Fire, it was absolute. A cleansing element that held no prejudices, no judgment, it had one purpose and it executed it perfectly.

He supposed he held enough judgment for it to go without, either way he felt determined to wipe the earth clean of this hellish place.

On this night the box containing the fragments of his life was a coffin, only this time it didn't contain a part of him, it held the nameless faces of those five women. They didn't know him and he didn't care to know them, whoever they were before this place, had been gone longer than anyone would ever know. Standing in darkness, watching the flames consume the double wide trailers, he supposed they would both have to be content with what the universe had given them. Reminding him to appreciate the things in his life, no matter how random or small they appeared, it was a continuous lesson he needed to learn. Snapping on his helmet, straddling the leather seat of his black Dyna, Jax spared the property one final glance before he started the engine, the red glow of the motorcycles tail lights disappearing in to the night, leaving the house of horrors behind.

As the fire began to smolder, thick plumes of gray smoke unfurling, and the last embers faded, a heaviness settled over the ground.

In the pure, unfiltered darkness the ghosts remained.

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St. Thomas was an impressive hospital for such a small town and he thanked God for its enormous staff and high rotation rate. Charming's only hospital was swamped, and on a Friday night its staff was conveniently denied opportunity to gossip, to lay their judgment at his feet. No one here could spare the time to recognize him for whatever sin's he was or wasn't guilty of.

The criminal who ran guns.

Whose mechanic shop had blown up.

The corrupt biker who'd allegedly murdered his wife.

Until now there had been no reason to come back here, and despite Chib's orders to go home and some rest. He'd found his Dyna pulling in to the hospitals visitor parking. Head craned back, resting against the wall behind him, Jax watched the second-hand circle the clock face on the waiting room wall. Eyes peeking up as Tig sat down beside handing the other man a cup of black coffee.

"Boy's with your Mom?" He asked, and Jax knew exactly what he was saying.

You don't have to be here, we understand.

"Lyla offered to watch'em, give my mom a break. She's...fuck I dunno, herself." He answered, sipping the hot liquid, the caffeine tasting better than he'd expected.

Taking the empty seat beside him, Tig traced the rim of the Styrofoam cup, watching the steam rise off the already luke-warm liquid as he leaned back. Neither of them wore their cuts, the men in a unanimous vote that this was a delicate situation and they had to use the utmost caution to not directly associate the Club should anyone make assumptions. Though both men knew people would form their own opinions regardless.

Catching sight of an approaching nurse, both men stood up as she stopped in front of them, a clipboard in her hand.

"...Trager?" She inquired, the polite smile she wore tight around the edges, as she if she were worried she'd mispronounced his name.

"Good news, she's responding well to the fluids...but we can't seem to get her to respond verbally."

Scratching his goatee, Tig looked across at Jax who gave him a pointed look. As if to say, And...

"Come on Doll, you gonna let us go in and see her or not?"

The nurse gave him a surprised look, all professionalism flying out the door.

"Are you shitting me? I'm just doing a favor for my cousin I could get fired for even divulging confidential patient information. Look you brought her in, you won't tell us where she was, who did this...You don't even know her name. Do I have to spell it out to you how bad that looks..."

Shifting in his seat, Jax did his best to keep his gaze down, his expression calm, but his frustration was rising. Taking a deep breath he rose from his seat, arms crossing over his chest.

"Please...Fiona, just ten minutes, all I want is to see she's okay. Someone catches me its my ass, I never saw you."

Tongue pressing against the back of her teeth, Fiona looked from one man to the other as she waged an inner battle of the potential risks involved.

"Goddamn...Fine, fine. Ten minutes, that's it. In case someone kicks you out before I can come back from break I should tell you she's suffering from dehydration, mild malnutrition nothing a few weeks of rest won't cure...but the bigger issues we're finding is signs of continuous long-term physical abuse. Based on what they've documented its years worth, whoever did this..."

Placing his hand on her arm, Jax interrupted Fiona, his expression solemn.

"Is never going to touch her again."

Sighing, Fiona tried to decide if that meant what she thought it did. For the sake of that woman she hoped it was.

"Room 206, fourth floor..."

Back against the door, hands loose at his sides, he listened to soft hum of the medical equipment as his eyes settled on the prone form a few feet away. Lying on her side, arms pulled up against her chest she appeared to be sleeping. Even from his place at the door, Jax could see the deep purple necklace of bruises wrapped around her throat. Hair clean and brushed back away from her ethereal features, the hospital blankets nearly swallowing her.

Easing away from the door he took careful, quiet steps towards the hospital bed and lowered himself down on to the chair beside it. Glancing at the clock on the wall he reasoned he still had about eight minutes, the soft shifting of covers drawing his attention back towards the bed and he found those pale, serene blue eyes staring realized in mild embarrassment he hadn't exactly thought this part through, he had no idea what to say, it was rather unlike him.

He could see she was studying the exposed skin of his hands and throat and it dawned on Jax that she was looking for something. A symbol, to tell her whether she had anything to fear from him and he could sympathize with the scrutiny.

Trading the Devil you knew for one you didn't wasn't exactly on either of their lists of things to do.

Chest rising with tired, carefully measured breathes, she broke the silence between them. Voice barely above a whisper.

"Am I dead?"

Keeping his palms flat on the tops of his thighs, Jax couldn't hide the look of shock that slipped over his face.

"No Darlin, no you're not."

