Jax awoke the next morning with a smile on his face. After breakfast a guard brought him a box and told him to get his crap together. His paperwork had come through first thing that morning and he'd be released in the afternoon. Jax happily packed up his pictures and letters and waited for the guard to return to take him to processing.
Jax was given back his baggy jeans, rings and other personal items and was led to a small room in the processing center, to change into street clothes. When he realized that he'd been wearing a SAMCRO t-shirt when he entered the prison, he threw it in the hamper and wore his white prison undershirt instead. He threw on the blue flannel and white shoes he'd come to prison in, and looked at himself in the mirror. He was cleanly shaven, though his hair was getting shaggy. His face looked thinner than it had when he entered, but it wasn't a bad look. He knew his body was harder, since reading and exercise had been his only entertainment these past few months. He dropped the rings in his pocket, unsure of what to do with them just yet, especially since the SO NS rings had belonged to his father.
When he stepped out of the room that he'd changed in, Jax was presented with an envelope of all his certificates and a garment bag with the suit that had been paid for by the gang rehab program. He thanked the guards and was led out of the prison. He could see a black SUV at the end of the long walk across the yard, and hoped that it was Tara.
He was thrilled when he reached the end of the line and Tara jumped out of the Jeep to greet him. He hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks and she was a sight for sore eyes. She jumped into his arms and squeezed him tightly. He held on to her for dear life, like she'd disappear if he let go, and he wasn't letting that happen. "God I've been waiting to do this for ten months," he said roughly.
Tara nodded, burying her face in his shoulder, too overcome with emotion to find her own voice. She held him just as tightly as he was holding her, until Abel started shouting, "Daddy, daddy, daddy," from inside the SUV.
Jax and Tara let go of each other and Jax raced over to the car, opening the back door and tickling Abel's tummy. "How about we go get some lunch buddy," he asked yes son.
"Yaaaay," Abel said happily.
Jax and Tara climbed in and Tara drove them to a diner on the other side of Stockton, for burgers.
Once they were settled in a booth, Thomas' car seat resting beside Tara, while Abel sat in a high chair at the end of the table, Tara looked at Jax and spoke, "I have good news. The moving truck is packed. Your Harley is inside, and so is Opie's." She paused to let that sink in for a moment. "Opie sold most of his furniture, but is bringing the kids things, and some household stuff that didn't remind him so much of Donna. He's gonna buy a new bed when we get there."
Jax sat with his mouth slightly agape as Tara told him how she and Opie had handled everything. It turned out that there was a dermatologist in Charming that was willing to quietly remove Opie's tattoos in exchange for some mechanic work and the recommendation of a good place to pick up a black market Harley. Opie wasn't even on the record as a patient. The club had quietly voted him out, just as they'd done for Jax, and Opie was home free.
"Wow," Jax said, surprised at how much she had gotten done in the last few weeks. "I'm so proud of you babe."
"All I did was make some phone calls and pay the credit cards. You and Opie did the really hard work, with Chibs helping along the way," Tara said, shaking her head.
"Can we leave tonight," Jax asked. "Just get away from Charming and get a hotel somewhere?"
"I actually think that would be a fantastic idea. Get the hell out of Charming before your mother sees you, or someone else sees you and tells your mother," Tara agreed.
They ate their lunch of burgers and fries, Abel munching on some french fries and the tomato off Jax's burger. When they were all three full, and Thomas was still sleeping, they loaded back into the car and called Opie.
Opie agreed to meet them at their house with his truck and the kids. He'd be picking the kids up early from school, but it was for a good reason. They were finally getting the hell out of Charming. He knew the kids would be as happy as he was, for a fresh start.
They met up at Jax's house to make sure everything was closed up and clean, before they climbed into their respective vehicles and hit the road. Ellie opted to ride with Jax and Tara, sitting in the middle between Abel and Thomas.
A few hours later, when they'd crossed the California/Oregon border, they decided to stop for the night, and found a small, clean hotel. Tara paid for their rooms and the two families temporarily went their separate ways. A little bit later, there was a knock at Jax and Tara's door. When Jax opened it, Ellie and Kenny Winston were standing outside the door. Ellie spoke first, "Uncle Jax, dad says he'll take us to the pool if you'll come too," she spoke hopefully.
Jax laughed," Alright. Give me a few minutes to find my shorts and get Abel ready and we'll come get you."
