Jax rolled out of bed and went to shower coming back into his bedroom to get dressed he finds the closet empty. His underwear drawer too. Okay, he's not so hung over that he misplaced every item he owned.
He wonders into the kitchen towel clad. "Jenna honey where are my clothes?" she nods to living room where three full duffle bags sit.
"What?" His brows quirked.
"Remember when you said you'd do anything to get me back? Now you get to prove it, earn your way back earn my trust. That's no longer a given. We're going back to the basics here Jax." She turns from the sink where she's washing bottles. Abel sits in his booster seat the table playing with his breakfast.
"You're kicking me out of my own home?"
"Not really kicking out so much as asking you to stay at the clubhouse."
"But we…last night?" Jax says truly confused.
"I still want and love you Jax. You wanted to have sex and so did I it was mutually beneficial."
"Don't make it sound like we have some business deal Jenna!"
"Its funny, you don't mind using the whores but don't wanna be treated like one. Remember that the next time the pussy for pay sidles up next you."
"Jenna, that was a year ago. Are you really still mad?"
"Do I look mad?" She dried her hands on a cup towel.
"That grape will not fit up your nose Abel Jackson." She says without looking away from Jax.
"Well a little yeah."
"Mama fun killer." Abel mumbles. Jax silently agrees with his son.
"All I want Jax is for you to do what you said. You love me and only me prove it."
"How am I supposed to do that living at the club? Let me stay we'll work on it. Spend time together, actual dates. I'll tell you where I am and what I'm doing Jenna. I'm not going to fuck around on you but you gotta give me some kind of shot here baby." He crosses his arms over his chest.
She sighed. "Christ sometimes I'm so much like my mother I could fucking cry. Your underwear and jeans are in the red duffle. Shirts in the blue."
He walked over to her and bent down to kiss her. "Thank you baby."
"Yeah,"
He went and got dressed and called Opie while Jenna dressed.
"Hey dude, I need your help to move a gift I got for Jenna."
"What is it?"
"A piano." Jax whispered.
"You are insane. I'm not helping you move a fucking piano." Opie muttered into the phone.
"It's Jenna's anniversary gift Ope, come on. I need her outta the house can you enlist Lyla's help." Jax grinned knowing Opie's complaining strictly for forms sake,
"My fuckin' sister. Yeah sure whatever, she'll go do something girly with Lyla before work anyway."
"Thanks dude I need all the help I can get she tried to kick me out"
Opie laughed. "Of course she did. Who do you think gave her the idea."
"That's so wrong! You're my brother."
"She's my sister and you cheated. See you in thirty."
-/-/-/-
Jenna returns wearing a Jimi Hendrix t-shirt she'd converted into a halter top, jeans and her work boots her hair thrown up in a ponytail.
"You look…."
"Fat?" She supplied.
"I was going to say…like you. I think I have an old picture of you in that top. You're about 18."
"I usually help Daddy open the shop your mom watches them til noon and then Alia comes after that. I can switch it around and put Lyla off if you want."
"Nah, I can handle it. No need to mess with their routine."
"I'll feed Arie before I leave."
"I got it."
"God Lyla's already freaked out over the thing with the Russians, She's already called me this morning. This was us wasn't it? Ya'll made the morning news, or at least the bodies in the mayor's favorite baby did."
"Retribution to my attack babe,"
"Good. They can't connect the dots can they?"
"Not with anything concrete." She nods.
"Wait! You kept old pictures of me?" he turns and digs something out of his cut pocket, and lays on the table. It's the black and white photo of them lying together in bed. It is creased and folded from being in his pocket so long.
"Jackson…." she says quietly.
"What?"
"Why? I mean…how long has this been in your pocket?"
"I kept it because I liked it and since about six weeks after you left."
"I just set shit on fire and you kept it." Her voice wobbles ever so slightly.
"Well, we weren't over…it was just a feeling I had." Tears fill her eyes.
"Shit Jenna don't cry!" he stands up still holding Abel and goes over to her.
"I just- even when I'm a bitch to you like earlier you still love me and god I need to shut up I'm turning into a sap. I missed you okay. It's good to have you home. I'm going to check on Arie before I find more reasons to cry."
He kissed her. "Stop trying to be so tough okay. You don't have to be all the time."
Abel reaches for her.
"What's with the grabby hands?" Jax asks looking down at Abel
"I'm okay bud. He's trying to hold me Jax. He does the same thing if Arie gets upset except he says holds it!" He hands him over just as Arizona starts crying.