Hearing his answer seemed to confirm something the Son couldn't begin to comprehend. Hands coming to cover her mouth, he watched helplessly as her composure fell apart, shoulders shaking as she began to cry, the tears running down her cheeks. There was only a brief moment of time Jax could stand to see her so broken, and now he understood why she'd remained silent for the last three days. At some point among all the chaos and unending torment she'd resigned to her fate.

Rising up from his chair, Jax didn't allow himself to second guess the gesture, and sat down on the edge of the bed careful of the IV drip taped to the back of her hand. Gently slipping his hand behind her shoulder he eased her forward and was taken aback when she wrapped her arms around his neck. Gradually the shaking of her shoulders lessened, and he was left to wonder if she'd exhausted herself when he heard the soft hush of her voice. Breath warm against the side of his neck.

"Thank you, thank you."

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Fidgeting, hands clenching and unclenching, Lily stared through the taxi cab window at the passing store fronts and lamp posts that lined the quaint main street sidewalks. Worriment clawing at her mind, the tolls of the past few years feeling daunting and impossible. How quickly she'd forgotten what it was to live outside in the real world. Swallowing the lump in her throat she mentally scolded herself, willing the agitation to dissipate.

She was grateful to be outside of the sterile, claustrophobic hospital room, away from their prying questions.

Questions she never intended to answer.

The nurse, Fiona had been delightfully compassionate, bringing her a change of cloths. It wasn't much a pastel green t-shirt, a white lace bra and panties along with a pair of blue jeans and ballet flat shoes but to Lily had meant the world. It helped her feel human again, that much loser to rejoining the world. As she was being discharged the other nurses had pitched in, offering to pay for a cab, anywhere she wanted to go in town. They'd all assumed it would be to a bus station, a hotel, but in fact it was neither. It was an ice cream parlor.

Chewing on her lower lip nervously, Lily watched the numbers on the passing street fronts, glancing down at the small scrape of paper in her hand. Jax had scrawled out the address and his prepay number a few days ago, and not having seen him since that night she couldn't help but wonder if he would be upset she'd shown up without notice. Catching sight of the ice cream parlors newly painted window front she grabbed the plastic bag filled with nothing more than a travel sized toothbrush and toothpaste, a comb and the prescription pain medication she had tried to avoid taking all morning. She wanted a clear head, and the medication although effective, clouded her perception.

Paying the cab driver through the plastic separation screen, and slowly eased her way out of the car, politely declining his offer to help. For a moment Lily remained rooted on the sidewalk, lost to the feeling of the summer breeze against her face, the feeling of the hot sun against her cheeks. The loud ding of the bell above the door broke her reverie and Lily found herself face to face with a larger heavy-set man with a scraggly beard and squinting eyes. He wore a black leather Cut, numerous patches sewn on. He regarded her with an easy-going expression.

"We aren't open for another ten minutes Sweetheart but you're welcome to come on in."

Eyebrows raising up, Lily realized he assumed she was there for the actual ice cream, and before she could explain otherwise he was waving her inside. Following shyly behind she kept a noticeable distance between them and stopped short of the counter, as she noticed there were three more men in matching Cuts sitting in the booths near the back.

Feeling their eyes on her, Lily felt her cheeks grow hot.

Noticing her face become flush, Bobby took a closer look at the woman and noticed the fading bruises wrapped around her neck. Walking back around the counter he pointed to a nearby booth.

"Have a seat, you want a glass of water honey?"

Nodding wordlessly Lily descended cautiously in to the plush faux leather booth, careful of the bandages on her back. Taking the offered glass of water she took a few sips before placing it with a trembling hand on the table. Try as she might, the painkillers her doctor had prescribed were looking more and more appealing. Her body's complaints of her activity no matter how limited, now being heard loud and clear.

It was then that the front door opened and Jax came strolling through the door, the look of concern on his face clear as he laid eyes on her.

"Hey, I thought they weren't discharging you until tomorrow?" He asked, ignoring the look of confusion Bobby was giving him.

Licking her lips, Lily shook her head.

"...I should have called first, I'm sorry."

Rubbing his chin between his fingers, Jax shook his head.

"Naw it's fine, really."

Looking from Jax to the woman in the booth, Bobby held his hands up. "You wanna fill me in Prez, I'm feeling a little lost."

Sighing Jax took a half step back from the booth, looking at his Treasurer.

"I was going to explain this morning at Church...If everyone else is upstairs we can get started, just give me a minute."

Waiting patiently, Jax watched Bobby lock the front door before following the other three men upstairs, their footsteps echoing loudly in the narrow stairwell. When they were all out of sight, he turned to study Lily who shifted in her seat trying to ignore the rising discomfort. It did not go unnoticed by the man across from her.

"They give you something for the pain?"

Nodding, Lily opened the plastic bag setting the small orange bottle on the table in front of him. Reaching over, Jax took the bottle and read the label carefully before opening the child proof cap and emptying two on to the palm of his hand.

Presenting them to Lily he could see the concern etched across her brow.

"Take em', no sense in hurting if you don't have to. No one here is going to hurt you."

Taking them hesitantly out of his hand, she brought the glass of water to her lips realizing he wouldn't relent until she obeyed the gentle request, and with the way she was feeling she reasoned it was an easy one to indulge. Watching her swallow the second pill, Jax felt satisfied to leave her alone.

"I'll be back in a little while, and I'll explain everything okay?"

Watching him over her shoulder, Lily asked herself for the millionth time that morning if she was making the right choice.

She reasoned he was thinking the same thing.

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