Disclaimer No. 1: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.
Disclaimer No. 2: This is a work of complete fiction and is intended for entertainment purposes only. This story is based solely on the canon created by Kurt Sutter and has no basis on actual MC life. I ask that anyone who reads this please suspend their disbelief as this is completely AU and totally just for fun. Nothing is intended to be taken as fact.
Once again, thanks for reading and please keep the reviews coming! :)
The Saturday before Jax's 4-day run to Reno had been Jolene's final day with Habitat for Humanity. She was a free woman the moment she had put her hammer down and walked off the construction site. Relieved that she had managed to complete her court-mandated community service without using said hammer to pummel her bitchy supervisor, Jolene ran across the street and jumped into Jax's waiting arms. Her probation would officially end as soon as she met with her P.O. for the last time, followed by a hearing before a family court judge where, hopefully, McAllister made the recommendation that the incident be expunged from her record on her 18th birthday.
Now, sitting in her probation officer's dingy, oatmeal-colored office, typical of most government buildings, Jolene was thinking that "hopefully" might have been expecting too much.
"I spoke to your mother again this week," The short and stocky Deb McAllister, with the butchy haircut, started and stopped as Jolene sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. "She's still really upset that you left Seattle, you know."
"Yeah, I know. You keep telling me." Jolene replied sarcastically. "I don't buy it. All she's missing is the fat child support check she was getting from my dad."
Jolene pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Jax loved her hair down but not ten minutes with McAllister and Jolene was already getting hot. She was a slow burn, but her temper was fiery. There were two issues Jolene did not want to talk about, especially with this junior college psych wanna-be graduate. One was her no-good, piece-of-shit mother. The other was her family in Charming. McAllister had wasted no time in tackling the Valentina subject the moment Jolene had sat her ass down and if McAllister was true to form, that would just segue into her next favorite topic: bashing her dad and his nearly-lifelong affiliation to the MC.
"I see from the notes in your file that your father has refused yet again to undergo supervised family counseling." McAllister said, looking up from the file and never failing to disappoint.
Jolene was exasperated. "Not that I really care, but can you please explain to me once again why that would even be necessary? I mean, I spent 6 months living with a known prostitute and her 'boyfriend', which in Valentina-speak, by the way, translates into 'pimp', yet no one ever pushed her into counseling."
"I really don't have a say in what CPS in Washington deems as necessary with regards to your mother," McAllister started as Jolene shook her head in disgust. She knew that was bullshit.
"You certainly had more of a say than my dad did," Jolene protested. "And for your information, he hasn't refused anything. I have. My father and I, we don't need family counseling."
"Really?" McAllister asked sarcastically. "He's a convicted felon who has done time on gun charges, aggravated assault, battery, and disorderly conduct, and that's just naming a few. Aside from the weapons charge, does any of that sound familiar? Do you really want to follow dear old dad down the same path?"
Jolene shrugged her shoulders. "It would certainly beat the hell out of following in my mom's, don't you think?" She replied. "Besides, Clay Morrow hasn't been charged with a crime in years."
McAllister's smiled smugly. "Okay, then. Let's move on to the motley crew in Charming you call a family."
"You know what? Let's not," Jolene stated, feeling her tongue go numb. Just one of the warning signs she was going to lose her shit.
"Jackson Teller," McAllister ignored Jolene and continued. "Your stepbrother. Does he still live at home?"
"No." Jolene replied tersely. Don't let this bitch go there, or she'd just wasted over a year of her life doing community service.
"Is that him waiting for you outside?" The P.O. asked. Jolene could barely control her leg from bouncing on the ball of her booted foot. "He's a good looking young man. Anything you'd like to share?"
"He's not mine to share, but hey, go for it." Jolene responded, intentionally misinterpreting McAllister's queries. "I have to warn ya, though. I don't think you're his type."
McAllister gave her a tight smile before going back to the file. "Gemma Teller-Morrow. Robert Munson. Piermont Winston and his son Harry. Not exactly your typical All-American family."
"Based on whose handbook?" Jolene asked. "You know, most people would consider my dad and Piney All-American heroes being that both served their country in Vietnam. Gemma's never done shit to anyone except be more of a mother to me than my own, and the same goes for Bobby. The only bond we share is through his brotherhood with my dad because of the MC, yet Bobby's never failed to treat me like his own kid, taking care of me when I've been sick, making sure I ate and did my homework. And Jax and Opie I love like brothers." Eh, that last part was a little bit of a white lie. She's never loved Jax like a brother. She's only ever loved Jax. Period.
