TITLE: Second Place Isn't Always That Bad

SUMMARY: Jax loves Carly but can't have her – Olivia loves Sonny but can't have him. So these two second bests decided to comfort one another. It soons leads into romance – and Jax learns the truth about Dante. Will he be able to protect Olivia and Dante from Sonny and the mob? Or will he once more lose a woman too Sonny?

RATING: T

CATEGORYS: Friendship/ Family/ Hurt/Comfort/ Drama/ Romance/ Crime/ Spiritual/ Angst/ Tragedy

PAIRINGS:

Jax/Olivia

Jax/Carly

Sonny/Claudia

Sonny/Kate

Sonny/Olivia

Patrick/Robin

Robert/Anna

Jason/Elizabeth

Lucky/Sam

Jason/Sam

Lucky/Elizabeth

Johnny/Lulu

Spinelli/Maxi

Matt/Nadine

JOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJO

PROLOUG

HOW ABOUT WE TEAM UP?

"How about you and I team up?" Jax said leaning close to Olivia. He lifted his right eye brow. "You and I both know that our hearts are with people who can never truly care about us. Mine is with Carly and yours is with Sonny."

Olivia's right eye brow rose high on her high forehead – she snorted as she lifted her glass of vodka. "What banging my cousin wasn't enough for you?" she sniffed as she brought the glass to her lips and took a swing of the liquor. Lowering the glass finally – too just underneath her chin, she glared into his hazel eyes, "Carly is my friend – and I don't hurt my friends."

"Sonny will never be yours again -" Jax said leaning even closer to Olivia, "Carly will never be mine again. But why does that have to mean that you and I need to be alone in this world?" He lifted his right hand to run down her check. He very well knew that Carly was watching from across the room; but he also knew that she wouldn't do anything. That out of all the women whom he could chose to flirt or sleep with; Olivia Falconeri wasn't that much of a threat to Carly's self worth. That was why Jax chose Olivia.

That and also to try to protect Olivia from Sonny. He hadn't missed the looks that she had been shooting him at his and Kate's almost wedding. But the moment he took one look at Kate's cousin; he knew that she was another woman he had to try to protect against Sonny. And Sonny's way of life.

Olivia jerked backwards and tossed the glass in Jax's face, "Go to hell Jasper Jax." She turned to the bartender, "Another one please – my last one was on him."

Jax picked up the napkin and slowly wiped his face; he saw Carly silently laughing at him. He turned back to the woman next to him whom waiting for her drink – he nodded once too the bartender – and the bartender poured another vodka for Olivia. He slipped the drink her way and Olivia took it. She took long drink before lowering the glass.

She suddenly turned to him - "You still haven't answered my first question, Jax."

"What question was that?" Jax went through his mind trying to think of the question – but coming up with nothing.

Olivia sighed, "Banging my cousin wasn't enough for you? With Carly walking in on you two on Connie's floor and throwing ice water on you two. You want to move onto her cousin now." Her eyes had harden and redness rose in her checks – making her even more beautiful than ever before.

Jax read more in her expression than – than he had ever read in another woman's – expect for Carly of course – and he knew that he had a very fragile woman on his hands. Even through Olivia had made herself tough and hard. He had to preside carefully and make sure that he never hurt Olivia Falconeri ever. He would die protecting this woman in front of him.

"I'm sorry that I haven't made myself as clear as I wanted too – I didn't mean jump into bed right away, Olivia. I meant ….." He began.

Olivia got to her feet and grabbed her jacket, "I don't give a damn what you mean Jasper Jax, I don't hurt my friends." She slammed down money onto the counter, "And I don't take my cousin's left overs – that is her department." She turned and stormed towards the elevator.

Carly lifted her right eye brow and shook her head, she watched Olivia storm towards the elevator – she was actually surprised the very angry Falconeri cousin – the one she actually truly did like – didn't trip. Whatever Jax had said to her … sure did piss her off – and royalty. She hadn't missed when Jax had entered the room from the balcony – took one look at her and than over at the bar. She had watched as he had walked over and leaned close to Olivia – she very well knew that he was just flirting with Olivia to get her jealous. Carly was jealous – but not as threatened as when he had the fling with Kate. No Olivia truly wasn't a threat to Jax's love for her. Sides she knew that Olivia wouldn't play the flirting game with Jax – Olivia knew that Jax was truly her soul mate and she was his. So she just watched amused as Jax worked so hard to make her jealous – she knew that it was not over with her and her husband. That they still had a chance to work through their problems.

But than Olivia had grown tight and angry – Carly knew that there would trouble when Olivia had thrown the whiskey into Jax's face. But she wasn't too worried – Jax would know how to calm the fiery brunette down – so she allowed her husband to see that she was amused by the scene. She almost lifted up a thumbs up sign to him – but than Olivia's body language spoke once more.

Carly could see that her new friend – deep down she hoped her new best friend was upset … and it had more too do than Jax flirting with her. She wished she could move closer and overhear what was being said – but she didn't want to make matters worse. Jax was good at calming her down – he would be able to calm Olivia down also.

Her eyes widen as Olivia stood to her feet and jerked her coat off the chair – the chair shook side to side slightly. She could tell that more was going on inside Olivia than what the woman had let on – the few times that they had gotten together – mostly at Jakes.

Jax rushed towards the elevator and managed to slip in before the doors closed. He faced a flushed faced and very angry Olivia Falconeri. "Olivia … I didn't mean to imply."

"What that I'm a slut, someone who enjoys getting it on with anyone who crosses my path. For taking what my cousin throws away." Olivia stormed with tears threatening to fall – but she stubbornly refused to allow even one tear to fall. She wasn't going to break – not in front of this man – and not in front of anyone. Her brawling days were over – long time ago. "Well, I'm a slut … and I do enjoy getting it on with anyone who crosses my path. But," She held up a firm finger, "but, I do not accept my cousin's throw aways. That is Connie's area in life – not mine." She said with steel in her voice.

"I understand." Jax said in a soft and kind voice.

Olivia slowly lowered her finger and fingered her jacket which was still in her arms at her stomach level. "I'm sorry Jax, I didn't mean to get so angry at you." She said once she took a few calming breaths. "I knew that you were just trying to get Carly's goat with flirting with me."

Jax leaned against the wall next to her, "You were the safest woman to shove in Carly's face – she trusts you and knows that you wouldn't hurt her anyway."

"She's right." Olivia said firmly.

"But, I meant what I said, Olivia, I think you and I would be good for one another." Jax said.

Olivia tightened up. The elevator jerked to a soft stop, and the doors slid open. She pushed off the wall and walked away without another word. Jax stepped off the elevator and just watched the woman walk towards the front doors. He was relieved to see that she jerked her jacket on before allowing the doorman to open them. He sighed deeply as she walked out of his sight.

He blew it big time with her – he just prayed that he had a chance to make it up too her.

END OF PROLOUG