She couldn't sleep. She just couldn't sleep. "Fuck me." She thought as she threw the covers off her. She pulled on a hoodie and her nikes, deciding to take a walk. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and then wrote a note to let her family know where she went. She opened the door and just walked. She had a lot on her mind once she settled into bed after her shower. Telling her father and Harry had lifted a huge weight off her that she didn't know she was carrying. She was happy they still wanted her, loved her.
What was weighing on her was Jackson Teller. She knew he was cute. He was almost like she remembered; long blonde hair that hung to his shoulders and bright blue eyes. What got her was how nice he was being even though she was being a total bitch. She knew she was, but there was just something about him. He would look at her with a smile while she was at the shop and her body just reacted to it. She figured it was just Jax since he didn't try anything on her so he wasn't wanting to hook up. She also knew something, deep down, was bothering him. This something was more then Tara up and leaving him after six years together. She looked up and found herself at the auto shop.
"Not even surprised." she muttered to herself as she walked up the lot. She could hear the party going on and looked at her phone. "Midnight. Perfect."
She looked up to see men all around and a couple of half dressed women. She walked up and noticed a boxing match going on between Chibs and some bald guy she didn't know. She stopped to watch and decided she was going to ask Chibs to give her some pointers so that she could defend herself the next time something happened.
"Hey doll."
She looked up to see Tig standing next to her. "Hi. I couldn't sleep and just started walking."
"Oh yeah, something bothering you?"
She shook her head. "Nope. Do you think Chibs would teach me?" she asked, pointing to the man now sitting on a stool.
Tig looked over at Chibs and then back to his friend's daughter. "He might. Gotta reason for it?"
"Nope just in case y'know."
He nodded, "You should ask. I'm gonna head over there, got my eye on something."
She smiled and shook her head as she watched Tig walk up to some croweater. She walked up to Chibs and smiled as he and Bobby noticed her. "Hey, lass."
"Hey, Can you teach me some of what you did?"
He looked at her and studied her a moment before nodding. "This have to do with yer marks? (she nodded) Aye, I'll help if yer da says it alright."
"Thanks."
Chibs and Bobby watched as the girl in pajamas walked off.
"What's up with that brother?"
Chibs shook is head. "I'm not sure, Bobby. It has to do with her marks one'er wrists and ankles, that I'm sure of."
Bobby nodded and helped him in to change.
Jax was sitting in the garage, trying to figure out what was wrong with him. He really needed to get the girl out of his head. He had enough chicks around that he just couldn't understand what it was about her. He had even plunged into one of the girls here about an hour ago and her face came in his head as he came in the condom. He ran his hand down his face, thinking he saw her walking off the lot. He opened his eyes to see her turning around the fence and hopped up, going after her.
"CANDICE?"
She turned, hearing her name and sighed. "Hey Jax."
He caught up to her and started walking. "What brings you here?"
She shrugged, "Couldn't sleep and my feet led me here while I was thinking."
He chuckled. "Mind if I walk a bit?"
She shook her head. "I don't own the sidewalk, but sure."
He smiled. "So what was keeping you up?"
"I'm not sure. I just...A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks."
He nodded, "Ahh...Anything you wanna talk about?"
She sat at a bench they came to at a small park and looked up at the stars. "My mom was always nice after we moved. She really stepped up and the fact that she had lied to me all these years, sucks y'know."
He took out a cigarette and lit it. "What did she tell you, if you don't mind me asking."
She looked over at him. "That my dad and Harry didn't want me. That my dad wanted me to be a boy so I could patch in. That my mom tried to defend me. It was a lot of things and to find out she didn't even send the letters or my graduation announcement...I felt very betrayed."
Jax took a drag and looked at her. "That must suck. I watched your brother and Piney when y'all left. Donna helped Ope a lot but Piney...he just took the patron bottles over and over. It was like he died a bit when you and Mary split. Did you say letters?"
She nodded. "I wrote them a lot over the years. I told them about my school, my new friends, Kenny, a lot of stuff I wanted them to know. I found a box when I was looking through some of her things and it was all there. She told me she mailed them but when they didn't write back, I cried myself to sleep thinking they didn't care."
He pulled her to him and hugged her. "They cared, Candice. They cared a lot."
She looked up at him and saw him looking at her. She let out a breath and pulled back from him. "Thanks for listening, Jax. I should head back."
He nodded. "I'm here whenever, babe."
She smiled and he watched her till she was at her house on the other side of the park. He got up and headed back to the shop. When he got there, he saw that a lot of the people had left. He walked in and was glad when no one saw him as he walked to his room to take a shower and head to bed.
