New Chapter

Dee Dee Tregar was a bundle of nerves that morning as she got her small desk space ready at T&M Auto Repair and Tow. She had ran a little late after dropping off her five year old daughter, Collete, at the new sitter's that her father had found for her. It was the last thing Dee Dee wanted to do; leave her child with a strange person in a strange foreign place after just moving here a few days ago, but she didn't have much of a choice. She didn't have the money to stay home any longer and needed the work.

She set up a couple photos of her daughter; some of them together and others of her with her dad,, Tig Tregar. She was happy that they moved back to Charming. Living in Columbus, Ohio the past six years had been less than desirable. Her ex-boyfriend, Trent, and her moved there shortly after they graduated high school and it was nothing but bad luck. Dee Dee constantly was trying to support them: holding all kinds of jobs, some less honorable than others, while Trent drank, got high on crank, fooled around, and got mixed up in gang life. It only got worse when Collete was born; he had been managable but after her birth, he would take out his anger and frusteration on Dee Dee mentally and physically. It took one trip to intensive care to decide to leave. That night, she called her father and asked for him to help her.

It would be the first time alone in a long time and the thought nearly scared her. She hoped Charming could be her safe haven; a place where her and Collete can start a new life.

Juice slowly backed his bike into his spot at the clubhouse. He was tired. Tired of looking over his shoulder, tired of lying, tired of feeling like he had no choices. It was weighing heavy on his shoulders. Lately, Clay Morrow had been his only supporter and that just made him seem more suspect to his brothers. He longed for the days when he felt like they were his family.

Family was something he held close. Coming from a single mother household with sisters he had always loved the tight knight sibling bond. Hell, any kind of bond would do at this point. He always felt alone any more. He slid on his Teller-Morrow shirt and slowly walked into the garage.

Dee Dee finished putting her things away at her desk then went off to check inventory on the main floor. She started writing down all the items they were low on; getting lost in her thoughts about this move, Collete, and the thought of Trent, probably making his rounds trying to track them down.

He'd been working on this damn foreign bike all week and still couldn't find the problem. It was like it was taunting him. He tried to start it again, but nothing happened. Hedropped his tool heavily into his pile on the workbench.

"Damn it," he grumbled.

Dee Dee jumped at the sudden noise; coming from her background it was only natural to be on edge. She dropped the headlamp she was holding, causing it to shatter. She blinked back tears as she thought about how she couldn't afford a gallon of milk and now she was going to have to somehow pay for this lamp. "Fuck..." she grabbed a broom and tried sweeping up the broken glass and cracked parts.

Juice walked toward the sound of the crash. Tig's daughter had left town years ago, but recently moved home. Even though none of them could talk about it, Tig would ruin their faces, they all knew why she was here.

"Don't worry about it, I'll tell Gemma it was my faault."

Dee Dee shook her head, "No, don't be stupid. It's my fault and I'll own up to it." She dumped the broken bits into a waste bin and tried calming down. She blew out a frazzled breath as she went back to finish her inventory.

She had only known Juice from past meetings; a few occurrences at family events and a couple of times when he rode with her old man to Columbus on business. He always seemed too nice for this line of work, but she figured he was in it for the bonding.

She looked at him, quickly forcing a smile, "I'm sorry...I'm just a little on edge right now."

"It wasn't your fault and they'll just ride my ass about it, so I'm taking responsibility."

He took the broom and put it up. He always wondered if Tig being in the club had caused Dee's bad luck with men. The kind of examples she had growing up weren't the best. The older group didn't have a lot of respect for women, though he could never imagine some of the guys his age ever mistreating their women and he certainly wouldn't.

"Just let me do this for you, ok?" he smiled wide.

Dee Dee paused and finally nodded, smiling softly. She gently, almost cautiously, rested her hand on his upper arm, "Thank you. I will pay you back. Promise."

"No worries," he patted her arm and headed back to work.

He felt lighter, not a lot, but enough. He finally got the damn bike to run and washed his hands to go have lunch in the clubhouse. The day was muggy and oppressive. He wiped sweat off his head just before walking into the clubhouse.

Dee Dee just finished her lunch with her dad. Tig was getting ready to run some errands for Jax. He bent down, kissing his youngest daughter on the head. He was relieved to have them both home; safe from Trent. Dee had been through a lot; the beatings, threats, drug muling, and stripping...she was ashamed of herself; didn't see that she was just trying to survive. He didn't feel ashamed; he loved her regardless.

Dee watched her father walk away before looking back down at her notes of all the things she had to do yet. Instantly, she felt overwhelmed.

Juice nodded at Tig as the old man walked out. He was batshit, but he loved him anyway. Dee was sitting at a table, clearly frayed at the edges. He made his way over to her table and sat down.

"You look like you could use some help."

Dita blushed, "That obvious?" She shook her head, "I don't think anyone can me with this mess. I am living in that motel off of 237 right now until I can afford a place for Collete and I...such a dump...I just feel like a total failure as a mom, you know?"

Juice thought of his big empty house with the fenced in yard and how perfect it would be for them. Before he could stop himself he was blurting out exactly what he was thinking.

"You guys could stay with me. I have enough bedrooms you could each have your own and my yard is fenced in. I'm not really there a lot, most of the time. It'd be better than that flea bag motel."

Dita blinked a couple times, baffled. She shook head, "No, I can't do that. Collete and I will be in the way."

He shook his head, "No, I'm hardly there. It'd be nice to have someone looking after it."

He stood and smiled, "Just think it over."

Dita nodded, "Okay...I'll think it over."

Nodding, he picked up his trash and made his way back outside. He had some repos to help with and then a meeting with Jax. The meeting was weighing heavily on his mind. He didn't like hiding shit from Jax, but he couldn't see a way to help it.

Later that night, Dita picked up her daughter at the sitter's and went back to the motel room to have dinner. She was grateful that Gemma made her some plates of food to take with her; not looking forward to ramen again. She carried Lettie in one arm as she unlocked the door. Opening the door and flicking on the lights, she let out a gasp, dropping the picnic basket on the floor.

The room was trashed. Her and Lettie's bags were ransacked; scrawlings on the wall, words like "whore" and "I'll kill you". She panicked, holding tightly to Lettie as she ran to the office to call for help.

She couldn't stay there. She knew that Trent had something to do with this. She dialed the one person she knew would help her.

sitting at his table, Juice ate his dinner with his thoughts for company. He hated being alone because it was then his mind tried to convince him his friends were going to kill him. He sighed and scrapped the leftovers into the trash. As he slid the plate into the dishwasher his phone rang.

"Hello?""

Dita was so relieved to hear his voice, "J? I need to take that offer right away. Can you meet me here? Please? I need help."

He got off the phone and straight on his bike. The fear in her voice driving him faster. When he got there he saw the battered door and torn down curtains. In side things had been written on the walls.

"What the fuck happened?"

Dita had tears rolling down her face, "I don't know...it was like this when we came back..."

"Get your stuff, you can follow me back to the house," there was a grim determination in his voice.

Dita had their things packed and in the car. Lettie had been asleep in her arms the last half hour. Wasting no time; Dee got Lettie in the car and was ready to leave.