"I didn't know we were taking shots in here ladies"
Reese and Eleanor turned towards the dining room where they saw Clay walking into the room.
"Party was turning into a bust so we thought we would livin' up the place." Reese said while throwing the dark liquid to the back of her throat. "Not a good mixer with wine though." She said while making a face.
"It's not bad. Reminds me of the time I drank sizzurp." Eleanor joked while inspecting her shot glass. She looked to see their confused faces and elaborated, "You know codeine and alcohol. It was made in Texas."
"What kind of shit are those Texans into?" Reese said with a puzzled look.
Clay laughed while inspecting the fridge for another beer. "You girls remind me of the good old days. When the hang arounds were fun to be around –classy broads."
"Yeah, no. All they're good for now are stocking the fridge and sucking a cock dry. Don't get El and I mixed up with these new kinds gashes." Reese rolled her eyes.
"Wouldn't want to mix you up with them. Couldn't even if I tried." Clay laughed looking at Reese.
Eleanor chewed the inside of her cheek while hearing Clay's comments. "Just glad to know that we still have a couple of girls around who are loyal and understand the club. This family sticking together during the hard times is really what matters. Happy you're here. Both of ya."
Both women raised their eyebrows in confusion. Before they could say anything, they heard a ringing coming from his cutt.
"Excuse me. Gotta take this call"
They watched as he exited the room.
"Am I the only one creeped out by that speech?" Eleanor waved her hand in the air.
"No, the only person I am creeped out by is Tig. Clay just worries me." Reese said while pouring more jack into the glasses for the two. "You think Donna is gonna be pissed about this pregame?"
"I think she will just be a little more worried about what the party is going to turn into." Eleanor laughed.
"I think that needs to always be our excuse from here on out. Got it from the President's mouth himself!" they clinked their shot glasses together.
After swallowing the liquid down Eleanor spoke "I don't have a good feeling at all."
"That shot didn't sit well with you? Cause when I have a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach it usually means I have to throw up." Reese said looking at Eleanor with a straight face.
"Jeez you really are a class act, aren't you? And no, I mean that something just doesn't seem right." Eleanor said looking at her empty shot glass.
"Well fuck. I just may be a little too buzzed for that feeling right now. But I don't like you having it with-" before Reese could finish they saw Clay walking back in with a worried expression on his face.
"Is everything alright, baby?" Gemma asked her husband.
Both girls just watched as he walked through the living room to head to the back patio. Gemma followed him on his heels.
"You think this has to do with your feeling?" Reese asked.
"Fuck I hope not." Eleanor sighed while reaching for the bottle.
"God dammit." Reese reached for her glass while she watched Eleanor pour.
Within seconds of both Eleanor and Reese finishing their shots, they started to hear a commotion coming through the living room. Jax's cell phone started to ring and orders were getting barked across the room to all the different club members. Both women tried to pull the pieces of information that was coming together.
"Opie's truck got shot up?" Reese questioned while looking at her friend.
"Holy shit..." Eleanor replied.
Both women walked to the living room feeling the anxiety in the air.
"Who just called you Jax?" Reese shouted.
"Not now Reese." Jax said as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Is it fucking Opie? Donna?" She yelled while running across the yard to his bike. "GOD DAMNIT ANSWER ME JAX".
Eleanor tried to put a comforting hand on her friend as she started to panic.
"I DON'T KNOW REESE." He yelled back at her.
Reese turned to Eleanor who nodded as she raced outside behind Jax and without even thinking ran and jumped on the back of Jax's bike.
"I fucking hate when my gut's right." Eleanor mumbled as she looked back towards Gemma who wore an equally upset look.
Gemma's phone rang as she handed off Abel to the closest person, being Eleanor.
"What happened?" Gemma asked loudly.
Eleanor and Wendy looked at her as her eyes closed and she sighed.
"Oh, my god. Alright. We'll be here." She said before shutting the phone.
