenly tattoos were trashy and no diploma meant you were worthless. She's sweet and she'd support me no matter what but I'm not ready for her worried phone calls and background checks."

At the mention of background checks, Juice buttoned his lip. "I don't need to rock any Jewish boats."

"Yeah, me neither." She plopped a piece on a paper plate and handed it to Juice. "Eat."

He sat, taking a bite, and glanced over at the newspaper she had on the table. "Current events?"

"Yeah, my professor was telling me about the rise of illegal guns they're finding used in crimes in and around the area. I decided to pick up the paper he was talking about when I was out. Scary shit."

Juice instantly looked away. "Yeah, crazy shit."

"I just wonder where they come from. I mean, call me naive, but if the government and cops are so interested in stopping it, how are they getting here?"

"I heard they're coming from Europe." He said casually. "You know, not all of our associations are the most upstanding citizens, and that's one of the rumors floating around."

"Really?" She sat forward, enthralled but the small piece of information. "I never even thought of Europe."

Was she completely glossing over the criminal comment he made or did she maybe not catch it. "You think Mexico, right?"

"Exactly." She said excitedly. "Learn something new every day." Peeling the cheese off her second piece she offered it to Juice, who as usual, ate it right up. "So, those friends, are they real bad dudes?"

"They can be," he was trying to very careful. "You know we have some arrangements worked out, it's all good, we're keeping the peace and shit."

"Yeah." Amelia nodded and turned back to her pizza. She always knew something was being kept quiet but she was simply happy it wasn't some secret family. Criminals were fine, in the small dose she was being told about, and far from a surprise considering the leather and tattoos.

"Meels?"

"I'm good." She plastered a beaming grin on her face. "I'm just happy you're here, I love every second I spent with you, JC."

"Me too, and I love eating your unwanted cheese." He winked and swigged his beer. "You good?"

"You're not a criminal, murderer or a drug dealer, some crazy motorcycle gangbanger?"

"No, I'm none of those things and we're a club, not a gang, but we're all a little crazy."

"I can deal with that." She said confidently. "Now eat," Amelia ordered as she hurried into the bathroom. "The movie starts in forty five minutes and it's at least twenty minutes away." Closing the door she looked in the mirror and shook away any residual anxiety or suspicion. It was too late anyway, Amelia felt too strongly to leave without good cause and none of his vague statements made her feel scared or like she was in danger. She was sure no matter whom he was friends with that Juice was a good man. She just felt it.