Ignoring Jolene's little defensive tirade, McAllister continued, "How's school coming along?"
Somewhat relieved, and surprisingly a little ticked off, that her dumb ass P.O. saw it fit to change the subject without acknowledging her statement, Jolene relaxed once again in her chair. "In spite of falling behind while living in Seattle, I'm on track for graduation and I've registered for summer classes at CSU-Stan starting mid-July."
Scribbling some final notes on a form, McAllister closed the file, and dropped her pen on the desk. "I'll work on my recommendation to family court this week and after that's filed, we should hear back from them with a date for the hearing."
Jolene shook her head. "You're not gonna clue me in on what's going into your report?" She asked.
"I haven't decided yet," McAllister replied, that smug grin plastered on her face again.
"Will I get to see it before it goes to the judge?" Jolene asked.
"A copy will be sent to your Attorney of Record, Scott Rosen, the same day it's filed with the court."
Jolene chuckled bitterly. "You could've just said no."
"Jolene," McAllister started. "You've done exemplary work with Habitat. Work you should be proud of and you finished community service ahead of schedule."
"Yes I did. The judge made it quite clear that if I finished before turning 18 my chances of having my record cleared would be that much greater. I did everything I was told would help my case. I've stayed out of trouble, I'm doing well in school, and even plan on going to college." Jolene explained calmly. "Yet, I get this feeling that you're gonna fuck me over in the end."
McAllister shook her head. "I've been doing this for years. Sure, you've toed the line, done everything the court's mandated you to do, but I think you've done so for all the wrong reasons. In your current situation, surrounded by the people you call family, the potential for recidivism is extremely high."
Jolene was shocked. "So, none of my work this past year will be taken into consideration? You're gonna base your entire report to the court on what, a hunch that because of who my family is I have the 'potential' to fuck up again?" Jolene was incredulous. "And what do you mean by 'all the wrong reasons'? Where do you get off telling me what my reasons are for owning up to what I did? You think I lack remorse? Is that it?"
"You're lacking something." McAllister replied.
Jolene fought hard to bite her tongue, but couldn't control the angry glare she threw at McAllister that seemed to unnerve the seasoned and veteran probation officer. Her entire face was now numb. She needed to get out of there and fast. "Are we done?" Jolene asked, and without waiting for an answer, got up from her seat and left the office.
Yep, she's Clay Morrow's daughter, alright, McAllister thought as she watched the angry young woman, who had seemed on the losing end of controlling her temper, storm out of the room. Jolene's life experiences thus far had matured her beyond her years, but there was no doubt in McAllister's mind that she was a ticking time bomb just looking for a place to explode. In hindsight, instead of sending her to her mother's in Seattle, McAllister should have recommended foster care. With Jolene just a few weeks shy of her 18th birthday, the window for severing her ties to that white trash enclave known as Charming was quickly closing. She just hoped that instead of getting knocked up by her stepbrother, Jolene made good on her goal of going to college and got as far away as possible from the Sons of Anarchy.
The Lodi Juvenile Detention Center was an unlocked, 24-hour residential facility that housed 80 minors between the ages of 15 and 18. Had the judge in Jolene's case decided against probation, this would have been her home for the past 18 months. The shit-colored building also housed the probation department and at this moment, Jolene was somewhere on the first floor, the administrative level, meeting with her P.O.
Maybe parking right across the street from juvie hall wasn't such a good idea after all, Jax thought, as he gave his last cigarette to a young girl who swore she was eighteen. Jax knew better and was willing to bet that she wasn't a day over fifteen. Apparently, Jax was a magnet for underaged pussy as each of the half dozen or so female residents that had approached him so far for a smoke had also requested a ride on his bike. In spite of his current and ongoing relationship with Jolene, Jax did not have a taste for the unripened and underdeveloped. His girl was the exception that proved the rule and was in a class all by herself. When putting on his mean face did nothing to discourage the resident jail bait from approaching him, Jax decided that maybe it was time to take a walk down the block for some cigarettes.