Eleanor looked at her expectantly, "Well… what do we know?" she asked in a soft voice.
"It was Donna-"
"Fuck." Eleanor said as she let out a harsh breath.
She needed to sit down. Poor Donna, who had just decided to come around. Poor Opie who just lost the love of his life. Poor Reese who just came home and who's best friend who they had just been sharing a laugh with was gone, poor Redwood who had the blood of an innocent wife spilled in their little town. It was all too sad and too fucked up. Too many times were innocent people caught in the crossfires of the club. She had no idea of the business that was currently being handled but the fact that something so drastic like this happened meant the shit storm was only just beginning.
"Give him here, you look like you're about to pass out." Gemma said as she took the baby from Eleanor's arms.
Eleanor nodded as she went to go outside to smoke. She wondered how Reese and Opie were doing, but it seemed inappropriate for her to call them. So here she was being useless at Jax's smoking a cigarette thinking about how she was going to go on a nice long bender. She loved this club but man, did it have a way or tearing apart families. In the moment, all the love Eleanor held for the club was replaced with a burning anger. How could they be so selfish as to let their business turn so south that it would result in a family knowing the hardships of not having a mother and a husband having to look his children in the face knowing something he was a part of caused it.
She finished her cigarette and moved to the kitchen where she saw a bottle of Goose. She unscrewed the top and took a long pull. Enjoying the burn at the back of her throat.
She heard the door open as Jax entered the house with red rimmed eyes and no Reese.
Eleanor leaned against the doorframe with her eyes downcast.
"I'm so sorry Baby." Gemma said as she held Jax.
He let his mother hold him.
Eleanor's hand moved towards her pocket as she felt it vibrate and pulled her phone out flipping it open.
Go home.
Eleanor's eyebrows scrunched in confusion as she read it was a message from Tig. Had something happened at her house? What could be more important than being with everyone right now, especially since it was still unclear what exactly happened.
"Shit. I've got to go. Will y'all be okay here?" Eleanor asked as she looked to the older woman who was standing with her son.
"Yeah, go ahead." Gemma nodded.
Before she left the house, she stopped to Jax and squeezed his arm, "I am so, so sorry Jax. Let me know if there's anything I can do -for you or the club."
He nodded a thank you and she closed the door softly behind her.
Eleanor jumped on her bike and drove up the street to her home.
She hopped off her bike and saw Tig's biked parked on her driveway and rushed over to him, "What? What's going on?"
Tig looked at her with a hard face, "Open your door."
Eleanor was getting pissed. Something went down and she didn't know what was going on. Why was she here when both her and Tig should be with the people who had just experienced a huge loss.
"Get inside."
Eleanor whirled and looked at him her blonde hair smacking her in the face, "What the fuck is your problem? Can you just give me one goddamn minute?"
"Get in the house Eleanor." Tig said with a serious face.
His face made her feel uncomfortable, what was going on with him? She got that people dealt with loss differently but this seemed out of character for him. She pushed the door open and watched as Tig stalked in and she closed the door behind her.
Eleanor watched as Tig paced around her kitchen and it made her uncomfortable. "Okay, do you want me to pour you a drink? I only have wine." She said to fill the uneasy silence, her voice remaining hard.
Tig didn't reply and continued to pace so she stood and went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine and moved it to the counter to open.
"You ever think about what it's like to die, Razzle." Tig said suddenly from behind her. She felt his body heat on her back as he trapped her between his body and the counter.
"Not really, but it's not something I want to wonder about given the recent circumstances." Eleanor said softly.
She turned her head to look at Tig who had a feral look in his eye, "Are you okay? You seem-"
"You know, killing people, that's easy. You don't think, you just do it." Tig cut her off.
"Tig-"
"But I couldn't stand seeing his face, you know. He just saved my ass so I couldn't -I didn't want to see his face so when I had that clear shot at the red-light I-"
"Alex!" Eleanor said sharply.