Candice woke up and sighed. She stretched and sat up, grabbing her things for her shower. She heard the water running and so walked down the kitchen to grab some breakfast. She noticed she was the first one in the kitchen and so grabbed some cereal. She got out a bowl and poured milk over the cereal. She turned and leaned against she counter, taking a bite. She heard the bathroom door open and watched her brother walk down the hall to the kitchen. "Morning, Harry."
"Morning, CanCan. Sleep alright?"
She nodded. "For the most part. I went for a walk and ended up at the shop."
She watched his eyes and shook her head. "Not what you think, Harry. I did ask Chibs to teach me some things though. I watched him fight and then left. Jax saw me leaving and walked with me to the park. We talked a bit and then I came home. Nothing major."
He let out a breath. "Good. Chibs helping, you think it'd help?"
She nodded and he smiled. "Alright then."
He watched her turn and set her bowl in the sink, walking passed him.
Candice walked back down the hall and went into the bathroom. She turned on the water and got in. She thought about her brother and just smiled, letting the water run over her. It was nice feeling protected and safe. She felt safe with Jax too and that scared her. She didn't wanna feel safe with anyone that wasn't her dad and brother. Jax telling her about Piney and Harry made her smile. She hated her mother even more though. She tore their family apart.
She turned off the water and got out. She dried herself off and put her black boy short and bra set on before wrapping the towel around her. She opened the door and walked to her room. She pulled out some yoga pants and a tank, hoping maybe Chibs could start teaching her today. She knew she needed to help Gemma this morning, but maybe she could get a break if the older woman knew Chibs was going to help. She brushed her hair and pulled it up into a bun before grabbing her nikes. She walked back down the hall and sat on the couch, putting her sneakers on.
"Hey you wanna ride today or go in the truck?" Piney asked, smiling at his daughter.
She looked up and smiled, giving him a hug. "Do I have time to give you something first?"
He nodded and waited for her to come back. When she walked back, she saw that Harry was with her dad, Donna too. She sat down with a box on her lap. "I went for a walk and ended up talking to Jax about some stuff. Mostly about my leaving and what it did to you. Mom convinced me that y'all didn't want me. I wrote tons of letters that went unanswered and used to cry myself to sleep. Don't, I know you didn't get them. My letters are in this box and after Jax told me how messed up y'all both were, I thought you should have them. Mom hid them."
She gave the box to her dad and he pulled her to him. Donna stood a little back, watching her husband's family. The Winston's all released each other and smiled. Piney took the box. "We'll read them later, baby. Thank you."
She nodded. "Can I ride with you, daddy?"
Piney smiled. "Of course, Candy. Let's ride."
She smiled and he took his daughter's hand taking her outside and to his bike.
Jax was up early to put the fabric on Candice's mustang. He got out of the shower and put on his jeans and his work shirt, leaving his cut in his room so he would mess it up. He walked down the hall to the kitchen to grab a piece of toast, noticing Bobby already in there. "Morning, Bobby."
"Morning Jax. Where'd you disappear last night?"
He smiled and took the toast out of the toaster. "Walked with Candice to the park and talked a bit. Mary lied about a shit ton of things. I think she just needed to talk. She went home and I came back here to sleep."
Bobby nodded and then Jax walked out to meet with Juice to work on the roof. He put the rest of his toast in his mouth and took out his pack. He put one to his mouth and lit up, waiting for Juice. He watched as Piney rode up with Candice behind him, knowing Opie had to take Donna to work. He smiled as they walked over to him. "Morning."
She smiled and sat next to him, Piney across from him. "Morning, Jax. Gonna work on my car?"
He smiled and put out his cigarette. "Yep as soon as Juice gets his ugly ass out of the bed."
They laughed and the guys watched as she went to meet Gemma who just pulled up. Candice walked in and began following Gemma around. She was shown where the invoices go, where the customer files go and where things went for someone called "BlueBird Warehouse." She wasn't going to question as she was positive she didn't want the answer. She was putting away some files while Gemma went to a doctor appointment when the phone rang.
"Teller-Morrow Automotive." She answered the way Gemma told her to.
"Candice?"
She hung up the phone. She put the files on the desk and shut the door, walking immediately to find her dad or Ope. She found her brother with Jax and Juice in the bay where her car looked to be finished. Ope and the guys turned when they heard someone and saw a look of worry on her face.
"Candice..." Opie asked, catching her as her legs gave out. He picked her up and took her into the clubhouse, Jax and Juice following. Jax opened the door for them and then helped her get into one of the chairs. Jax and Juice sat next to her while Opie knealt in front of her.
