Chapter 82: The Return
Jimmy showed up Wednesday afternoon.
Ben was at the shop when his Danger Intuition spiked—immediate warning that the vision was manifesting. He called Fiona.
"Someone's about to show up at the house. Don't let them in until I get there."
"Ben, you're being paranoid—"
"Please. Trust me. Ten minutes."
He drove faster than safe, arrived to find expensive car parked in front of the Gallagher house. Through the living room window, he could see Fiona standing in the doorway, blocking entry. A man in suit stood on the porch—tall, good-looking, expensive clothes, nervous energy.
Jimmy/Steve. Exactly like the vision.
Ben approached, and Fiona turned. "Ben, this is—"
"I know who he is." Ben's voice came out cold, hostile. His Danger Intuition screamed warnings—armed men somewhere nearby, cartel connections wrapping around Jimmy like barbed wire, violence in the probable futures. "You need to leave."
Jimmy's eyes went to Fiona's hand, caught the wedding ring, then looked at Ben properly. "You're the husband."
"I'm the husband. And you're leaving."
"Ben," Fiona said, frustrated. "Let him explain. I deserve to hear why he disappeared."
"He disappeared because he's dangerous. He brings danger wherever he goes. And I'm not letting danger into our home."
Jimmy's expression shifted—guilt, resignation, understanding. "You can sense it. The problems following me. How—"
"Doesn't matter how. What matters is you're not welcome here. Fiona's built a stable life. She's got family, marriage, safety. You threaten all of that just by being here."
Fiona
"Stop," Fiona said firmly. "Ben, inside. Jimmy, you can explain from the porch. I'll decide who's welcome in my house."
Ben's jaw clenched, but he stepped back. Fiona positioned herself in the doorway—barrier between her husband and her ex.
"Talk," she said to Jimmy. "Fast."
"I'm sorry. For disappearing, for not explaining, for all of it." Jimmy ran hand through his hair—nervous tic she remembered. "I got involved in something complicated. Someone else's marriage, family problems, immigration issues. It was supposed to be temporary but it spiraled and I couldn't contact you without making it worse."
"Immigration issues," Ben said flatly. "You married someone for a green card."
Jimmy blinked. "How did you—"
"Educated guess based on your guilty expression." Ben was lying smoothly, using knowledge from the show while making it sound like deduction. "You married a girl whose father has connections. Dangerous connections. And now you're stuck in arrangement you can't escape without consequences."
"Something like that." Jimmy looked at Fiona. "I came back to explain. To apologize. To make things right if I could. But I see you've moved on. Got married. Built something good."
"I have." Fiona's voice was firm despite internal conflict. Part of her—the part that had loved Jimmy once—wanted to hear more, wanted closure, wanted to understand. But the part that had built life with Ben recognized the threat. "You disappeared for a year. I grieved. Then I moved forward. Built stability with someone who shows up, who stays, who fights for this family. You don't get to reappear now and disrupt that."
"I'm not trying to disrupt. Just wanted you to know I'm sorry. That it wasn't about not caring—it was about protecting you from the mess I'd created."
"By abandoning me without explanation?" Her anger rose. "That wasn't protection. That was cowardice."
Jimmy flinched. "You're right. It was. I'm sorry."
Ben
Ben's Danger Intuition showed armed men in SUV three blocks away. They were waiting for Jimmy, giving him time to "handle personal business" before they moved him to the next location. Cartel security keeping tabs on their investment.
"You need to leave," Ben repeated. "Now. The people you're connected to are watching. Every minute you're here puts my family at risk."
"They're not a threat to her—"
"They're a threat to everyone near you. That's how organizations like that work. Control through proximity, through leverage. You being here makes Fiona leverage." Ben stepped closer, voice dropping to dangerous quiet. "Leave. Don't come back. Your apology is noted. Your presence is unwelcome. Stay away from my wife."
Jimmy looked at Fiona one last time. "I'm glad you're happy. Really. You deserve someone who shows up."
He walked to his car, drove away. The SUV three blocks away followed at discreet distance.
Fiona rounded on Ben immediately. "What the hell was that? You treating him like a threat without even hearing him out?"
"He is a threat. Everything about him screams danger—his connections, his situation, his presence here."
"You don't know that. You're just jealous and controlling—"
"I'm protecting you!" Ben's frustration burst through. "I see danger around him like I saw danger around Robbie. And last time you didn't believe me, we ended up with cocaine in our bathroom and you in handcuffs. So yes, I'm treating him like a threat, because he is one."
"This isn't about cocaine. This is about you not trusting me to make my own decisions about who I talk to—"
"This is about me seeing armed men following him! About cartel connections and immigration fraud and violence in every probable future! I'm not controlling who you talk to—I'm trying to keep you alive!"
They stared at each other, married couple having their first serious fight in months.
Lip appeared from inside the house where he'd been watching from the window.
"Fiona, can I talk to you?" he asked carefully.
"Not now, Lip—"
"Yes now. Inside. Please."
She went, leaving Ben on the porch processing the confrontation. His Danger Intuition still hummed—Jimmy was gone but the danger remained. Cartel people watching, waiting, making plans.
Lip came back out after a few minutes. "Told her Ben's instincts are never wrong and she needs to trust your danger sense even when she doesn't understand it. Reminded her of the Robbie situation—how your preparation saved Liam despite her doubts."
"Did it help?"
"Maybe. She's scared, Ben. Not of Jimmy—of you being right. Because if you're right, then her ex is wrapped up in something that could hurt all of us. That's terrifying."
"I know." Ben sat on the porch steps. "What did you see from the window?"
"Expensive car, expensive suit, nervous guy who looked guilty as hell. The kind of setup that screams 'in over his head with bad people.' Your danger sense showing cartel?"
"Armed security, dangerous connections, violence in probable futures. He's married to someone whose father has power—cartel or cartel-adjacent. We need evidence before Fiona will believe the scope of danger."
"Then we investigate. Carefully. Find out exactly what Jimmy's involved in and how much danger he brings." Lip's expression was grim. "Because if he keeps coming around, we need to know what we're dealing with."
Six months of peace ended by the return of the past. Jimmy/Steve bringing his disasters back into our lives. But this time, Fiona has backup. Has preparation. Has me.
Let the investigation begin.
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