"Clay tried to call me but I left my phone behind -FUCK!" He yelled slamming his hands on the counter around her making her flinch and disappeared into the house.
Eleanor stayed facing the counter as Tig stalked away and put a hand to her mouth realization as to what Tig had just said.
He killed Donna. He killed Donna thinking she was Opie. Fuck. Eleanor let out a shuddered breath as she sank down to the floor with her hands stabilizing her on the counter. She let her hands fall to her side as she fully sat on the floor of her kitchen as she processed the information.
Tig killed Donna. But why? Clay's comments that made her uneasy crept back into her mind, 'loyalty' he had said. The club was missing that now especially at a time like this. Tig was the Sergeant at arms, ready to discipline the members of the club at the whim of the President. Eleanor shut her eyes hard. Something she missed led to Clay not being able to trust Opie and in turn making Clay call the decision to kill him.
Eleanor didn't move from her place on the floor as she heard the shatter of glass from down the hall. Her mind couldn't fully wrap around the situation. What would cause Clay to doubt Opie's loyalty to the club? Hadn't he come and said what he had to say after his release from the Wit-Pro facility? What was she missing?
"Fuck." She whispered as she picked herself from the floor and downed the wine straight from the bottle. She didn't stop until she drank half the bottle.
What was she missing?
Eleanor looked down the hall her feelings conflicted. The sane part of her told her that Tig deserved all the conflict he was experiencing. He deserved it and more. He murdered an innocent woman and that was something that was unforgivable. But then there was the club raised girl. The club raised girl who knew that he was acting on orders and it had just been a sorry mistake and even though he was pulling the trigger -he had been doing what he was told.
Eleanor silently went to her bathroom and found Tig staring at his reflection in the broken mirror. His head was cut and blood was slowly trickling down his face.
With a lack of emotion, Eleanor opened the shattered cabinet and pulled out alcohol and gauze and shut the door.
Even though they didn't say a word, the eye contact alone cut through the silence as Eleanor took Tig's hand as she led him to the small couch in her room and she guided him down to sit.
Eleanor clenched her jaw as she looked at him, really looked. She saw a man who had a large reputation, a man who would do anything for the people he loved, a murder of innocents. And it made her sick. But he had obviously come to her for a reason, and maybe that was something she should take into consideration. She thought.
She lightly started to dress his cut, neither saying anything. Eleanor too focused on the task to not think of what Tig had said. And Tig… he seemed to be somewhere else.
Eleanor lightly tapped the gauze to his forehead, "Tig."
Tig continued to stare out at nothing seemingly dazed.
"Alex." She said a bit harsher.
His eyes snapped to attention and landed on hers, "Let's smoke and then go to sleep, okay?"
Tig remained unmoving as Eleanor stood and went to her end table retrieving her pack of Reds.
"I never wondered about what death felt like… It's something that seemed too inevitable to consider. But, I know if I met my fate I would just hope it would be painless -like taking a breath and then nothing." Eleanor said as she lit a cigarette and handed it to him.
He said nothing as he took the cigarette and inhaled.
"Death can take a heavy toll on anyone so if there were feelings of remorse or guilt… it's a normal result of taking another life. No matter the life." The words made her sick. He had murdered one of the friends she made in this town. Her urge to consul and her urge to call the police conflicted within her as she lit another cigarette for herself.
Eleanor blew out smoke from her nose and looked at the deadpan man.
He didn't say a word as he put the cigarette between his lips and took a large inhale letting the smoke out into the air.
Eleanor clenched her jaw again, "I think it'll be the best thing for you to try and tuck these feelings somewhere in the back of your mind. Somewhere where you know it's there so you can draw on them when a situation like this comes up again. It's a lesson."
Tig still said nothing as Eleanor clicked her tongue, "You have to give me an inch here, Alex. I'm trying to give you what you think you need. You came here for a reason, didn't you?"
"Just thought if I was with someone it could push down the replay." Tig said looking at her.
