Spark in the Dark

Chapter 183

Juice stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He walked into the bedroom and smiled at the sight before him. Both Shawn and Ally had fallen asleep on the bed. Shawn's hand was gently resting on top of the baby's little chest. He got dress quietly, not wanting to wake anyone, and was about to get into bed when his cell began to ring. He swore to himself has he dashed to grab it off his nightstand and answer it.

He waited until he was all the way down the stairs before he put the phone to his ear.

"Juicy boy?" Chibs was repeating as he tried to get Juice to answer.

"Yeah? Sorry. Girls are sleeping. I didn't want to wake anybody."

"Sorry about that, Juicy, but I wouldn't have called on your babe's first night home if it weren't important."

"What's up? Everything alright?" Juice asked, suddenly concerned.

"I'm afraid not," Chibs told him, then sighed. "Tara's dead."

There was a long silence as Juice processed what Chibs has just said to him. "What?"

"Tara was murdered tonight. When Jax left the shop, he went home and found her in the kitchen with Roosevelt."

"Roosevelt killed Tara?"

"No, of course not. Someone killed him, too."

"Jesus Christ!" Juice said too loudly. He waited a moment to see if he would hear Ally cry. When there was no noise from the second floor, he continued. "Who did this?"

"No damn idea."

"Where's Jax now?"

"They arrested him. He still offered to turn himself in. If he stops cooperating with them they may release him. Not sure."

"Does Gemma know what happened?"

"Yeah. I called her first. She's pretty shaken up. She's was with Unser when I called. He's going to try getting us more information in the morning."

"Alright," Juice said, feeling defeated. "Shit, man. I can't believe this."

"I know, Juicy. It's rough. Keep an eye out on your two. Just in case."

"Yeah, of course."

Juice hung up as a wave of fear and anxiety came over him. He suddenly thought of the night Donna was killed. As they pulled her body from the car, Juice imagine it had been Shawn instead. Now he imagined walking in the back door and Shawn being there dead. Even worse, now he imagine Ally being there with her.

He took a deep breath and tried not to vomit. He went back up the stairs, but not before checking the door locks and the windows, too. Juice entered their room and grabbed his gun to make sure it was loaded. He carefully laid down on the other side of Ally, but knew he wouldn't be sleeping that night. Every noise he heard was a murderer trying to break in to get his girls.

When Ally began to cry hours later, the sound make Juice jump out of his skin. Shawn began to to rub her stomach, but Juice couldn't move, yet. He was still trying to get his heart rate under control.

"Shh, sweetie," Shawn whispered to Ally. "You hungry?"

She got out of bed and picked up the crying baby. Juice sat up and started getting out of bed, too.

"You change her. I'll get the bottle," Juice told her.

"Okay. Thanks," she replied with a yawn.

Shawn carried Ally into her room as Juice went downstairs. He made the bottle and checked the locks, again, while he waiting for it to warm up. When it was ready, he carried it up the stairs and into Ally's room. Shawn was sitting in the rocking chair. She took the bottle with a smile and began to feed her.