Brothers In Arms

Chapter 19

"Is this gash really worth it all?" Gemma asked as she passed the joint back to Tig.

He shrugged, "I guess. Opie seems pretty into her."

"He's not the first one," Gemma huffed. "She might be under you next."

"Not my type," he chuckled. "I don't do needy chicks with zombie husbands and friends with badges."

Gemma's jaw dropped slightly. "Zombie husband?"

"Oh shit," Tig laughed uproariously. "That dead husband of hers ain't dead."

"What?" Gemma hissed, her eyes just barely slits as she squinted at him.

"Dude faked his death to throw off this stalker asshole." Even as he said it Tig could hardly believe it. "Some kinda bullshit."

Gemma shook her head, unable and unwilling to believe it, but Tig seemed shockingly accepting. "And you're all just okay with this? You're not questioning anything?"

"No," he laughed. "She checked out, Gem," Tig stood up when Clay arrived. "It's all good."

"You ready?" Clay barked at Tig.

Tig nodded and the two left the house to meet with the other members and play catch-up. Information was scarce which was why Jax went to meet with Opie before going to the clubhouse. Gemma drove by Josie's as Opie was leaving then, while they sat in chapel, Gemma ghosted  behind Josie. She watched closely as Josie went to visit Hotch then stopped at the police station before heading back home.

"Mmm, two-faced bitch."

--

Josie went back home after seeing her husband, alive, for the first time in years. Her mind wasn't as clear as she had assumed, and hoped, it would be after talking to him though. She longed for Opie, for the warmth and comfort he so effortlessly provided, but she couldn't call him, she couldn't do anything that would make him think she'd made a decision. On the couch, a mug of tea on the table, she jotted notes on a legal pad; there was something about handwriting things out rather than typing that helped her think.

"His beard," she scribbled on her list as she said it aloud. "His passion," she smiled. "Aaron never had passion for anything but work."

The scribbles turned into a list of pros and cons about each man. Even though she hated to do it, Josie knew she had to start the last part, the cons to being with Opie. "He's a murderer," she sighed to herself. "How can I be okay with that?"

Tapping her pen against the paper she warred with herself. "None of them are good men."

There was a hard knock at her door and Josie jumped, her eyes darting toward front of the house. Reaching for her gun in the end table drawer, she moved toward the door.

"Who is it?" She called out.

"Gemma! Now open the door!"

Josie could tell from how she pounded on the door that the visitor was angry but knowing it was Gemma worried her even more.

"What do you want? It's not really a good time."

"I just wanna talk," she said quickly.

Against her better judgment, Josie opened the door. "Everything okay?" Gemma was clearly inebriated, Josie could tell, and it made the situation much more dangerous.

"Why don't you tell me?" Gemma snapped.

Josie rolled her eyes and placed her gun on the table. "You know, I'm not in the mood for this."

"Why were you just with your dead husband?" Gemma sneered as she paced the living room.

"Okay," Josie chuckled darkly. "Get out you creepy stalker, one is enough for me, thanks."

Gemma stood planted firmly in her spot. "What are you trying to do? What do you want with my guys?"

"They're not yours," Josie spat, "And all I want is to be fucking happy. I want to be at peace."

"You don't want to close a case?"

"Actually yeah, I do, but that isn't my life's ambition," Josie admitted. "And it's for nothing to do with the club."

"If any of MY guys get arrested or hurt I'm coming for you." Gemma threatened, her finger inches from Josie's nose. "You hear me?"

"Get. Your finger. Out of my fucking face."

Josie slapped Gemma's hand away and sent her into a flying rage. Launching at Josie, Gemma blindly clawed at her face.  Attempting to protect her eyes, she squeezed bed eyelids shut and tried to pushed Gemma away. The initial attack disoriented Josie enough to allow Gemma to land a few solid punches to her stomach and chest.

Doubling over, Josie coughed and choked as she tried to breathe and recover from the blows. Finally, Josie stood again, with a red face and spit on her chin from the coughing, and immediately socked Gemma in the eye.

"I'm not working for anyone," Josie growled. "Get out of my house you psycho bitch."

Gemma gained her footing, bracing herself on the wall, when she looked down at Josie's notepad. "Then what's that shit?"

"It's personal," Josie grabbed the paper. "Get out. Don't make me call Hale."

"You sleeping with him too?"

"No," Josie growled. "And who I'm sleeping with isn't your business. You're so obsessed with them all, Christ, they're grown men."

The next visitor didn't knock. He stormed in, gun raised and fired three shots. As blood pooled by his feet he grabbed Josie's phone from the table, right next to her gun, and snapped a photo of the scene. Sending it to Hotch, he smiled and tiptoed around the room before sneaking away to gleefully watch the fallout.