He was crossing the street in that direction when the front door of the juvenile residence flew open and Jolene stomped out. She stopped long enough to pull off her scrunchy and shake out her wavy mane of black silk. She looked pissed and Jax couldn't help but smile cuz a pissed off Jolene was a hot-as-hell Jolene, just as long as he wasn't the target of her temper. Stepping onto the sidewalk, Jax approached her.
"You okay, darlin'?" He asked, his hands gently kneading her upper arms.
Jolene was visibly shaking she was so upset. "I don't know why I expected her to be different from any other outsider, Jax. I did everything I was told and she's still gonna throw me under the bus." She said, her voice thick with unshed tears.
With a furrowed brow, Jax pulled her into his arms. "What happened?" He hugged her close as Jolene clung to him, her face buried against his chest.
Pulling away, Jolene swiped a few errant tears from her cheeks. "She was being real coy about her report to the Judge, wouldn't really give me a straight answer, but I think she's going to recommend against expunging my record."
Shit, he had not wanted to rain on her parade, but he could've prepared her for the disappointment weeks ago. She was being punished for guilt by association. It wasn't the first time and Jax was sure it wouldn't be the last.
"I'm sorry, darlin'," Jax wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her towards him, kissing her forehead. "We'll talk to Rosen. Maybe there's something he can do."
Still angry and itching to throw a punch, Jolene caught two girls about her age, leaning against the building and giving Jax the eye.
"Is there a reason you're staring?" Jolene turned to face the blonde with the intricate sleeve tattoo and lip piercing.
Pushing herself away from the wall, the girl approached Jolene, her friend at her back. "Fuck yeah, your old man's hot. What you gonna do about it, Barbie?"
Jolene may look outmatched, but Jax knew better. He had seen her take down a 300 lb. redneck.
Jax grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back against him. "Let's go home and put that angry energy to better use." He said softly into her ear through her hair, causing Jolene's skin to goosebump all the way down to her toes.
"Barbie? I'll show you fuckin' Barbie." Jolene muttered over her shoulder as she let Jax lead her to his bike, the two girls egging her on. "Can this day get any more craptacular?" She complained.
Jax stopped and pulled her into his arms. "We'll deal with it, Jo." He gently nudged her chin up, forcing her to make eye contact. "It's Saturday. You've got nowhere you need to be and I have no place I'd rather be than right here, with you. How often does that happen?"
Jolene smiled, draping her arms over his shoulders and running her hands through his hair. "Maybe it's getting me in small doses that keeps you coming back, ever think of that?" Jolene teased.
Jax's grin was a borderline leer. "Nah, babe, that's not what keeps me coming back." He let his hands fall from her waist to the back pockets of her jeans, grabbing her ass and pulling her towards him.
"How fast can you get us back to Charming?" Jolene winked at Jax.
Over the past couple of months, Jax and Jolene had spent a considerable amount of their time together at the streams. It was a little piece of the world that they had managed to carve out for just the two of them. Even though Jolene spent the majority of their time there discovering just how flexible she really was, it was also the only place in Charming where they could let their guard down around each other. The things they shared at the streams went beyond the physical. Jolene thought she had known Jax before as they had always been good friends, but as his woman she quickly learned that she hadn't really known him at all. There were certain parts of himself that he shared with no one except her and Jolene could listen to him talk all day. Jax was smart and well-read and had big goals when it came to the Club and his position in it. He didn't expect special treatment because he was John Teller's boy. He knew that proving himself worthy of his patch was made more difficult because of his legacy. There would always be those that questioned whether he was given a pass all because his mother had managed to secure not one, but two Club Presidents as fathers for him. But he loved his Club and his brothers and had never envisioned another life for himself. That's why when Tara had used leaving Charming as a tool to break him free from what she called the SAMCRO noose around his neck, he let her go.
But today, after making good on his promise to help Jolene work off her angry energy, he wasn't talking. He wanted to listen. Jax had always known that life before Charming had been rough for her, but he never really knew to what extent. Unlike past conversations he had tried to initiate, today he wasn't going to let her distract him with sex as a way to avoid the obviously painful subject. Like her probation officer, Jax had realized today that Jolene had unresolved feelings of hurt and anger. He knew from experience that such feelings could push someone to take chances with their own freedom and safety, like nearly killing a drunk with a steel bat or running off to Oakland with two dirtbags intent on what amounted to gang rape. As he listened to her recount the horrors she had survived, Jax could finally understand where her unconscious need to self-destruct came from. As young as she had been, Jolene remembered it all, the beatings and the cigarette burns, going hungry almost every day, and being locked in the closet of her mother's bedroom for days while Valentina turned tricks.