"Is it working?" Eleanor asked tilting her head.
"Nah."
"Right." Eleanor chuckled.
The silence loomed between them and Eleanor felt a brush on her leg and looked over and saw Tig's fingers skimming her thigh.
"We're not fucking." Eleanor said plainly.
What appeared to be a small smile came and went in a slight second, "If I wanted that kind of company I'd be with a crow eater."
"Right. So then why are you here?" She asked as she looked at him.
He killed Donna the thought kept playing over and over like a broken record. It physically hurt to look at Tig and yet the feel of his warm hands gave her comfort. She may not have known Donna long but she was her first close friend in Charming. And having that taken away from her so easily just showed her that maybe people like her and the other women weren't meant to have anything like that. Maybe it was divine punishment for sticking by these men.
"Don't know why, just seemed right." Tig said shrugging his shoulders.
Eleanor watched as he stood up, put his cigarette butt out in the ashtray and walk down the hall.
"I'm surprised you even know what 'seemed right' feels like." She grumbled as she stripped off her clothes and laid in her bed.
As soon as her head hit the pillow she could feel tears start to well in her eyes. Even under the threat of death she faced back home, she would've given anything to be there right now. Wrapped up in her bed with the closest family member she could find and let go of everything.
But instead, here she was. In a little shit town, where people who had literally nothing to do with the club -in fact detested it died a horrible death. And here she was in the same shitty town sharing a bed with the person who did it. It made her skin crawl.
She felt the bed sink as Tig climbed in after shutting the lights. She was happy when she didn't feel his warmth. If he touched her now she was worried she would throw up.
"It's because you call me Alex." Tig's voice cut through the silence
Eleanor clenched her teeth and turned over to look up at the ceiling, "So the fact I call you by your name helped you make the decision to come here and be with me instead of some crow eater? Why because you thought- you know what, I'm tired Alex. As you know one of my friends just died." With that, Eleanor turned back on her side.
"Right." his voice rumbled as he got up from the bed.
It took all the control she had not to look up from her place and see where he had gone, but until she heard her couch make a slight noise that she closed her eyes.
Eleanor couldn't sleep. Between Tig tossing and turning on the couch and her own thoughts and emotions flying around like bees she finally decided to give up around 5 that morning and get dressed.
Eleanor made a fresh pot of coffee popped a couple valium and mixed with vodka instead of cream as she sat in the kitchen looking at her burner.
She wanted to call Reese and Opie, but would either of them take her call? Opie had children to think about a coupled with his grief he would be more than distracted. And seeing how Reese handled stress she was probably going to start a bender of her own.
Eleanor instead dialed a number she knew by heart,
'My little El Bear. Calling so early?' The voice of her father rang through the phone.
Hearing his voice made a fresh bout of tears start back up as she got choked up, 'Hi daddy...Something happened.'
'What? Are you hurt. Fuck- call Samurai and Two face! We-' Eleanor heard her dad bark orders.
'Not to me, no! Dad! Chill out. I'm fine. It was one of my friends… Donna. She was murdered last night.' Eleanor let out a sigh.
'Jesus Eleanor, you can't do that shit with me. I almost forgot about the fucking bike and got a private plane! For Christ sake. Never mind guys, false alarm -yeah, I get that Two face shut the fuck up and sit down to your eggs.'
Listening to her dad complain and yell at the guys of her club made her smile and the aching in her chest hurt not as much.
'Baby, I'm sorry. I would offer you to come back home -take you back by force if -I'm being honest but shit with white has taken our main concern, brown is on the back burner so to speak.'
Eleanor nodded into the phone, 'Right... I think they'll be having a funeral for Donna and they'll want a bunch of guys to show up. As much as I want you here… don't come.'
'Don't come? I thought you'd want your old man to be there for you.' Bones said into the phone.
