Always in My Head - An SOA Fan Fiction

Chapter 12

Going on a hunt for Piney was useless. Just as Opie suspected, he was at the cabin out of his mind drunk, but he was safe and that was what Opie needed to know for sure. Before he arrived at the club he text Jax to let him know he was on his way.

"Hey brother," Jax was waiting for him by the picnic tables. "You talk it out?"

"Yeah, it's good. I'm in this with you, I got your back."

With a toothy grin Jax gave Opie a manly hug and they clapped each other on the back hard. "I love you, bro."

"Me too, let's do shit."

Clay and the rest of them were already around the table when Ope and Jax walked into Chapel. They all turned to look, mournful expressions on each of their faces. Taking his seat Opie chewed furiously on his bottom lip.

"Ope, I can't tell you how sorry I am." Clay started, sincere in his apology.

He pursed his lips and nodded, Opie was wondering exactly what Clay was sorry for; everything, killing the wrong person or having it all come out. "I know. You are. Fact is, you and Tig killed her, the mother of my kids and you were trying to kill me for shit I didn't do."

Clay and Tig were silent; they had no idea what they could even say in response to any of it. "I know you two weren't together but Donna was your old lady, we want to make this right."

"How?" Opie asked, he truly wanted to know how anyone thought any of this could ever be okay. "How do I get right with this?"

"I don't know, Ope, but I want it to get better." Tig looked at Opie imploringly. "We want the club whole again."

"So do I." Although Opie sounded confident, he wasn't. He was placing his trust in Jax and doing what he hoped was the right thing. "I love SAMCRO, you're my brothers, all of you, so I'm staying."

Collectively they sighed; each member had been holding their breath waiting for Opie's decision. Clay nodded and gave him a tight smile. "We're all glad to hear that." After a round of rough hugs but before they were dismissed Clay brought up the run that night.

"I need a few guys on it, quick and painless, LaRoy already paid us."

Tig had already volunteered earlier and right then Jax offered his services along with Chibs. "Me too," Opie piped up. "I'll go."

Even though he'd just said he would be staying it was a surprising move. "Alright," Clay didn't want to make a big deal of it. "I want all of you hear at nine thirty." Clay sent them on their way, Jax and Ope headed out together but Tig stayed back.

"Everything good, boss?"

"Yeah, just keep an eye on Ope. Make sure he's 100% tonight."

Out in the bar, there was a celebration of sorts, somber and calm due to the situation and the evening's plans but they were happy that Opie was staying. He and Jax sat with a beer on the couch watching the antics of the others with amusement.

"You read it?" Jax asked, leaning in conspiratorially.

Opie nodded, "Every word." The hopeful look in his eyes was something new. "You think we can?"

"I do, we don't have a choice, bro." They scanned the room together. "If we don't all this goes away and the people we love get hurt."

There was so much riding on JT's words it was daunting but Opie agreed and like Jax said, they didn't really have a choice. Neither of them could go off and be bankers or lawyers, even if they wanted to. This was their life.

A lot of the time Opie was awkward or lumbering because of his size but never more so than when he was having an actual meaningful conversation. His eyes darted around as he spun one of the large Reaper rings on his finger.