Runaway ✔

113 • Dana

Listlessly Dana stirred in the cup of coffee she'd ordered at a road house. She wasn't eager to return to San Francisco. It would probably take some time before Juice woke up anyway. He would undoubtedly call her as soon as he noticed she was gone, giving her an indication of her advantage. 

And that would be big enough. 

She tried to enjoy her last minutes of freedom. It was hard. As soon as she'd left Charming this morning, she'd  kissed her freedom goodbye. 

But you can still go back, a voice whined in the back of her head. You don't even have to go back to Charming. Just let the wind guide you. 

She folded her hands around the warm mug again and took a sip. No, there was no way back. Going back to Charming would lead to another funeral. And she couldn't randomly ride around. She barely had enough cash to buy gas and coffee. 

Sticking to the plan... that however was neither easy. 

What would Maddox do when she got home? Throw her on the bed and fuck her until she was bleeding? Hit her so hard nobody would recognize her face ever again? Send in a group unknown man to suck? Or would he give her no punishment? Would he just be happy she was back? But even then his mood would quickly change. It was impossible to act like the past year had never existed. 

She breathed in shakily and tried to blink away the tears. There was nothing she hadn't been through before. Furthermore it served a goal to stay now. 

She would keep her friends save, would keep Juice alive. Maybe she could even persuade Maddox to plead Happy's case one day. She knew it was something negotiable. Maddox had always liked the system of reward and punishment. 

The noise of motorcycles pulled her out of her thoughts. Her hands were trembling when two Harleys stopped in front of the restaurant. 

"Fuck," Dana grumbled. She jumped up. 

The door slammed shut as one of the bikers rushed inside. She briefly looked around, but saw no way out. Through the window she could see Kozik had taken position next to her bike. She could never get past him. 

For a moment the idea crossed her mind to kick a fuss, like she'd done with Happy in the past. But it wouldn't help. There were only two other people having a coffee and Juice wouldn't let her go, no matter what horrible things she would yell at him. 

She had to keep calm, explain to him why she was doing this. But however understanding Juice had been in the past, one glance at his grim face told her her flight was ending here. Whatever she would tell him. 

"What the hell, Dana," he grumbled when he was only a step away from her. "Are you out of your fucking mind?"

Dana dropped her eyes. Her shoulders hung down defeated. She had no idea how to respond. "I have no choice, Juice. I'm doing this for you. For all of you."

"Bullshit. You know I'll freak out by the thought that you're held hostage in a house while your insane ex is fucking your brains out. You're my old lady, Dane, and as long as I'm breathing you're not going back to that asshole. I rather lock you up myself!"

Dana looked up to him. The vein on his temple was swollen and his face was twisted in a grimace. The only time she'd seen him so mad, was when Kozik kissed her.

"Opie is dead, Juice," she hissed, shaking her head in despair. Tears clouded her vision. With a brief movement she wiped them away. She had the feeling the whole restaurant was filled with people who were staring at her, even though the customers could be counted on one hand. "If I don't go back today, someone else will be dead next week. Don't you get that? How many of your friends have to die before you realize this is the only way to stop this shit?!"

"That shit will only become worse," Juice answered stubbornly. "What do you think will happen if you go through with this? You think we'll just abandon you? Act like we've never known you? Don't be ridiculous! That motherfucker killed Opie, one of us, this is more personal than it ever was! Clay will mobilize every charter and turn whole San Francisco upside down to find that asshole, no matter where you are! There's no point in going back now, you only cause me and yourself more pain!"

Dana gasped for breath as his words seeped inside her head. "You... You can't..."

"Stop it. Whatever we do is none of your business," he cut her off. He grabbed her wrist. He looked broader and taller than Dana had ever realized and still the look in his eyes was fragile as he pulled her close. With his other hand he cupped her cheek, gently but compelling, so she couldn't avoid his hurt glance. "I can't lose you. I can't," he whispered. His voice was trembling. 

"I'll find a way back. If I..."

She cringed as he kicked a table. A chair fell over and the salt-and-pepper set that had been on the table, fell to pieces on the ground. "You're not getting it, do you? That. Won't. Happen. You'll come with me right now. I don't care what you want. If someone's going to lock you up, it will be me."

His grasp around her wrist hurt, but she didn't try to free herself. A part of her wanted nothing more than going back to Charming with him. That wanted to believe so desperately that he and his motor gang had the power to protect her. 

But Maddox had killed her mother. He'd sent Tig and Happy to prison without a trial. He'd sent Kozik on the ICU for three days. And he'd made her murder her own friend. 

And what had SAMCRO achieved? 

They'd tortured a questionable partner of Maddox to death and they'd shot Danny. And the latter had been an error of judgement from Maddox, nothing but pure luck for them. 

"You can't protect me, Juice," she whispered. Tears were waving over her cheeks because she knew that truth would hit him hard. "And... and you shouldn't be willing to protect me. I was the one pushing the gun to Opie's head, the one pulling the trigger. If I deserve anything, it's to return to Maddox's hell."

The grasp around her wrist weakened. With disbelief Juice stared at, just as Dana had expected him to. She tore herself away and ran to the exit.