Now as he held her in his arms against his chest, he was reluctant to end their time alone, in spite of the several missed calls on his pre-pay from Bobby. Now more than ever he wanted to be the man that not only got to love her, but that would protect her as well.
"Maybe you should answer that, babe." Jolene said as Jax's pre-pay rang for the fourth time since they arrived at the streams.
Right now, Jax really didn't give a shit who was calling. "Come here, darlin'," He pulled her towards him and kissed her softly. "You okay?" Jax thumbed away her trail of tears.
"I'm fine," She replied, truly exhausted from crying. "Could use a nap, though."
"I'll drop you off at home," Jax suggested, but Jolene was shaking her head.
"Take me back to the Clubhouse. I can crash in your dorm."
Jax gave her a half smile. "You sure that's a good idea?" He asked, already convinced he wouldn't be able to let her crawl into his bed all by herself.
"I'm sure it's a really bad idea, but I'm not ready to let you go today." Jolene smiled.
"I'm not ready to let you go ever, darlin'."
Jolene entered the Clubhouse and found her father sitting alone at one of the tables, in the cool dimness, chewing on a cigar.
"Hey, Dad." She smiled at Clay , a little unnerved by his unexpected presence, and was immediately slammed by his steel blue glare.
"Where's Jax?" He asked, his only greeting.
Jolene narrowed her eyes. "He was right behind me." She responded and as if on cue, Jax swaggered into the Clubhouse.
Clay abruptly got up from the table, almost knocking his chair over. "Chapel." He directed at Jax. "You," He pointed at Jolene. "Go home." Clay demanded before turning his back and entering the Club's meeting room.
Jolene felt the color drain from her face. "He knows." She turned to Jax, her eyes wide, and the fear clear.
Bringing Jolene's suddenly clammy hand to his lips, Jax pressed a kiss on her fingers. "Do as he says, darlin'. Go home." Jax gave her a reassuring half smile, but Jolene wasn't convinced. She touched his face gently and Jax knew by the look in her wide green eyes that she wasn't going anywhere. Stepping around her, Jax entered the Chapel and shut the door behind him.
Jolene was sitting at the bar, toying with the label on her bottle of water that had long since gone warm. She had been sitting in the same spot for almost two hours, unable to decide if the ear-splitting silence was a good thing or not. The noise coming from the Chapel during the first half hour or so had been loud and violent. It had quickly escalated from a screaming match to the occasional body or chair, Jolene couldn't decide which, being thrown around for emphasis. Now, as late afternoon was quickly approaching, the peaceful quietness was unnerving, especially since the Clubhouse was a virtual ghost town and that was never the case by this time of day on a Saturday. Jolene realized that everyone had probably been warned to stay away until Clay was done murdering Jax.
Suddenly, the Chapel door flew open. Clay was looking straight at her and did not seem surprised that she was still there. With his bulky frame obstructing her view into the room, her father wordlessly summoned her in.
Jolene jumped to her feet and on shaky legs strode towards the Chapel, the impassive look on her face never betraying the fact that she was on the verge of tossing her cookies. By the time she entered the room, Clay was already seated at his place at the head of the table, with Jax standing to Clay's left, gripping the back of Big Otto's VP chair. Jolene made quick eye contact with Jax and although she could still see the warmth in his intense blue gaze, his jaw was tight, his face bruised and in need of an ice pack.
"Jesus Christ, Dad." Jolene swatted at the tears that had suddenly fallen against her will on her cheeks.
"Sit," Clay commanded, pointing to Chibs' chair. Doing as she was told, Jolene sat down, her back rod straight and her hands folded in her lap. "He's lucky he's still standing because this shit right here," He said, wagging his finger between her and Jax, the knuckles on his hand knotted and bleeding. "Is not what I expected from either one of you." He was looking her in the eye and Jolene returned the look without faltering. "You plan on speaking up for yourself?" Clay asked when the silence between them became deafening.
"I don't know what to say, Dad." Jolene shrugged her shoulders. "I feel like you're expecting me to apologize and I can't do that."
