AN: I don't own the familiar, Kurt Sutter does, I won the unfamiliar.
4.5 Years Ago
Jax took the cut off me quickly, before a man called Jury could see it. He was so swift with his movements that my wife beater slipped and more of my bra was showing, I felt as if I should've been embarrassed, but the pain was the only thing I could focus on. As Jury approached, Jax pulled me in closer, kissing my cheek and resting his hand not quite on my lower back and not quite on my ass.
"You're gonna be fine, I promise." He whispered as he kissed me again.
"Jax! It's great to see you, man!" Jury greeted Jax warmly. After embracing, he turned to his club, the Devil's Tribe, and proclaimed: "You're in the presence of MC royalty!" The Tribe made varying noises of approval and greeting. Jury opened his mouth again, and despite Jax's firm hold keeping me up, I swayed next to him.
"Jury, brother, we'll have time for all that in a moment. This is Cassia, she's with me, but she got into a little accident. I need to get her inside." Jax interrupted before Jury could start up again. Jury looked at me as if he was just noticing my presence. I tried to give a small smile in return, but I'm not sure how well I managed. Suddenly, though, Jax and I were following Jury into the Devil's Tribe clubhouse.
The Tribe's clubhouse was not unlike the Son's in that there was a bar, a pool table, and framed pictures on the walls. I was led to a back bedroom, past the glares of more than a few of the club's female fans. Jury must have seen me looking back at them.
"Don't pay them any mind, Cassia. They're just our Sweet Butts. They'll get used to you in no time." I nodded in response. "How long are you in town, Jackson?" Jury continued as Jax led me to the bed. I laid back on it, praying for sweet relief.
"Just a day or two, Jury. We've got some business to discuss."
"Did Clay send you?" Jury questioned, closing and locking the bedroom door as Jax propped me up on a few pillows.
"He doesn't know I'm here. But between the two of us, I'm not necessarily on board with what Clay's thinking. I don't like the idea of a patch over." Jax said calmly, undoing the bandage on my shoulder. As Jury ran a hand over his face, I shot Jax a look in an attempt to display my discomfort with being here for this conversation.
"Is your crow eater…?" Jury began.
"She's good." Jax answered, grabbing more of the supplies from the first aid kit.
"I don't want a patch over either. Some of my guys here, Jax, they're not made for the Outlaw life."
"Few are." He commented, working slowly on my shoulder. "I need to bring out the alcohol again, okay darlin?" He said to me. I nodded again, not trusting myself to speak. Jax poured some of the liquid onto a gauze pad and then stuck the pad to the fairly shallow wound. I let out a small scream initially but was able to bite the rest back.
"Your dad wouldn't have wanted the club in gun running. I hear talks about cocaine coming from Charming, too, Jackson. What the fuck is that about?"
"You know Clay. He likes power."
"What about you, Jax, do you like power?"
"I'd like to stay whole. We can't do that if we keep running full speed at ATF. Someone's going to get hurt."
"So what are you going to do about it?"
"I need a year or two, but I'm going to take his gavel."
"Christ, Jax, a lot can happen in a year or two!" Jury cried. I was crying, at this point, silently due to my lack of pain killers and because this was definitely not a conversation I should have overheard. But I kept looking stonily past Jax. After a few beats of silence, Jury spoke again.
"How can I help?"
"You accept the patch over."
"But you just said…"
"It's the first of many bad moves Clay is going to make. You just have to be the first domino to fall." Jax answered, leaning in to kiss me. "Get some rest, darlin, I'll get you when it's time to go." I smiled, and with that Jax and Jury left me alone in that room to stew over my injury and my confusion.
Present Day
"So what's with the leather and the tattoos and the bikers?" Jenny asked, sipping her beer on the couch while Jax tended to Abel and Katherine.
"What do you mean?" I deflected, taking a big gulp from my own bottle of Red Stripe.
"Your boyfriend looks like he's beaten a million women." She said candidly, but joking. I shot up, nearly spilling my Jamaican beer. She looked taken aback.
"He hasn't beaten a single woman. And I'm gonna need you to speak about and to him with respect, since you are staying in our house." I sneered, using my Sergeant at Arms voice. It was scary, doing that to my sister, but it was my job to make sure my President was protected. And I take my job very seriously.
"Okay, okay. But they all look like they're into some really bad stuff, Cassia Belle."
"They're my family now."
"I can see that. I didn't even know I had a niece and nephew." She said, bitter. I sighed.
"I should've told you."
"Who takes care of them?"
"Jax's mom, Gemma and our nanny, Nita. I'm sure you'll meet them both." I answered, sitting back down. Jax reappeared, in good spirits.
"They're asleep! Praise God. I heard you talking about Gemma. What'd she do this time?" He gave Jenny a big smile before plopping onto the couch next to me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, kissing the gunshot wound there.
"Nothing, babe. She's just the one who takes care of Abel and Katie." I caught him up to speed on the current conversation.
"I was also asking about the bikes, the leather, and the tattoos. I mean, she's not exactly cut out for it; you have to have sensed that. Whatever it is this is, I mean." She eyed him, not making any sign of backing down. But that was the Williams blood that ran through our veins. Jax took a deep breath to settle the anger that had boiled directly to his surface.
"Your sister is perfectly capable of making her own decisions. And she's good at it. Maybe you don't know Cassia as well as you think you do." He countered.
"That's obvious; especially since I didn't know she had been pregnant and given birth. My niece is beautiful, by the way."
"Is your mom going to be here soon?" I asked him, trying to divert the conversation from SAMCRO.
"Yeah, she should be here any minute. We can let her bond with your sister while we go to church."
"You're going to church again, Cassia Belle?" Jenny was shocked.
"Sort of," I smirked, getting up when the doorbell rang. "Gemma, thanks for coming, my sister is in the living room. She'd like to help you with whatever you need."
"Hi, Gemma, I'm Jenny." She introduced herself, getting up and offering the matriarch her hand. She had on her pageant smile, which Gemma had seen right through. Reluctantly, at Jax's urging, Gemma shook her hand.
"Nice to meet you, sweetheart." She said tonelessly. "Y'all should get back to the Clubhouse. I hear something serious has gone down."
"When is something serious NOT going down?" Jax reassured his mother. "Babe, you riding bitch or are you taking the Suzuki?"
"I NEVER ride bitch in my cut. Imagine what everyone would think?" I grinned.
"Touché. But you stick close to me."
"Always, Pres." I promised. I kissed Jenny on her forehead and Gemma on her hands. "I'll see you beautiful souls later?"
"Be safe, honey." Gemma told me.
"See ya later!" Jenny called after me.