"I'll get her. Mornings will be our thing okay? Me Abey and Zona."
"Alright…"
There's a knock at the door. She rolls over and opens it to see Opie on the other side. "Oh Hi Bubba,"
"Morning Jenny."
"Oh shit I think she exploded Jenna…" Jax calls out.
"Lyla's waiting on you listen-" Opie tries to say but Jenna cuts him off
"She doesn't know shit I figured that much Opie."
"I just- the less she knows the safer it is for her and you always know everything I just- don't slip."
"That's insulting Opie I know enough to bury this fucking MC and I've never said shit stop being paranoid over your bright shiny porn princess step ford."
"I know you're right its just-"
"Ope, I love you and I get it, I do but lying to her isn't going to keep her any safer than Donna. What happened? Happened because of Clay and Stahl not you."
"I won't say a word I never do. Go help Jax I think Arie laid an atomic poop on him." she puts Abel down and rolls out the door shouting an "I love you!" Over her shoulder to the whole house.
-/-/-/-
"Alright dude she's down the street." The smell hits Opie like a brick wall.
"Oh my god." Opie coughs. "I see super pooper got you…"
"My eyes are burning." Jax complains
"Breathe through your mouth." Opie advised
"She's smiling like its fucking funny."
"Sure she is she feels better."
"One more wipey thing and I think you got it." freshly diapered and the dirty one thrown in the trash. Jax goes to pick her up.
"After that I'm not sure you are entirely human but I love you anyway." he kisses her blocking her hand from pulling his beard he kisses it and picks her up.
"Delivery guy will be here in ten." He says to Opie "You wanna eat Zona? Yeah! How's a bottle sound? Daddy's got this don't look so skeptical."
She sees Opie and squeals slapping her hands excitedly on Jax's shoulder and chest. "Hi buggy butt!" he smiles at her and kisses her.
They move down the hall. "Out of all the gifts why a piano? Seriously pick something lighter next year!"
"She plays the crappy one at the club she's so desperate."
"I see your point." the delivery men honk. "I'll sign for it. Feed baby girl then we'll manhandle this fucker into the house." Opie says.
Jax and Opie are standing in the front lawn hemming and ha-ing over how to get the piano into the house when Gemma arrives.
Gemma eyes how Jax is holding the baby. She's facing outward sitting on Jax's forearm leaning into his chest his other hand around her belly. Arizona eats her bottle with a serene expression on her face.
"There's only two off us so-Abel stay up here bud…" Jax says.
"Abel come on baby, gimme that child before she gets indigestion. Just lift the lower half til it rolls through the door boys." She says taking Arizona, She herds Abel back inside and leaves them.
-/-/-/-
"You are not allowed to move or divorce my sister. I'm not moving this thing again" Opie says between pants trying to catch his breath.
"How's she going to play it properly anyway?" He adds
"You know those pianos that play by themselves? Well this does that to an extent." he flips open a little keypad.
"It's got thousands of songs in its computer. She can flip this switch here to play with help type in the code, the pedals move and she's set to go. Then if she wants to compose she writes down the changes and Juice will put it into the computer for her."
"You thought this out ," Opie's eyebrows raise in surprise.
"Well yeah she deserves to be able to do normal shit."
"I like it…I was really skeptical that this would work…the colors nice…the repairs came out nice." Gemma said waking. "Ohhh," Abel said from behind her..
"I know its shiny no touching without askin' Mama alright big man?" Jax said.
"What does she mean skeptical?"
"I bought the piano from a second hand place in San Francisco was just going to fix it up paint it red and call it day. Then it bugged me she never gets to play anything the way you're supposed to so I thought maybe Juice would know some tricks. He did. We used some of his contacts for the computerized stuff and…"
"Ta da!" Abel supplied.
"Yeah buddy Ta da." Jax laughed
-/-/-/-
After Jax left Gemma set about finding the letters but they were no where in the house. "Where would she keep them?" Then in hit her Jenna kept everything from tools to guitar strings in old saddle bags of Piney's. She'd check the club first.
-/-/-/-
She sat in the pedicure chair. "Lyla you have to decide which kind of old lady you want to be. Do you want to be in the know or in the dark? Because it's easier to stay in the dark, I'll give you that but it's just not for me. If Ope says nothing happened then nothing did. I know my brother if he's one thing its honest. Just take this as a lesson though choose which side off the fence you're on and stick to it."
"Thanks, Jen I just felt like something was off but you're right Ope doesn't lie."
