Always in My Head - An SOA Fan Fiction

Chapter 5

Opie ushered her in and straight through the sliding glass doors to the backyard. They had a clear view of the kids but more privacy than anywhere else in the house.

"Are you okay?" He looked her over obsessively. "Did someone hurt you?"

Shaking her head Mae suddenly didn't know what to say to him. Frustrated, she ruffled her hair on top of her head and sighed.

"I'm fine." What was the point of going over there? She didn't know anymore, it seemed like such a good idea at the time. "Stupid David Hale," she said as if it explained anything.

Just the name infuriated Opie, especially knowing he'd upset Mae. "What happened? Is he bothering you again?"

"He's the guy I'm dating, Ope."

A flash of rage shot through him, of all the men she could be with Mae had to pick him. Opie's hands instinctively curled into tight fists as he let out a deep growl. "You're fucking Hale?" The words were caustic, Opie was furious, not to mention embarrassed and hurt.

"We're dating," she said defensively. "I'm not some whore just banging around town."

Beginning to pace Opie tried to calm down but it seemed almost impossible. "David Hale," he laughed ominously. "Wait, did you tell him something?" He looked at her accusingly, he never imagined she would but the situation seemed to fit.

"No!" Mae shook her head, her hair whipping around. "I don't know anything to tell and even if I did, I wouldn't. I had no idea there was such animosity between you all."

Mae was shocked by his visceral reaction and even a little scared of Opie in that moment, she'd never seen him so angry. "Deputy Dog wants us all locked up," he snipped.

"Why?" Speaking barely above a whisper Mae, although terrified of his answer, needed to know. "I won't tell him anything, Ope. I need for you to trust me now."

"I don't want you in trouble." That was honest, he didn't, but there was still a part of Opie that feared she'd slip and say something. He trusted her but he couldn't help but worry, it was his life on the line.

Her chin quivered as she nodded and slowly walked over to him. "I already helped you dispose of evidence in a murder, if I'm getting in trouble it's because of that and not some secrets." He was still hesitant. "Ope, please, I need to know what I'm protecting, I can't help you if I don't know. I swear, I won't say anything."

He hated the way she tangled him up; he couldn't think straight being in such a constant state of confusion with her. He was livid, raging but seeing her there in front of him, accepting and supporting him, washed it away. All Opie ever wanted was to tell her everything, now was his chance.

"Last week a rival MC stole from us, lit our warehouse on fire, killed our security guard. So I went and wired one of their heroin spots, almost got jumped by two of them, ended up killing them."

Mae swallowed hard, she suspected but hearing it was startling. "Okay," she tried to hide how upset she was. Still, even after he admitted it, he was still her sweet, bumbling Opie.

"That's when I showed at your place."

"I figured."

"What else do you want to know?"

"Everything, Opie."

"That warehouse the Mayans hit, we used it for storage and assembly, guns."

"A gun warehouse," she said slowly. "Naturally, because you run guns, sell them, right?"

Opie blinked a few times and looked at her suspiciously. "How did you know that?"

"Dave loves to try to scare me to keep me far away from you. I think he knows how I feel," she panicked as she said it. "So he told me all these things he swears you guys are doing." Mae stopped, her eyes rolling up into her head as something hit her. "People don't die in Charming, there's no murders here or anything really."

It was a point of pride for Opie and SAMCRO. "Yeah, nothing happens here we don't know about." He could see she was working something out. "What?" The warrant, it only made sense. "Dave's got a new case, a murder. He's pushing to connect us. Did he say something?"

"Bluebird?" She looked at him, her face scrunched up. "He never mentions work in much detail but tonight he asked me about Bluebird, if I've ever heard of it."

"Goddamn it," Opie scoffed. "He's using you Mae."

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "That's what he said about you."

Of course he did, Opie wanted throttle that asshole. "Bluebird is the fake business we set up, our gun location, the land and the building, are owned by Bluebird. His case, the murder, it's our security guard the Mayans killed. They dumped his body in Charming to fuck with us, he had a Bluebird business card in his wallet. That's why he asked you, he already thinks we're involved."

"Jesus Christ," Mae groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"The body connects to the warehouse but he can't connect that to us."

"You're so much more than a club, huh?" She laughed sadly.

Opie wanted to laugh but he couldn't. "Mae, this shit with Hale. It's dangerous for me and you."

"I didn't know, if I knew before I wouldn't have gone out with him. I had suspicions but I didn't think of these types of crimes, gun running and bombs. Just that you guys were bad ass bikers, you know? Not criminals."

"Does he make you happy?" Opie needed to know what was between her and Hale.

"I guess." Mae shrugged. "He's nice, he likes me, treats me well."

"Mae, does he make you happy?"

"Not the way you do."

The rev of an engine drew Opie's attention away, he moved with a stealth Mae didn't think possible for him, to peek over the fence. He looked back, relieved but disappointed. "It's Jax," he said sadly, the interruption was horribly times. "Brother, I'm back here."

Jax looked surprised to see Mae in the yard as he latched the gate behind him. He smiled, charming as ever, and looked at Opie. "I gotta talk to you. I called but I guess you were busy."

"It's fine," he looked at Mae and nodded confidently. "What's going on?"

"Brother, maybe we should move this inside."

"I said it's fine, tell me."

Obviously something had changed between Mae and Opie, Jax tried to be as vague as possible. "Juice found the hardware, industrial park in San Leandro. Tig, Chibs, Happ, Juice, everyone's on that run tonight I need you brother, me you and Clay gotta pick it up."

He didn't have a choice but that didn't mean Opie wanted to. They were just finally getting somewhere and now he had to go.

"It's okay," she ventured over closer to them. "You have to go, I can stay."

Opie nodded to Jax and he smiled sweetly at Mae before heading out the way he'd come in. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just come back before I have to go to school, I don't have work clothes here."

"We have to finish this, Mae." He said cupping her cheeks in his hands. Mae's face almost disappeared as he held her. Despite the massive size difference, which they both secretly loved, Mae never cowered away or feared for her safety with him.

"We will." She was full of so much love in that moment. "Is it dangerous?"

"Probably a little," He admitted. "It should be fine though, we can take care of ourselves. There's no one else I want having my back more than Jax, you don't have to worry."

He kissed her obsessively, holding her close for a moment before leading her back in the house. Leaving her to talk to the kids he took the steps two at a time to change.

"I'll be home soon." He said to them, the sight of the three people he cared most for relaxing together on the couch filled Opie with a happiness he hadn't felt in a long time, if ever.

Mae smiled and nodded. "We'll be here."