AN: My high school story of how Jax and Tara came to be and why they are who they are when we see them together again at Abel's birth. Updating weekly, fully intend for this to be a long story. Thanks for reading!
1978:
"Congratulations." The nurse says, gently settling the baby into the woman's arms. "You have a son."
"He's perfect." The man says in awe, gently resting a large head on the baby's head of dark hair.
"What should we name him?" The woman asks, leaning forward and nuzzling noses with her son, trying to hold back tears.
"Harry. Harry Winston." The man says resolutely and the woman looks up at him with raised eyebrows.
"My son doesn't look like a Harry." She protests and the man sighs, watching as the baby moves slightly, settling into his mother's arms.
"We can call him Opie then." He relents. "Our American boy."
"You watch too much TV." She grumbles, but leans down close to her son. "Hello, Opie." She whispers and his eyelids flutter.
"Opie." His father says proudly, then gets up and swings his kutte on. "I'm going to tell the club." He says, walking out the door. The woman watches him go, Opie clutched protectively in her arms.
1978, a couple months later:
"YOU TELL THAT ASSHOLE IF HE'S NOT HERE FOR THE BIRTH OF THIS CHILD, I WILL PERSONALLY INSURE THAT HE NEVER HAS ANOTHER CHILD IN THIS LIFETIME!" A woman bellows and two men with prospect kuttes on scurry out of the room.
"Mrs. Teller, we need you to calm down." One nurse requests and the woman gives her a deadly look.
"Don't tell me to calm down when my husband isn't here." She snaps. "I'm not pushing this little shit out until he's here."
"Mrs. Teller, you're going to have to push soon. You're nearly fully dilated." The nurse reminds her and she tosses her dark hair back, crossing her arms over her large belly.
"Not. Until. My. Husband. Is. Here!" She says flatly. "You understand that, missy?" The nurse sighs and walks out, the door slamming behind her.
"Mrs. Teller…" The doctor says, entering the room with a smug nurse behind him. "We need to start pushing."
"Is my husband behind her?" She asks, pointing to the nurse. "Because if he isn't, I'm not doing shit."
"Gemma, I'm here." A man with long hair and scruff says, hurrying in and to her side. "Jesus Christ, there was no need to send half the club after me."
"You weren't missing the birth of your first child." She snaps, grabbing his hand. He does a good job of hiding his flinching.
"I'm here, now will you please listen to the doctors?" He requests and she narrows her eyes then casts a haughty look at the nurse and nods.
"Ok, Mrs. Teller, I want you to push." He says, pulling on gloves. Gemma takes a deep breath then pushes, gasping at the effort she exerts. "Good, good, keep pushing." She takes another deep breath then pushes again, a grunt escaping.
"You're doing great, Gem." John encourages.
"You fucking did this to me." She groans and he pushes her hair back.
"Gem, we're gonna have a son. Or a daughter. Just get through this." He says and she squeezes his hand again, pushing.
"There's the head, c'mon, we've nearly got the shoulders and your child will be here!" The doctor says and with one final push and groan, the wails of a baby fill the room.
"What is it?" Gemma questions, leaning back with her eyes closed.
"A boy." The nurse calls, pulling the boy away and hurrying out the door with him. Gemma bolts upright.
"A son?" John asks, incredulously.
"Where is she taking my son?" Gemma demands.
"We have to take him away and make sure everything is ok." The doctor reassures her and Gemma's hand automatically finds her heart.
"What do you mean, if everything is ok? Is something wrong?" She asks and the doctor shakes his head.
"Given your preexisting condition Mrs. Teller, we think it's in baby Teller's best interest that we closely examine every part of him. A nurse will be back shortly to tell you more." He says, bowing his head and leaving. Gemma watches him go, stunned.
"So they can just take my son?" She asks and John kisses her head.
"Gem, we have a son." He says quietly and she leans back, taking a deep breath. Then she looks up at him.
"A son." She says, as though she's trying out the words. "A son."
"We can't keep calling him baby Teller." John points out and Gemma nods.
"We thought about Jackson." She says and John nods, kissing her head.
"Jackson Nathaniel. For your brother." He says quietly and Gemma's mouth twists into a thin line.
"We'll call him Jax." She says and John nods, kissing her. "Go tell the club. Tell Piney that Opie has a best friend, not a wife." She orders and chuckling, John leaves the room.
"Mrs. Teller?" A nurse says, sticking her head around the door timidly. Gemma looks up at her. "If you'd like, I can wheel you over to see your son." She offers and Gemma sits up.
"Get me the damn chair then if you think I can't walk." She says and the nurse helps her into the wheelchair. She pushes Gemma into a room full of bassinets and crying babies. Several doctors and nurses are gathered around one in particular. They turn when Gemma approaches and she sees John is with them.
"Gemma, he's perfect." He says instantly.