-/-/-/-
Jax can feel Opie's doubt and Piney's downright disbelief as they leave the chapel as though it's a coat he's wearing.
Piney stops him. "There are some things you tell my daughter after the fact and I don't say anything because she's your wife and she's trying to not make the same mistakes her mother and I made but this is totally different the cartel is dangerous. Do not tell my child anything, we go do down for this stupid bullshit that's one thing but she won't you got me?" He says glowering darkly.
Jax fights not to roll his eyes. "Its not even voted in yet old man. You're jumping the gun. Besides, I don't lie to my wife at least not if I want her to stay my wife…"
-/-/-/-
On the way to the reservation Jax bites the bullet. "When you were inside what did you think about?
"Donna, the kids, Jen."
"Yeah well it's the same for me all I thought about was Jenna and my kids. All the time its all I thought about I want more for my kids Ope, I want something different."
"Peddling coke is your solution." He takes a final pull off his cigarette and flicks it out the window,
"No, making bank was, serious money. I'm tired of living hand to mouth."
"I watched Jen raise your kids man, she's tough she had Arizona practically by herself, you were in one hundred and ten days before she cried, on Thanksgiving Day she just fucking lost it, she cried and then she sucked it up and went on and didn't cry again as far as I know. Lyla? She's not made like that, I love her but she's not Donna she'll never make it with three kids alone if we go away."
"We're not going too. The Cartel has everyone on their payroll. We'll be safe."
"You trying to convince me or yourself? Jen's gonna flip her shit if we do this you know that right?" Opie glanced at him.
"Yeah,"
"It's your funeral dude."
"Jen hates turkey."
"It was less about the specific holiday more about your absence and your mothers whole I am an island attitude." Opie shrugged. "Gemma made her feel weak, alone. For once my mom fixed shit."
"How?"
"Let her cry it out without judging her for it."
"Makes me feel like total and complete shit."
"I know."
-/-/-/-
Jenna drops off some formula for Alia and sees the piano sitting in the corner of the living room. "What?" She rolls toward it carefully as though it might disappear. She sees Abel out of the corner of her eye as she reaches for the envelope sitting on the blood red upright Steinway.
"You know anything about this Abel?"
"Present." He grins.
Jenna opens the envelope and pulls out a letter.
Baby,
The binder contains the codes to every song in the piano. Type it in and the peddles will move for you. Juice can always add more songs too. I tried to think of something epic or poetic to put in here but I came up with zilch. So, just know this I love you more than I'll ever be able to explain to you or anyone else. I am lucky and blessed to have you.
I love you. Happy (very late) Anniversary!
-Jax
Tears sting her eyes. She slides on to the piano bench and lifts Abel up with her.
"You like your gift Mrs. Teller? your brother and husband used curse words I've never heard before bringing it in." Alia says coming in bouncing Arizona on her hip.
Jenna laughed. "I'm sure they did I love it."
Jenna dials Jax's number it rings exactly once before she hears dial tone. She scowls and dials Opie. "Sticks! Play Sticks." She absentmindly plays chopsticks for Abel with one hand and holds her phone in the other.
Opie's phone rings but he doesn't answer. "Okay Ope, this is really weird. Neither of you will answer please call me back. Tell Jax- Tell him I said thank you. I love you both! Bye butthead!"
"Do not freak out they are fine!" She mutters to herself.
"Sticks Mama!"
"Holy crap Abel ok! I'll play sticks you ready?" She plays a little.
"Okay you press that one that's your key." Abel presses it and smiles up at her "Alright bubba that's good. Slow and steady wins the race."
-/-/-/-
After the call to Clay. "She's a red-" Jax's phone sings out before the Russian pitches it at the wall.
"The cross is someone she has not met not yet, she talks to angels they call her out by her name." Opie's phone rings out the black crows song. He tries to reach for his phone but the other guy shoves the business end of his gun into his ribs,
"Well boys, that was his wife and my sister and since we didn't answer if she finds you're fucked."
Russian expletives were their reply.
-/-/-/-
"You're late kid." Piney grumbles walking toward her.
"I know, I'm sorry Dad. Lyla drama and then I found a piano in the house imagine that! Neither Bub or Jax are answering their phones. Please tell me they just have shitty service and I'll go fix that Nissan."
"I can't Darlin' the Russians have them at wahewa." She falters.
"Do what?"