The kids ran back across the hall to their room, cheering. Jax closed the door and went to the bathroom to tell Tara where he was going. She was soaking in a bathtub. Thomas was sound asleep in his portable crib, so Jax quietly dressed Abel and himself, and headed across the hall to collect the Winstons.
Kenny flung their hotel room door open and ran out to hug Jax, "Thank you Uncle Jax," he said excitedly.
Jax ruffled his hair as Opie and Ellie followed Kenny out the door. Opie grinned at Jax and said, "I figured Abel could use some tiring out, so he sleeps easy tonight, since it's your first night out of jail."
Jax laughed, "Thanks man."
The five of them walked down to the pool and the two men laughed when Ellie and Kenny took off at a run and cannon balled into the waiting water. They laughed harder when both kids came up looking like drowned rats. Opie jumped in the pool with a slightly smaller splash than the kids, and Jax handed Abel down to him, so that he could climb in the water too.
A little while later, while the guys and the kids were still splashing around in the pool, Tara made her way down and into the pool room, with Thomas on her hip. She sat down on the edge of the pool and dipped her feet in the water. She held Thomas under his arms and let him kick his feet in the cool water.
Opie was watching her, and motioned for Jax to give him Abel, and go get Thomas from Tara. Once Opie had Abel securely in his arms, Jax swam across the pool and scooped Thomas from his mother's arms and let his youngest son float in the water, supported by daddy's strong arms.
Tara watched, a happy smile on her face, as Jax and Opie played with all four kids. Kenny and Ellie were gently splashing Abel as he kicked his little feet at them. Jax's full attention was on Thomas, his eyes full of love and adoration. It was a surreal moment for her. Both of these men, former bad ass bikers, splashing in the pool with their kids, without a care in the world. They were no longer outlaws, or wanted men. They were just two fathers, spending an evening with their children. She didn't think she'd ever tire of the sight.
"Dad, I'm hungry." Kenny said suddenly, and Ellie agreed.
"Eat! Eat!" came Abel's agreement as well.
Thomas was content in his father's arms, but Tara knew that it wouldn't be long before he was ready to eat as well. She motioned for Opie to pass Abel to her, and took him over to the towel rack and pulled down a towel to dry her oldest son. Jax walked slowly to the shallow end and climbed out carefully with Thomas, wrapping the infant in a dry towel to keep him warm on the way back to the room. Opie, Ellie and Kenny also made their way out of the pool and wiped the excess water off their skin.
"I'll order some pizzas and you guys can come over to our room and we'll watch a movie after everyone is in dry clothes," Tara suggested.
"Aunt Tara, can we have ham and pineapple pizza," Ellie asked, Kenny nodding excitedly beside her.
Tara laughed, "Of course, I wouldn't forget your favorite pizza now would I?"
The two kids cheered and the group made their way back to the rooms. They went their separate ways when they got there. Tara took Thomas from Jax and went to the large sink outside the bathroom. She ran warm water in it, and laid Thomas in it, cradling his tiny head, carefully. "Why don't you take Abel in the shower with you, so both of you can get warm. After I get Thomas in his Pjs, and order the pizza, I'll bring clean clothes in for both of you," she suggested.
Jax took Abel in the bathroom with him and Tara could hear Jax talking and Abel giggling, and she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. Listening to them interacting was so new, and amazing. Abel had been so young when Jax went into prison, she wasn't sure how it would go when Jax got out, but apparently Abel remembered his daddy.
Once Thomas was nice and warmed up, she wrapped him in a clean towel and quickly diapered and dressed him in some fuzzy pajamas, to keep him warm. She laid him on his back in the portable crib, and grabbed her cell phone to order pizza from the pizza chain that was on their room cards. Once she'd ordered three large pizzas, she gathered clothes and towels for her boys, and went in the bathroom. She found Abel with a shampoo mohawk and Jax with a soap bubble beard. She chuckled and caught their attention, both of them grinning like idiots.
"Come on boys, time to rinse off, the pizza will be here soon. Jax, have you got him? I need to go feed Thomas before Opie and the kids come over. He tends to turn red when I pop out my boob," she commented.
Jax chuckled and assured her that he could rinse, dry and dress himself and Abel without her help. He sounded much more sure than he actually felt, but he wouldn't let her know that. He was determined to learn to be a good father to his sons, so that hopefully in a year or two, Tara would agree to expand their family a little bit more. He had to admit, he wouldn't mind having a pretty little girl to spoil. He imagined she'd look just like Tara, with those beautiful green eyes, and he knew he'd be in trouble because he'd never be able to tell those eyes no.