Okay, so I have just finished the seventh season of Sons of Anarchy and all I can say is "wow". The amazing writing is seriously out of this world and the kind of storytelling that I hope to accomplish one day as a writer. I wanted to give my own spin on the Jax and Tara love story. There's so many things we don't know about their beginnings. Keep in mind the "fiction" in fanfiction. This is purely a re-interpretation. Any negativity will not be welcome. Thank you. :)
DISCLAIMER:
I own nothing. All characters and names belong to creator, Kurt Sutter and FX Network.
6:45 AM
Tara woke to her alarm and the beginnings of another sure to be sunny day in Charming, California. Tara remembered her mom used to love days like today. She'd pack a lunch and they'd all just drive, find a park somewhere, have a picnic and just be together. It was those spontaneous moments that Tara missed lately. It was just a little over six years since her mom had lost her battle with cancer and she could still feel it like it happened yesterday.
Six years ago...
"Sweetheart, um...I'm so sorry."
"Mom died, didn't she?" Nine year old, Tara Knowles asked her father, already knowing the answer.
"I'm sorry, baby."
The days that followed included an endless string of black clothing, casseroles and apologies that sounded so rehearsed that she stopped hearing them. She stood in the living room that used to hold her mother's laughter and light, staring at her shoes.
"I'm so sorry for your loss, baby." She heard a voice say.
She looked up, meeting eyes with Gemma Teller. Everyone knew the Tellers. Gemma, John and their son, Jackson or Jax, as he recently like to be called. John Teller was president of the notorious Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club and Gemma served as his old lady. If ever there were a power couple in Charming, it was the Tellers. Jax was her age, just a few months older. He was a rambunctious kid and always ran around with Opie Winston, another son of a Son. Tara's dad had known Piney Winston for years and so she and Opie always found themselves around each other and Jax by association. Both the Tellers and Winstons had made sure that they were present for this occasion.
"I want you to make sure that you eat tonight, okay?" Gemma told her, pointing to the three covered dishes she had placed on the dining room table.
Tara tugged at the sleeve of her black cardigan, pulling it over her hand. "My mom did the cooking."
"I know, baby."
"I'm not really hungry. Thank you." She stated, meek but polite.
"Promise me you'll eat."
Tara stared at the carpet.
"Tara..." Gemma gave her a knowing look.
"Yes, Mrs. Teller." She nodded. "I promise."
"Good girl." With a kiss on the cheek, she moved on to Tara's father.
Tara looked up, catching a glimpse of Jax in the corner, fidgeting with the tie that his mom had most likely forced him to wear. The three kids had been drifting recently, Tara knew that they were probably just growing up and so she didn't think on it too much. Jax smiled at her, small but noticeable, almost saying "I'm here".
The alarm rang for a second time, jolting Tara from her thoughts. She dragged herself from her bed and made her way to her closet, selecting another plain outfit, not unlike the ones she wore every other day. She selected a fitted grey tshirt, jeans, a hooded sweater and her black high tops. After dressing, she went into the kitchen and poured herself the last of the orange juice, finishing it in a couple sips. She grabbed her bag and headed for the door.
"Mmm...Tara?"
"Yeah. I'm just heading to school, Dad. Go back to sleep."
"You don't have school." He mumbled. "You got out for summer."
"It's September, Dad." This was happening more and more. Sam Knowles had been spending a lot of time at the local bar, finding his solace at the bottom of a liquor bottle. Tara was lucky that he remembered where the couch was, so she knew knowing the date was too much to ask. "There's some bread and stuff in the kitchen, just make yourself a sandwich for lunch and I promise, I'll be back by 5:00 to make dinner, okay?"
He grunted in response. With a sigh, Tara was on her way. Charming High was just like any other high school in small town America. Tara walked in, keeping to herself and glancing at the floor frequently as she walked. She was anxious to get to her first class of the semester. Biology. Science relaxed her, gave her peace. She found the room with ease and quickly took a seat in the second row to the back. She really didn't like the back, but didn't wanna be front row center either.
"Alright, settle down." She looked up at her teacher. "I'm Mr. Cooper and this is Biology, so pay attention. I really don't like repeating myself. So, we are going to jump right into it with a pop quiz on last year's material."
He earned a groan from the class in response.
"I promise, you're going to live." He laughed. "No cheating, guys."
The classroom door opened and slammed shut, causing Tara to look up.
"Ah, Mr. Teller." Mr. Cooper stated. "So glad you could grace us with your presence. I know you're so very busy."
"Not a problem, Coop." Jax smirked.
"Mr. Cooper." He corrected. "Now, cut the charm and take a seat."
He headed to the back of the room, sitting next to his partner in crime, Opie Winston. In the years since Tara's mom passed away, the boy who once smiled at her in her living room turned into a man who couldn't pass for the same person. Jax had began getting into trouble. Anything and everything from petty theft to underage drinking and skipping class. Tara thought it had to do with the death of his father.
Everyone knew about the death of John Teller. The word was that he crashed his Harley into a semi-truck and was dragged. He lived a couple more days in the hospital before he succumbed to his injuries. It didn't take a genius to see that it hit Jax especially hard. He had also devoloped a reputation as somewhat of a ladies' man and wasn't shy about flirting at all. Tara knew better though, Jax Teller was strictly the "love 'em and leave 'em" type.
