A/N ((Here's another chapter! Hope you enjoy it. Rated for mature themes and swearing, and a dark Jax.))

He watched as Tara took a last drag of the the joint before resting her hand on the tabletop eyes glassy and mouth down turned as she recounted the incident, her words ringing in his ears.

"Brutally murdered that nurse… its Otto's way of recanting his statement but they're going to know I brought him that rosary…It'll be accessory to murder...Jax did you hear me?"

She started laughing and it sounded bitter and full of malice, the sound of it jarring him out of his reverie.

"Jesus Christ, Jax, are you even listening to me. There going to charge me with manslaughter!?"

She was shouting now; open palm slamming on the table, angrily.

Running his hand down his face, Jax let out a heavy breath.

"Calm down...what about Dakota if they do an investigat.."

Hands shooting up in the air, the wild gesture effectively cutting him off as she stood up pushing away from the table.

"Don't, don't you say her name…I can't take it anymore."

She seethed pointing an accusing finger in his face as she continued raving.

"I'm doing everything I can to be what you want me to be. To be strong where you can't, but between this poisonous Club and that…that Whore."

Anticipating her next move Jax shot up, deflecting her open-handed slap, taking her thin uninjured wrist in his, gripping it tight.

"Stop it Tara!...Just stop…I'll talk to Rosen and we'll get this handled."

Jerking her hand away Tara sneered at him tears brimming in her eyes as she stepped backwards and away from him.

"You think I don't know you went to see her before you went away for fourteen months...I should've just quit then, but then it was just so easy to fall back in this life, back to you. I could tell when you came back she'd rejected you...then again your nothing if not persistent so lets finally be honest with one another."

He stood stunned by her outburst, watching her retreat back towards their bedroom, stopping a few feet down the hall. Looking over her shoulder Tara suddenly looked tired, resigned.

"…She doesn't love you Jackson, the sooner you see that the better. If you have an ounce of common sense you'll come to Oregon with me and the boys. You'll leave her and Samcro behind."

Turning back around she disappeared in to the back bedroom, the door closing softly behind her, leaving the Son alone.

Jax made not a single move follow his wife, the weight of her words a crushing weight on his chest. Pulling his cell phone from his pocket he turned it over a few times in his hand, until finally he reached for his keys off the table and walked right back out the door. Tail lights glowing red, fading into the distance as he rode down the street and into the night.

Pulling in to the TM parking lot he cursed under his breath, Gemma was already standing outside near the picnic tables smoking a cigarette, one arm crossed over her chest. Taking off his helmet he stashed it on the seat on the Dyna and proceeded to stalk past her and towards the front door. Gemma reached out catching him sharply by the shirt sleeve.

"We need to a have a word Jax, now."

Halting in place he gave his mother a contemptuous expression saved for a close few.

"You know what mom, I kind of have a few things on my plate today, so your need to be loved, worshiped, and adored is a little fucking low on my list of things to do." He said tersely, tugging his sleeve from her hand.

Everything was crumbling.

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Blue eye's scanning the room, Jax didn't have to look far to find who he was looking for. Dakota sat perched on the edge of the carved reaper table, cigarette dangling between her fingers. Hair left loose around her shoulders, wearing a short white lace dress and stacked clear high heels. The vaguely innocent attire seemed out-of-place next to the generous array of tattoos decorating her skin and yet it suited her all the same. Shutting the tufted black leather doors behind himself, flipping the lock, he allotted the pair a sense of privacy even in the empty Club House. Quietly, impatiently Jax waited for her to notice him, it was no mystery as to why he was there; they both knew why at least Jax liked to think they did.

Licking the corner of her upper lip Dakota rubbed her thumb across her lower lip, long manicured nails flashing, 'magic slipper' red. Eyes cast to the floor.

Fingers picking at a loose thread on her dress, Dakota forced herself to be the first one to speak.

"Seeing my dad was harder than I thought, having to see how broken he is...just made me realize how selfish I've been, and how much we've all sacrificed, some more than others. I would tell you I'm sorry about what happened at the prison but I'm scared you won't believe me...Hell I'm not even sure I believe myself."

Without her realizing he'd stepped closer and before he could change his mind, Jax wrapped his arms around Dakota hugging the young woman. She froze, unprepared for the intimate contact and blinded perhaps by the days events she foolishly allowed herself to relax into the embrace. Kindness was not what she'd expected from the Son's President, from one of her oldest friends. Closing her eyes briefly she felt him brush her hair aside, the feather light caress as it drifted across her shoulders sending shivers down her spine.

Speaking against her hair, the drawling warmth of his voice comforting.

"I think I can relate Darlin, feel like I'm drifting, traveling further and further outside the lines doing what I think is best for this Club."

Shaking her head gently, she wrapped her slender arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder Dakota replied softly.

"...I did what you asked, can I go home now, please Jax."

Breath warm against the shell of her ear, the rings on his hand feeling cool in contrast as his palm caressed the bare skin of her back. .

"You are home Dakota..." He replied, his voice hoarse.

Shifting calmly in his embrace, just enough to pull back and look him square in the eye, she pressed her palm flat against his chest trying to create a sense of a distance between the subtle change in the air.

"Go home, go home to your wife. Before you do something stupid." She pleaded quietly voice not nearly as brave as she'd hoped.