"Apologize? Fuck an apology, Jolene." Clay was incredulous. "What I want to hear is that this ends right here, right now." He demanded, his index finger tapping the Redwood table for emphasis.
Biting her lip, Jolene's eyes darted to Jax for a split second, only to be startled back to Clay as he slammed his hands on the table. "You don't look at him. You look at me." He demanded.
With her elbows on the table, Jolene dropped her head into her hands and ran her fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying desperately to keep herself from bursting into tears. Jolene had always thought that she would rather die than disappoint her father and until this very moment, she would have. Now Jolene would rather die than tell him what he wanted to hear.
Looking up at Clay in the eye once again, Jolene shook her head. "Dad, I have no clue what was discussed and decided between the two of you and it's kinda unfair bringing me into this blind, but unless Jax has already made the choice to end this, I can't."
"And why the hell not?" Clay asked angrily with a furrowed brow. "Did he knock you up?"
Jolene rolled her eyes. "No!" She replied defensively.
"Then why not?" Clay asked. "As your father and his Club President, I'm telling you, end it."
"I don't know what you think 'it' is, Dad, but it's not as simple as you just telling me to end it." Jolene responded, her eyes flashing and her temper heating up.
"Then what is it?" Clay asked. Jax opened his mouth to respond but Clay's raised hand forced it back shut. "You've had your say and if you can't keep your peace, you get the fuck out. If I need your opinion, trust me, I will not hesitate to beat it out of you.
"Bring it then," Jax shook his head. "Because I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." He nearly snarled, the double meaning of his statement was clear and his anger was barely under control.
Afraid they would start throwing chairs or punches again, Jolene reached across the table and grabbed her father's hand. "I love him, Dad." Jolene nearly whispered. "I can't end this because I love him."
"Love? This isn't about love, Jolene, especially on his part."
"You don't know that."
"The hell I don't. We share a patch, sweetheart and I see how he goes through pussy in this Clubhouse. You wanna take part in the endless parade of women he's used and forgotten even before his bed got cold?" Clay questioned.
"Is that what the real problem is, Dad? It's not that Jax is your stepson or that he's older than me. Your problem is that he's a womanizer?" Jolene asked, but before Clay could answer, she continued. "Don't be a hypocrite. This entire Club is guilty of the same shit. You all collect pussy like you're working towards a merit badge or something. It's part of the Life."
"Yeah, it is part of the Life, but this is not the life I had envisioned for you." Clay started. "You're inexperienced and way out of your league with Jax, Jolene. You think you can keep up with any of the random croweaters he's taken to his bed?" Clay asked.
"Keeping up hasn't been an issue and Jax has yet to complain about my inexperience." Jolene replied angrily.
Clay slammed his hand on the table. "Dammit, Jolene!" His face was crimson and Jolene was afraid maybe she'd pushed too far. "I won't tolerate having my 17 year old daughter treated like a sweetbutt, and I certainly won't have her acting like one either." He growled.
"Dad, do you honestly think that I would allow myself to be treated like a pass-around? I'm not my mother and I have more pride in myself than that. Besides, I learned how to shoot from the best there is." She grabbed his hand again and squeezed it gently. "No one is treating me like a whore and getting away with it. I'm Clay Morrow's daughter and the fiercest old lady to ever ride bitch on a Harley practically raised me. More importantly, she raised Jax." She reasoned.
Clay's steely glare had softened as he held her hand. Jolene dared to think that she might have even seen a hint of pride in the look he was giving her.
"I trust Jax and I also trust that my heart is safe in his hands. I love you, Dad and I want you to trust in that too and knowing you don't kills me. The last thing I want is the two most important men in my life at each other's throats and I couldn't stand it if I caused a rift between Club brothers." Feeling a catch in her throat, Jolene stopped.
Jax and Clay watched her as she quickly pulled back her emotions and regained her composure, refusing to shed a tear like she was defeated. It was a little frightening to see how very much like Gemma she actually was. This was no 17 year old negotiating for an extended curfew. This was a strong old lady fighting to keep the man she so obviously loved.
"I have too much respect for you to sit here and lie to your face," Jolene said, once again looking Clay in the eyes. "That's why I can't tell you what you want to hear and promise I'll end it with Jax because I'm not going to. I won't do it." She said, confidently, her tone leaving very little room for argument.
After a long, uncomfortable silence spent in anticipation of what Clay would say next, he finally spoke up.
