Always in My Head - An SOA Fan Fiction

Chapter 1

Hello! Thank you for taking some time to check this story out! It is a sequel to my first story, Bad Medicine, and set about six months after those events. Let's see where Opie and Mae have ended up and what new trouble they'll be getting into!

"We hit em' back!" Tig snapped as they arrived back in Chapel after visiting the sight of the warehouse explosion. "Trammel said it had to be the Mayans, until we find our damn guns we make it hurt."

Jax huffed, rolling his eyes and shook his head. "They'll be expecting it. What are we going to do, go ghetto? Stage a drive-by? I don't like it."

"So we just bend over?" Leaning across the table Tig eyed Jax, less than thrilled about his lack of bloodlust. "What do you suggest we do, VP?"

"We find our guns. Talk to our buyers, make sure they know they'll be some lag, then we go and settle shit."

Clay and the others listened carefully to them as the two sparred verbally, one hell bent on retaliation and destruction while the other was trying to hold onto some kind of sanity at the table.

Putting his hand out Clay silenced Tig and Jax quickly. "I got Juice looking into their warehouses, Alvarez is too smart to keep our guns in any of his heroin spots, we know about them."

Just the mention of drugs burned Opie. Anything that reminded him of Mae sent him into an even worse mood than he was already in.

"We gonna vote it?" He mumbled, cigarette between his fingers. "Cause I wouldn't mind blowing some fucking dope up while we find the guns."

"Yeah," Tig reached over Chibs to give Opie a hard smack on the back. "That's what I'm saying."

"I'll do it, in and out, no big deal." All he could do was throw himself into the club, going home alone was too painful

"Good to see you back in the game, Ope." Clay nodded as he called the vote, retaliation won the majority, no surprise there. "Alright, tonight Ope. You need a spotter?"

"Nah, I'm good. It's quicker if I just go alone."

There was less conversation that way too. They discussed him taking a spotter, it was finally settled on Sack and Happy being the ones to go. The gavel was slammed down, Church was finished, and they slowly moved into the main room. Jax waited for Opie to go before hurrying out behind him.

"Why don't I go with you too?" He offered, burying how angry he was at Opie for leading the retaliation conversation with Tig. "Don't want that one nut freak having your back."

"I don't either, he'll just be the driver." Opie forced an awkward smile. "I'm good brother, really."

Opie peered in Mae's window, he didn't mean to be creepy but, had she seen him, it certainly would be off-putting to say the very least. He watched furiously as she stood over the sink scrubbing a pot while a man wrapped his arms around her from behind, his lips moving up and down her neck. Her airy giggles hit Opie hard in the gut, he was breathless and pained seeing her so happy with some asshole touching her.

"Stop," she protested half-heartedly. "I want to get this done before we sit for the movie."

"You hate waking up to a messy kitchen." The mystery man repeated her words from every other time she'd made him dinner. "Let me help."

She looked happy as they worked together, washing and drying, but looks could be deceiving. He swore he could see something about her, some kind of unease or sadness. Maybe he just wanted her to feel that way, selfish as it was. He wanted her to want him but she didn't seem to anymore.

"Stupid fucking prick."

What did he expect? It had been six months since they broke up, it made sense for her to move on. Just because he was wallowing didn't mean she was going to. The angle was bad; he couldn't make out who it was with their hands all over his girl. His girl, it sounded absurd. The fact he still referred to Mae as his was a joke and it made everyone around him uncomfortable.

If it wasn't such an emergency he would have turned away but Opie had no choice, the club needed this job done and there was no one else. He knocked on the kitchen door with an obvious sense of urgency.

The months between her life-threatening situation and the current one she was living had dashed her overly cautious mindset. With no concern for her safety she swung the door open, her toothy smile gone the instant she saw Opie standing there under the yard light.

She could hardly believe it was Opie, her heart raced as she looked over him. There was never a doubt of how badly Mae missed him but seeing him there made it hurt so much more.

Looking back into the kitchen nervously Mae whispered to him. "Ope, what are you doing here?" She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. The last thing she needed was the two men to see each other.

"I need your help." He said, his eyes on the ground. "Mary packed her shit, she bolted and I need someone to watch my kids. You're the only person I trust, Mae."

Sighing heavily she nodded, her thumb and index finger massaging her forehead. "Yeah, of course, they can stay here." She glanced behind him to see Kenny and Ellie in the cab of his pickup. "It's already kind of late, I can just drop them at school tomorrow when I go in."

He looked surprised by the offer. "Thanks but I can get them."

"No," she shook her head. Everything about him in that moment screamed danger, he was on edge and she knew whatever it was he had to do was bad. "I don't think you'll be in a good headspace later. It's not a big deal, I want to."

She was right, he had to laugh to himself, she was usually always right. "Thank you, I'll pick them up from school tomorrow."

"Okay, just give me a minute, yeah?" He nodded and she slipped back into the house.

"Dave?" Hurrying into the living room she frowned at him, sitting so comfortably on the couch. "We're going to have to cut the night short, I'm sorry."

It was no surprise, Dave clocked Opie through the window seconds before he knocked. He was the reason they both wanted to keep their relationship so private.

"SAMCRO having problems?" He asked, sitting up and tossing the remote on the coffee table. When she didn't answer Dave knew he was right.

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

Mae hated that he even knew she had dated Opie. If she had known that first time they spoke that she'd be with him now Mae would never have told Hale they were together. It was the topic of a few uncomfortable conversations.

"You don't have to help them. Mae, you shouldn't be helping them."

It was obvious she was getting angry, he shook his head and sighed deeply. The MC was the only thing they really fought about. It wasn't her history with drugs that caused them to keep their relationship hidden, it was her ties to the club, and they were still stronger than he'd ever want to know.

How were they ever meant to work? Dave just wished he'd had these clear realizations before he'd truly gotten to know Mae and developed feelings for her. He gave her a slow lingering kiss before heading out the front door.

Stopping by the mirror Mae fixed her hair quickly before scurrying to the kitchen again. Anything she felt for David Hale paled in comparison to Opie and once she saw him after so long, it was like the Deputy didn't even exist anymore.

"Sorry to bust up your date." He said sadly, waving his kids from the pickup.

Mae didn't speak, she felt guilty and embarrassed. Opie gave his children each a rough kiss on the top of the head before sending them in the house.

"Be good for Mae, I'll see you guys tomorrow." As they nodded with meek little waves, Opie turned to walk away but Mae grabbed his hand.

"Look, I don't know what you're doing, I know you can't tell me and I don't want you to but please whatever it is," her voice cracked, betraying her calm exterior. "Just be careful, Ope. I don't want you getting hurt."