'I'm worried that if I see you or anyone from home right now I'd yell and scream until you took me home. And I know I can't go home so… it would just be best for y'all to stay there.' Eleanor admitted taking a sip of her drink.
Bones was quiet on the other end letting his daughter's words sink in, 'Is this one of those millennial existential crises everyone talks about? Belle just went through hers apparently, she's a pansexual.' Bones laughed on the other end.
Eleanor laughed as she looked up and saw Tig enter the kitchen, 'What even is pansexual anyway. But maybe… I'm not sure yet. I'll keep you posted if I find myself. But I gotta go. Thanks dad, for listening.'
''Course, that's what your old man's here for. Love you sweetie.'
'Love you too dad.' Eleanor said as she clicked off the phone and stared at Tig.
She watched silently as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
"So, we're not gonna talk about it, now that we both have a clearer head?" Eleanor asked as she eyed him carefully.
"Talk about what, Razzle?" Tig drawled.
"Don't deflect it's not cute and frankly insults my intelligence. We need to talk about-"
"There's nothing to talk about. I came by because something awful happened and I didn't want to be alone -like many of the guys in our club. Seeking comfort." Tig said with a straight face.
Eleanor stood up so fast the world was spinning thanks to her drink and pills, "You have the fucking nerve to come to look me in the face and spew that pathetic shit?"
Tig set his mug down with force and stood straight, "I ain't gotta tell you shit, and the shit I do tell ya, you don't have to like."
"Oh," Eleanor chuckled bitterly. "A sudden change I see. When last night you had, no fucking problem demanding shit from me and telling me you murdered my friend." Eleanor yelled.
It only took two strides for Tig to close the space between him and Eleanor and grabbed her chin tight in his hand.
"Now you listen and listen good, Eleanor. I'm only gonna say this once. You ever breathe a word of what I told you last night I guess the Mexicans are gonna get their hands on you -if you know what I mean." Tig threatened in a low menacing voice.
Eleanor stared hard at him unflinching even under the pressure of his hand on her jaw. "Or what, let me guess I'll end up like Donna."
Tig let go of her chin like he was burned and stalked back to the counter, "I meant what I said."
"Which part I'm having trouble keeping up Alex." Eleanor seethed.
"There it is again."
Eleanor stared at him with a look of gross confusion, "We're back on the name thing? Really? Out of everything that's just transpired, that's what you wanna go back to."
"I got nothing else to say. About any of this." Tig said draining his coffee.
"Good because I don't feel like playing hostess anymore. I have shit to do, I won't be coming into work today. Now get out." Eleanor said as she picked up her mug and turned away from Tig.
After she heard the door shut she quietly chugged her drink and threw it in the sink. The only noises coming from the house was the shattering of glass.
"Hey Opie… I know you're probably not going to answer but… I just wanted to let you know I gathered some bass together and we're gonna come to your house. Just to take care of some cooking and cleaning. Anything you need. I'll be there in about 5 minutes and the girls will slowly follow. I know where you keep your spare key so I'll let myself in. And Ope… bye." Eleanor wince as she shut the flip phone. She didn't want to send her condolences over the phone. It was too impersonal.
Eleanor hopped on her bike and headed to Opie house.
When she got there, she saw a car she had come to know as Mary's. While Opie was in Wit-pro she had become a common person in her life, even meeting the woman. Eleanor lifted the welcome mat and picked up the key and letting herself in.
Eleanor slowly walked into the house and saw the older woman staring blankly.
"Hi, Ms. Mary. I'm not sure you remember me but I'm-"
"Eleanor of course. I couldn't forget the tattoos." Mary said in a low sad voice.
Eleanor sent the woman a small sad smile, "It's a terrible question but necessary, how are you handling all of this?"
Mary sighed and pat Eleanor's hand, "We'll make it through, but…" Mary choked back tears as Eleanor pulled her into a hug.
"You're right. Your family is strong. But Donna will never be replaced. For now, you need to be the head of this family Mary. You're doing well already."