"And the family flaw?" She asks and his face falls.
"He has it." The doctor informs her and she moans, covering her mouth. "But his odds are good. We'll put him on the best medication available. He could very well grow up a strong young man and live a long life." Gemma ignores the rest of what the doctor has to says and wheels herself up to look into the bassinet herself. A little boy, with a blue blanket and head of fuzzy blond hair is sleeping peacefully; unaware of the attention he is receiving.
"Jackson Nathanial Teller. I will protect you for the rest of your life." She promises fiercely.
1980:
"A girl?" The man asks, as if he's heard the nurse incorrectly. "I have a daughter?" The nurse nods and he takes a deep breath.
"We'll call her Tara then, just like you wanted." He says to his wife, who nods, not looking at him but rather the baby in her arms. "Tara Grace… She'll do great things." He says thoughtfully.
"She's beautiful." The woman says quietly and the man finally walks over to look down at the little girl. He takes in her thick, dark hair and gently touches her face. Her eyes open, just a peek, and he sees the same olive color in the eyes of his wife. He smiles.
"My nose, your eyes." He says, a sense of amazement in his voice.
"She'll be a stunner when she's older." She says and he narrows his eyes at these words.
"She'll be smart before pretty." He says firmly and his wife chooses to ignore that part of it, running a finger down her daughter's face.
"Tara Grace." She says, kissing the baby's forehead.
1984:
"I don't get it." Jax announces loudly.
"Get what?" Opie asks, looking at him from the TV.
"Why are we waiting here? Why does my dad get to go with mom?" He asks and Piney smiles.
"Jackson, you're going to have a little brother or sister." He explains and Jax sighs, slumping back in his chair.
"I know, but it's taking forever. I want to know now." He complains and Piney just chuckles.
"I promise your birth took a lot longer." He tells him and both boys look up, interested. "Your mom refused to have you till your dad was there. Half the nurses were terrified of her. I'm betting when word got out that Gemma Teller was pregnant again, they had to draw straws for the task." He says thoughtfully and Jax frowns.
"Draw straws?" He asks and Piney is saved a response when John enters the waiting room. Jax jumps off his chair and sprints for his father. John catches him, lifting him up with a grunt.
"How'd it go?" Piney asks and John grins, shaking his head.
"Another son." He says quietly. "Thomas Wayne Teller. You have a little brother." He tells Jax, who lights up.
"Healthy?" Piney asks and John just shakes his head.
"We'll see." He says, then hides his pain remarkably well and hoists Jax a little higher. "Do you want to go meet him?" He asks him and Jax nods. John walks with him down the hallway, guiding him to a large window.
"Which one is ours, daddy?" Jax asks, frowning at the amount of babies in front of him.
"Do you see mommy?" John asks, pointing to where Gemma is holding vigil over a bassinet. "She's watching your brother."
"Can we go see him up close?" Jax pesters and John nods.
"But you can't touch him. He's very small." He says and Jax nods seriously. John enters the room quietly.
"Hi baby." Gemma says softly, kissing Jax's head. "Did daddy tell you that you have a little brother?"
"Thomas." Jax recites and she smiles, nodding.
"That's him." She says, gesturing to the baby and Jax inspects him with a frown, unimpressed.
"He's small." He observes.
"You were that small too. You've gotta help him grow up big and tall like you did." She says and Jax looks at her in surprise, as though she's told him some huge secret that's changed his world.
"I'll help you Tommy." He says, leaning as far over the bassinet as his father will allow him. "I'll help you grow up."
1988:
"Mom, I don't get it." Jax says quietly. "Why is dad going to jail?" Gemma looks at her 10-year-old son in the backseat through the rearview mirror. His 4-year-old brother is sound asleep in the seat next to him.
"Baby, it's going to be just fine." She promises. "Your father just made a mistake. The club is going take care of you, you know that right? Everything will be just fine." She promises.
"Did you tell Tommy?" Jax asks her worriedly, looking at her brother and a smile tweaks at the corners of Gemma's mouth despite the dire circumstances. Her eldest, always so worried about his brother.
"I told him that his father is over in Ireland again. That's easier for him to understand than jail. It's to protect him." She says and Jax stiffens at the mention of protecting his little brother. Gemma arrives at the clubhouse, parking the car. Jax gets out and waits patiently as she lifts Thomas out of the car.
"Mom." He says quietly as they walk into the clubhouse. "Is dad ever coming home?" He asks and she gives him a stern look.
"Never doubt that your father will get out. The club takes care of it's own, Jackson. You remember that. Remember our loyalty." She orders and he nods, following her into the clubhouse.
AN: So until I get to high school, which is soon, I'll be showing little flashes of moments where Jax and Tara's lives crossed. Please, please, leave me a review, if you follow this story let me know, if you love it or hate it let me know, tell me whatever you'd like, I want all the feedback. Thank you for reading!