She looked into his eyes when he cupped her face in his hands. "Mom called. I don't wanna go home. I hung up the phone as soon as she said my name. Harry, don't make me go home."
Opie pulled her to him and held her. He knew there was more then one reason for not wanting to go home, and he wasn't going to let her go unless he went to handle her boyfriend. "You're not going anywhere, Candice. We wont let you this time."
Jax watched the scene and could feel something break in him. The red head in front of him couldn't leave him, "her family" he corrected in his head. Last night was great and he knew she let some of her guard down with him at the park. He was able to hold her and she didn't jump, it meant a lot to him. They all heard the door open and saw Piney standing with Gemma. Jax and Juice escorted themselves out so that the family could have a moment, telling Candice she wasn't going anywhere. Piney sat down and looked at his babies.
"Mom called the shop." Opie whispered, seeing the question in his dad's eye.
Piney looked at Gemma, who looked livid. Piney turned back to his daughter, silently telling her in a hug she wasn't going anywhere. Gemma left them alone and went to finish the filing.
After the meltdown a few hours ago, Gemma had let her have the afternoon off to train with Chibs. She was sitting with the Scotsman beside the ring and they were discussing what she wanted to learn. She wanted to know what to do when someone trapped her arms and legs with their body, how to get away from more then one at a time, and so on. Chibs knew whatever happened to this girl was bad. If she wanted to know these certain things, it was because someone had hurt her badly.
"Alright, Lassie. I asked Jax to help so that I could make sure ye were doin' it right."
She nodded her head as her brother's friend approached them. She had to turn her head as he took his shirt and cut off and pulling his hair back with a rubberband. "this is gonna suck." She thought when they were ready. She closed her eyes and took in a breath, trying to gain her senses. When she opened them, she nodded to them that she was ready.
Chibs nodded. "Alright, Jackie. Get behind'er and trap her in yer arms. She wants to learn how to get out of things first with the defense."
Jax nodded and moved behind the girl. He wrapped his arms around her to trap her in him and immediately began to think of really old grandma's to get his mind off the fact that he had a beautiful girl in his arms. They spent all afternoon going over techniques for getting out of various holds and then using the strength of the attacker against him. Candice fell to the table, out of breath, Jax landing next to her. They each grabbed the water that Chibs had brought out for them and drank almost all of it in one go. "Thanks, Chibs."
He nodded. "Yer Welcome, darlin'. Hope this helps ye."
She smiled. "It does."
They watched as he left, needing to head out with Piney and Ope for some kind of business. Jax was heaving, trying to catch his breath. "You did good, babe."
She blushed a bit. "I had good teachers. Thanks for helping, Jax. It means a lot."
He took his hand and pushed a stray hair from her face. "No problem, Candice. Does this have to do with your marks?"
She nodded. "Yeah, but I'm still not sharing that. Sorry, Jax."
He nodded and watched as she took off with his mom to take her home. He got up and grabbed his shirt and cut before walking in to take a shower before eating with his parents like every other Wenesday.
"Thanks for the ride, Gemma."
She smiled. "No problem, baby girl. You and Donna gonna be alright without your dad and Ope?"
Candice nodded. "Yeah. See you tomorrow."
Candice got out of the car and walked into the house. She called out to Donna that she was in the shower. Hearing her sister in law yell something about pizza on it's way, the red head turned on the water. She climbed into the tub and let the water wash her sweat away. She was happy with how today went. What hit her mind the most was Jax, well his arms around her to be precise and the six pack he was carrying.
"This is not good." She thought as she shook her head. If he was going to help her, she didn't need him to know his affect on her. She didn't want to lead him on in anyway and so had to think of a way to get through her training sessions. She turned the water off when she was finished and stepped out. She wrapped her towel around her body and then went to her room. She took out her green underwear set and some green cotton shorts. She pulled them on and then went to the closet to pull a black tank off the hanger and pulled it over her head.
"MMM, pizza smells good." she stated as she found Donna with the box in the living room.
"Oh, I know. I thought since the guys were gone we could do a girl's night in. Y'know movies and a bunch of snacks."
Candice smiled and sat in the floor next to the brunette. "That sounds heavenly."
Both girls laughed as they took a Coke each before Donna pressed play to begin the movie night off with "The Vow".
Another for the day. I'm on a roll. Thank you in advance to all the reviews. I'm not naming anyone as I have checked my inbox in a while and don't wanna leave anyone out. Please continue to leave the comments though. Until next time—Brianna:)