Dakota watched as the muscles in his neck and shoulder tensed, the tight clenching of his jaw. It was all at once clear to her just how at war he was with himself; there was a bigger picture she wasn't seeing, something just out of view. He watched her silently for what felt like an eternity before he cupped her face in his hands and gently captured her lips in what began as a chaste kiss against the barest corner of her mouth. The innocent intentions of the rapidly evolving into something more passionate, something frightening and real. The kiss while slow and sensual in it's beginning, pained Dakota, though not for the reasons he may have hoped for. The truth of the matter was her heart would always belong to Tig. Neither Jax nor any other man would ever be able to fill the emptiness she harbored. It was excruciatingly ironic that Jax felt such unrequited love for her and although he was never bound by the same principles as the others she would have never been within his reach. Touching his face in her hands, she broke the kiss knowing she had to stop this, she had to stop it right now.

"Jax, Jax no… I can't do this, think about Tara, don't do this to your wife."

His hands came up to cover hers prying them away to grip them firmly in his.

"You weren't telling me you couldn't that night..."

He countered harshly, and Dakota looked at him in quiet disbelief. That wasn't fair and Jax knew it, but that didn't stop him from saying it.

"Jax, that evening was a mistake…it was a mistake. Luann was dead and I couldn't think straight."

Her answer seemed to do nothing more than exasperate him and Jax attempted again to show her his reasoning.

"It never felt wrong to me, never. Shit, I should have just tried harder while I was prospecting, maybe I could have been a better man to you. Dakota you didn't have to leave Charming, leave me." He whispered heatedly.

Holy hell, this was burning out of control, whipping in a direction she wasn't prepared for. He was taking the credit for the wrong mans infidelity, the wrong person's sins, and she wasn't quite sure what wounded her more. While Jax's actions in the past had been insulting, leaving a bitter taste, it had been Tig who had twisted her into knots, scorched the earth she resided on in his attempt to drive her away. But she couldn't tell Jax this she could never tell anyone.

Biting her lower lip she shook her head, tugging weakly against his grip. This was becoming a jarringly reoccurring scene in her life.

"It wouldn't have mattered… I never loved you the way you wanted me to, it wouldn't have been right to drag things on. Do you understand what I'm saying Jax…" She pleaded softly.

His grip tightened.

"It's because I'm not him isn't it…"

Dakota felt her breath catch in her throat and she bit the inside of cheek until she tasted blood, anything to keep silent.

"Answer the goddamn question…"

"No…"

"Dakota..." He said louder this time.

"I don't know what your talking about! Otto was looking at thirty years, and I just...I had to go...you have to accept that." She said almost begging now, hands pushing against him while simultaneously trying to get past him, failing miserably.

There was a long drawn out pause. She flinched as if stung as he erupted into a harsh and disbelieving bark of laughter.

"You really won't just fucking say it? Fine, Trager...Goddamn Trager."

Relief was the last thing she felt, now that someone finally knew the truth, fear encompassing every corner of her mind as he slammed her backwards against the table top, hand wrapping around her delicate throat stifling her yelp.

"He murdered Donna in cold blood…He's stood by every disgusting, horrifying decision Clay's made...For God's sake he's part of the reason Otto's in prison he was supposed to help him but he wasn't there was he?! Where was he Dakota? Huh! Where. Was. He!" He shouted his voice booming in the small room.

She fought against him, voice rising in panic.

"He was with me, he was with me."

"Do you love him?"

God, he was furious.

"Yes."

The edges of the carving scraped her upper back as she struggled, wrenching her hands free she tried pushing against Jax's own hands and chest, fighting him. He easily pushed her hands away, trapping her wrists above her head. Gritting her teeth she gave a frustrated scream as his strength overpowered her. Tears spilling down her cheeks, she shut her eyes as if the simple action would protect her. High heel falling off her right foot as she kicked and flayed trying to keep this from happening. There was no bracing for what came next.

"Otto isn't a member anymore, him recanting his statement is a start but it won't stop your special treatment in this MC from ending as of right fuckin now. You want to stay, be an Old Lady, you earn it the same way the others did. On your goddamn back. Do I make myself clear?"

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The sound of the double doors opening broke through her muffled cries, lifting her head Dakota tried to see over one of the chairs and in the direction of the doorway but she couldn't see over it. Glancing towards the mirror hanging on the wall across from the table she was mortified and relieved to see Chibs Telford's reflection staring back at her, a concerned and confused expression gracing his features. The sound of his voice caused Dakota to sniff loudly and bite back a whimper.

"Jesus, sweetheart...your a bloody wreck. Chuckie thought he heard cryin all the way from the garage…What the hells goin on?" He asked easing his way towards her, slowly as if she were a frightened animal.

Dakota paled to imagine walking out of this room for a number of troubling reasons; she knew how bad this looked, how bad it was, makeup smeared, hair in disarray. Disheartened, Dakota realized if Chib's was here it meant she'd been huddle in the corner the entire night.

Voice raw from crying her eyes red rimmed and teary, she unconvincingly answered the Scotsman.

"Everything's okay…we were just talking."

"Who?...Here let me look at you sweetheart."

Holding her gently by the shoulders, eyes regarding her skeptically he looked to her imploringly. Cheeks burning with wounded pride and embarrassment Dakota bit her lip before consenting.

"I know it looks really fucking bad but…things just got out of hand. It's nothing that I didn't have coming."

The Scotsman breathed a sigh now dropping his hands, she wasn't making any sense.

"Is this bout your Da? Jackie boy had you see him today, he's upset bout the Doctors issues then?"

This brought out an instant reaction out of the young woman.

"Just…just please let it go. Don't go to Jax, please don't be angry with him…"

Frowning, Chibs tilted her chin up, finding the neckless of blossoming bruises and suddenly he seemed to be struck with an epiphany. If Dakota was under the impression no matter how false that she had the situation under control than there was nothing more he could do than honor her request, for now.

"Whatever you do Chib's..Promise me you won't tell Tig. Just promise me you won't"

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