"We have to get them their guns in an hour or…"
"Don't say that. I- Dad, you can't reach dog town within the hour. Opie and I had words over Lyla I wasn't nice and I didn't kiss Jax goodbye, I was rushing I- oh god…"
"No, No panicking. Look at me and just breathe baby. We're on it okay. I need you to trust me. Just breathe."
The cops and fire marshal show up just he's caught her eye. "Breathe." he takes her hand in his and she's squeezing so tightly that he knows she's scared for real. Neither of them speak as Roosevelt begins his ruse to destroy the clubhouse.
-/-/-/-
They on the floor face down "Some honeymoon huh?"
"Shoulda stayed in bed with my wife the porn star." They laugh at that.
"They'll never make it in a hour."
"I know." Opie replies quietly
"Christ Jenna."
"Don't think about them. It'll be easier on us." just then they hear a car roll up.
-/-/-/-
"Now why are their no brothers on the wall? Could it be the sons are racists?" Roosevelt says.
"Could it just be there's no brothers on the wall." Piney says.
Roosevelt glances down at Jenna's and Piney's joined hands. "So, you're a pervy old man as well as a racist?"
"He's my father you pompous little chocolate drop." Jenna responds.
"You're pushin' me girl."
"Oh I live to piss off men Sherriff. Just ask my husband." Jenna smirks,
"I smell smoke do you?" Roosevelt asked as he stepped forward touching the wall. "I think its warm." he hefted the axe plunging into the mug shot wall.
Jenna flinched as the pictures shattered and fell. The wall shook with each hit. She pulled back reflexively on Piney's hand when he started forward.
"No Daddy." She said deadly calm. Chibs cursed and Clay mouthed off as the window and chapel doors took the next hit.
She had a sinking feeling and looked away as the axe was imbedded in the table. To her it was a redwood oak table to the Sons it was sacred.
-/-/-/-
Jenna was going to start cleaning up the club she detoured through the TM office for the broom when she say her tool bag sitting on the couch.
"I know I put this in my locker last night." she looked through it. Wrenches and screwdrivers, guitar strings, picks, makeup, Arie's stuffed piglet, the letters it was all there but had definitely been touched.
"Why is out?" She muttered.
"Baby?" Gemma called as she walked in. "Yeah."
"Call Tara, They have the boys but they're a little banged up."
" Oh thank you God. Okay, Mom did you need something from my bag? It's out."
"Oh Jax wanted your sheet music for…something."
"Uh, okay." She'd gone though all the sheet music before she'd left the house. Jax had set it all inside the bench compartment. She raised an eyebrow but picked up the phone and dialed Tara. Like she hadn't just caught Gemma in a lie.
-/-/-/-
Jenna put her tool bag into Piney's locker. Relocking it when Tara approached.
"Hey Jen,"
"Hey doc follow me."
Tara scowled "Alright?"
"What in the fuck happened here?" Tara said as they walked through the club toward the apartment.
"Sherriff with anger issues."
In the apartment bathroom.
"Jen we're friends now so I can actually say this to you and know what I'm talking about. You're being weird."
"I think Gem is watching me and this convo needs to be private."
"Gemma watches half the town since she think she owns it Jen. Why the bathroom?"
"It grosses Gemma out. Listen I was going through Jax's things from Ireland. I found these letters from John to another woman Maureen Ashby anyway apparently they had a lovechild, but that's not what's got me freaked out. John had I dunno a fucking premonition, a feeling that Gemma and Clay were going to kill him or at least play a part in it."
"And you're telling me this because?"
"I asked my dad about it he totally freaked on me and now Gemma's going through my shit. Its just should I tell Jax or…look you're the only person besides me who knows him well enough to be helpful…what do you think?"
"I don't know Jen, I mean are you sure?"
"I don't know yeah kinda I think so. I'm trusting you here Tara."
"I know can I read them? I'll look into it get Gemma off your back."
"Why would you do that?"
"We both love him Jen. I conceded to you I didn't stop caring and we're some weird ass version of friends so why not."
"Girls they're pulling up." Lyla shouts to them.
-/-/-/-
Tara reaches him first only because she has the whole legs that work thing going for her he hugs her lightly and shrugs her off bee lining it for Jenna.
He picks her up and hugs her so tightly Jenna knows not only was it a close call but Jax was actually scared.
"Jenna." he says lowly.
"Hi baby. Are you okay? What happened to you."
"I'm okay. Flipped Ope's truck. Just a bit scratched up. Do you like the piano?"
Jenna laughs. "Yes I love it." Jax has yet to loosen his hold Opie walks over from where he'd been hugging Lyla. Jenna snakes hand out to touch Opie's face.