"So, what are you doing here anyway?" Mary asked as she pulled away from the younger woman while wiping her eyes.
"I thought I could help get the house in order just so Opie doesn't have to worry about anything and can focus on what he needs to focus on. I also called in some of those dumb idiots they let hang around -to be at my beck and call of course."
Mary simply nodded to her and returned to looking at the trinkets on the mantel.
Eleanor pulled out her burner and texted Reese.
I hate having to say this over the phone, especially text,
But are you okay? I'm at Ope's now. Come over and I can
See you. We can both be there for Ope and y'all can be
There for each other. Let me know -XX El
Eleanor sighed and looked around the house. Donna did keep an impeccable home -so she moved to the kitchen and decided to make the family breakfast.
"El… what are you doing here?"
Eleanor looked and saw a red eyed Opie and pulled him into a hug.
"Of course, I was going to be here you silly Ent." She said softly into his body.
Opie pulled away, "Thanks…"
"I'm just here to make you guys have some breakfast and get everything that has to do with the home in order. Just to, you know give you something tangible." Eleanor said as she went over to the oven and pulled out a plate.
Just as it was custom, she made a large southern breakfast of comfort food: biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs and bacon, which she kept in the oven to keep warm.
"You didn't have to Eleanor…" Opie said as she steered him towards the table.
"I wanted to Opie, I never do things I don't want to do." Eleanor said as she placed the plate in front of the man.
"I should probably be getting the kids up…"
"They'll wake up when they do. I think it'll be okay to let them sleep in this once." Eleanor retorted quietly.
Opie looked up at her with sad eyes and she smiled sadly in return as she hurried back to the kitchen and poured herself a coffee with vodka.
"You know Opie, from my time here I've grown closest to you and your family. I wanted to say thank you for letting me in and know that even though you'll hear this from so many other people who have known y'all longer -I am so sorry." Eleanor said as she clutched her mug.
It was silent between the two as Eleanor sipped from her mug and Opie watched her.
"Are you drinking already?" Opie asked with a small smirk on his face.
"What are you my mother, so I put vodka in my coffee sue me." Eleanor snipped back as she took a large gulp looking at the man.
"How are you supposed to do all these things you want to do if you're drunk?" Opie asked slightly teasing.
"I'll have you know, my work ethic is at its finest when I've been drinking." Eleanor snapped.
"As you and Reese showed everyone the first night you two trouble makers came together." Opie came back.
Eleanor leaned back into her chair and gave him an incredulous look, "Well, shit Opie I'm not a perfect human being."
Just as suddenly as the smile appeared on Opie's face, it disappeared into tears and Eleanor shot up to hold him. The very obvious height difference causing Opie to lay his head-on top of hers.
"She knew Eleanor, she knew…" Opie cried into her hair.
Eleanor held him. Not trusting herself to speak. Tig's words playing in her head on repeat once again. 'Clay tried to call me but I left my phone behind'. Eleanor felt her anger bubble up again as she held the large man in her arms.
"Opie...I know Donna's apprehensiveness seems like she knew something bad was going to happen but even I can attest she was with you and your decision to stay with the club." Eleanor said softly.
Opie stayed there for a little longer before coming back up putting his facade on, "She knew, I can't just look away from that shit. I should've listened."
"Opie, you couldn't have seen this happening, no one could've. This was just-"
"What? What was it, Eleanor?" He said angrily.
Tig killed her. Tig did it. The thoughts kept running through her mind as she stared at Opie. "It's just a terrible, terrible form of retaliation. And it's not your fault." Eleanor pleaded. Not just for herself.
"Because of what I was doing. If I had never been in it, Donna would've never been involved. And you can't make me believe otherwise, El."
Eleanor looked at him with a blank face. A face that Opie took as confirmation, "I didn't think so."
Eleanor watched as Opie stalked off towards the back hall leading towards the bedrooms.
"Fuck." she said as she ran her hands through her hair in frustration.