"Alright, so after we get an idea of where you're at, I'm gonna be assigning lab partners. So, don't get comfortable with where you're sitting because alot of you are about to move." Mr. Cooper told the class.
45 minutes later...
"Okay, Mr. Winston, you'll be partnered with...David Hale."
Jax snickered while Opie sighed, grabbed his book and moved next to David at the front of the class. It was no secret that the Sons didn't care for the Hales. David and his older brother Jacob were the sons of Judge Hale, who had been responsible for a lot of the past charges brought up against the Sons of Anarchy.
"Jackson Teller."
"Yeah?" He replied.
"You're with Ms. Knowles." Tara looked up at the sound of her name. She had no idea why she was terrified. She knew Jax was not the bookworm type. She'd have to work twice as hard to keep up.
Jax took the seat next to her and Tara caught a whiff of his scent. Smoke, motor oil and a hint of cologne. It was disgusting but intriguing at the same time.
"Hey, darlin'." He greeted, giving her his trademark, Jax Teller, half grin.
"Hey." She said softly, clearing her throat. "So, I was thinking we could assign the outline for the chapter."
"Whatever you say." Jax winked at her and she immediately felt the need to avoid his gaze. His eyes could make any girl weak in the knees.
Seven hours later...
The day had been a rough one and Tara needed to talk to the one person who could make it all better. She had stumbled her way through the rest of the day and managed to make only one enemy.
Tara grabbed her calculus book and slammed her locker door shut, turning around in a hurry. She was late...on the first day. Crap. She was prepared to run when she slammed right into a tall, skinny redhead.
"Oh!" She cried, falling to the ground, dropping her books and notes. "Shit."
"Whoa!" The redhead responded. "Watch where you're going, bitch."
"I'm really sorry." Tara tried.
"Whatever." She laughed as Tara picked up her stuff. "Pathetic much?"
Tara walked through the gates that read Charming Cemetary. She made a habit of talking to her mom when things were particularly rough for her and she really need that relief today. She walked to the edge that held her mother's headstone, setting her bag down and taking a seat, leaning back against the large oak tree. She stared at the piece of concrete that had her mother's name etched in it: Laura Elizabeth Knowles, loving wife and mother.
"Hey, Mom." She spoke, pulling her sweater sleeves over her hands, a habit that hadn't really changed. "I hope you're doing okay...wherever you are. Daddy and I are getting by." She sighed. "How did you do it? Take care of us so well? Because, Mom, I'm trying, but I can't quite get it right." Tara began to tear up. "I tried to make your peach cobbler yesterday...I butchered it. I can't remember what the secret ingredient was and you left before you got a chance to tell me." She looked up, as if asking for some kind of sign that her mom could actually hear her. "It's rough, Mom. I'm trying to stay strong but I think I'm starting to buckle. I need you...I miss you so much." She wiped away a stray tear. "Anyway...I'm thinking of going into medicine. I want to save lives. I want to make you proud."
Tara looked down at her watch, 4:45. "Shit."
She began to run to the nearest exit when she caught a glimpse of another visitor. Here he was, doing the same thing she was.
"I miss you, old man." She heard Jax say as she quietly approached.
"Hey." She said, lightly.
"Hey, Knowles." He greeted back. They stood in silence for a few minutes, listening to the birds.
"I'm sorry about your dad." She finally spoke.
"It's fine."
"No, I realized that I never actually gave you my condolences." She looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry, Jax."
"Thanks, Tara." He smiled. Not a flirtatious smirk, but a geniuine smile.
The pair found themselves in silence again before Tara broke it again by clearing her throat. "I should get home. I promised my dad that I'd be home for dinner."
"Sure." Jax nodded.
"Hey, Tara." He called, causing her to turn around. "You should smile more."
"What?"
"Your smile. It's beautiful."
"How would you know that, Teller?" She scoffed.
"We grew up together, Tara." Jax put his hands in his jeans pockets. "I know you better than you think."
Tara knocked on her dad's bedroom door as she opened it. "Dad, dinner's...ready."
She sighed, walking over and picking up the empty vodka bottle by the bed where her father lay passed out. Turning off the light, she closed the bedroom door and began wrapping the chicken she had baked to go into the refrigerator. She was wiping the counter when she heard a light knock on the door.
"What're you doing here?" Tara asked.
"You dropped this...at the cemetary." Jax held out a necklace, one Tara wore everywhere. It had belonged to her mother and she cherished it more than anything she owned.
Her hand immediately flew to her neck. "Oh my...thank you!"
"No problem." He smiled as he handed it over. "I thought you might freak if you noticed it gone so I thought I'd bring it over tonight instead of waiting until tomorrow."
She smiled. "Thank you, Jax. Really."
"See?" He smiled back.
"What?" Tara asked, suddenly self-conscious.
"Your smile. I told you it was beautiful."
Tara looked at the ground, shifting in her stance.
"I'll see you in class tomorrow?" Jax asked.
"Um...yeah. Tomorrow." She answered.
"Goodnight, Tara."
"Goodnight, Jax."
"Uh-oh." Tara thought to herself. "What the hell just happened?"
Okay. This was really, really fun to write. I like starting out with the characters this young, because there's honestly so many directions you can take the story in. The possibilities are endless. Please be kind if you choose to review because I don't have a whole lot of experience in this kind of thing. I hope you enjoyed. Thanks, guys. :)