He leans down and kisses the top of her head. "We're fine Jenny. It didn't happen again alright." Jenna choked on a sob and hugged Jax tighter.
-/-/-/-
Jax kicks the debris surrounding his feet, pulling Jenna along behind him by the hand. "We'll get someone in to clean this up." Clay says.
"I started on it, all the glass and having a baby who crawls on this floor makes me antsy but I couldn't get the axe out of the table." Jenna says.
"There's an axe in the table?" Jax asked.
"Sheriff's metaphorical way of kickin' us in the nuts." Jenna answered.
"I'll get it."
-/-/-/-
Jenna set up a family dinner at their place even inviting Tara. Ope had talked her into playing something on the piano and now they're playing guess the song.
Jax and Opie are the only one's doing any good. No one else knows Jenna's mind or the veritable jukebox of tunes in her head well enough to play.
She plays a little "Jesus freaks out in the street handing tickets out for god-tiny dancer. Try harder sis." Opie says.
She rolls her eyes and goes into a new song. She plays a bit and no one says anything. "Little Mermaid!" Abel shouts. "That's right Bubba, a part of your world."
"You let him watch The Little Mermaid?" Jax asks.
"Don't be a sexist pig baby." Jenna replies.
She plays the begin of a some what bluesy song she almost reaches the bridge when Paige shouts "Pokerface!"
"No way, that's… you rearranged it." Lyla said Jenna shrugged as Paige sang along. "Got bored." Jenna replied.
-/-/-/-
Jenna was cleaning up the food as the last guest left. "Arie has a heart check up tomorrow want to come? I'm having lunch with Tara after but-"
Jax turned from closing the door. "You guys have lunch? it's the apocalypse!"
"Shut up! You coming or not?" He grins and sits on the counter next to the sink. "Yes, I'll be there. I need to lower these for you." He tapped the counter with his knuckles.
Jenna looked up and saw something in his eyes that she couldn't define.
"We're running coke for the Galindo Cartel. Please don't yell the kids are asleep." He confesses.
"Come again, I'm sure I misheard you."
"You didn't baby, if I back Clay for this then I've got his word when I'm out he'll let me go."
"This is monumentally stupid Jackson. Drugs aren't guns. Drugs make people crazy and desperate. We both know Clay's word is only as a good as what benefits him. Clay gave you his word he wasn't going to off my brother and now Opie's wife's dead. So excuse me if I think Clay's word and this scheme is shit."
"I get what you're saying baby I do. I have reservations too, its just that Clay wants this and I think I can get what we want as a side effect."
"I hate this and I hate being scared you know that I don't scare easy but this it terrifies me."
"I'm going to keep you safe Jenna and our children I promise." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Promise me you'll keep you safe." He kissed her on the mouth. "Promise."
He jumped down from the counter. "Now leave the dishes for in the morning and come to bed I've had a long day."
"If I leave them they get all-"
"Shut up and move Jenna."
"Bossy!"
"I love you."
"You're still bossy." She said as he pushed her down the hall.
"I have a secret to tell you." Jax adds as they stop to look in on the kids.
"Yeah." Jenna whispers as she removes a matchbox car from Abel's death grip.
"The best part of my day." He looks down at Arizona "should I move? Her arm is gonna fall asleep laying like that."
"You never ever wake a sleeping Arie. The best part of your day was what?"
"Making Zona laugh when I was trying to change that horrible diaper you left me with. You will pay by the way, but she smiled and giggled so hard I'd think she was Tig's child with that sadistic sense of humor if I didn't know any better."
Jenna gagged. "That's not funny I'm still shocked someone chose to procreate with him." Jax laughed.
-/-/-/-
Jenna curled around Jax in the bed. "You're going to end up on top of me aren't you?" Jax asked with a laughed.
"Totally. Its my life's mission to use you as a mattress." He chuckled and kissed her deeply. "Goodnight. I love you."
"Goodnight Jaxy and right back at you." She snuggled into. They we're both asleep with minutes.
-/-/-/-/-
AN: I own nothing but my characters. The piano idea came from my head I'm not sure it actually exists. Obviously I'm taking a different approach to the letters/
Songs used: Redheaded Woman by Wade Bowen, She Talks To Angels By The Black Crows, Tiny Dancer by Elton John, A Part Of Your World By Disney, Pokerface by Lady Gaga. I do not own or have anything to do with anything.
Please review and most importantly I hope you enjoyed it.