"If you were anybody else's kid, I'd say this was a match made in MC heaven." He started softly and turned to look Jax straight in the eye. "But she's my kid, and I will not have her used and tossed aside." Like I did to her mother, Clay thought bitterly.
"You're beating a dead horse, Clay," Jax said, getting annoyed again. "We've been through this, over and over again."
"He loves me, too." Jolene interjected.
"He told you that?" Clay quirked an eyebrow at Jolene his skepticism quite clear.
"Yeah, he did. More than once."
"You know it doesn't count if he was about to bust a nut when he said it, right?" Clay asked sarcastically.
Jolene was shaking her head. "That's really classy, Dad."
"I wanna hear him say it." Clay declared and turned in his seat to face Jax. "I want to hear you say it in front of me, in front of my kid that you allegedly love so that we are all on the same page." He responded.
Jax glared at Clay. "What? You think I'm afraid to say it? That I can say it to her even though it's not true, but that I'd be afraid to say it in front of you?" He nearly snarled, leaning forward. "So there are no doubts lingering in your mind, Clay, I'm telling you that I love her. I love her not like a sister. Not like a friend. I love her like a man loves a woman and I'm not giving her up."
Jolene felt her heart pounding in her throat. Could she ever possibly love this man any more than she did at this moment?
Fighting the urge to pummel Jax again in the face, Clay watched his daughter and his stepson look at each other like no one else existed. Clay mulled over in his mind the intensity and passion with which Jax had defended his love for Jolene earlier, even after the beating he took and under the threat of more physical violence. Clay suddenly felt like he was intruding on something very private. He'd never seen the young man he'd practically raised wear his heart on his sleeve like he had today. Not even for Tara. How could he stand in the way of something like that? How could he keep his daughter from something so similar to what he had been so lucky to find, but only later in life with Gemma?
"I'm gonna ask you for three things, Jax." Clay started suddenly. "You have a problem with any of 'em, you walk away now. One, don't knock her up. She's almost done with school and she wants to go to college." Turning to Jolene, he asked. "You still want to go to college, right? Shit hasn't changed on me that much, has it?"
"No, I still want to go." Jolene replied.
"Good. You hear that, Jax? Don't keep her from doing what she wants." Clay said.
"I hear," Jax replied. "And I won't."
Clay nodded. "Two, whatever you've been doing to keep all this on the down low, keep doing it. That means keeping the PDA under control, for Chrissake. I could go the rest of my life without ever having to see what I witnessed today ever again. I understand you may want the whole fuckin' world to know she's your old lady, but nobody outside the Club needs to know until she's legal. In the Club, for now, keep it on a need-to-know basis. Immediate Club hierarchy only, if possible. I cannot make this any clearer, telling outsiders is not an option, including your BFF Donna." He directed at Jolene, pointing at her, and she nodded her compliance.
"I can do that." Jax said.
"Can you do number three and not break her heart?" Clay asked, and for Jolene's sake he managed to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
Jax locked eyes with Clay in a staring match, knowing the older man had little faith in his feelings for his daughter. Breaking eye contact with his stepfather, Jax turned his gaze towards Jolene and his eyes immediately softened.
"I'd never hurt her, Clay." Jax replied. "I'd stop breathing first." He almost whispered. Clay narrowed his eyes and looked from Jax to his daughter and back. Shit, she had the same damn goofy look in her eyes that he did.
Nobody, with the exception of Bobby, would ever really understand the depth of Clay's love for his daughter. She had walked this earth for six years before Clay even knew of her existence. Valentina, although one of the most beautiful women he has ever known, was as crazy as a shithouse rat. Imagine his surprise when CPS in Washington had contacted him 11 years ago to inform him that Valentina had given up custody of her daughter and that in order to put the child up for adoption, Clay had to waive his rights as her father.
He had been happy to oblige because he wasn't even sure the kid was his and his lifestyle didn't exactly accommodate raising a little girl with a lot of emotional baggage. If Tig was his muscle, then Bobby was for sure his conscience. His old friend, being a new father himself, wouldn't let him sign the papers without meeting the child first and even before the DNA test results came back, Clay knew that he would never be able to give her up. The connection was instantaneous and they belonged to each other from day one. Jolene may be the spitting image of her mother on the outside, but she had Clay Morrow imprinted in her DNA. She was resilient and a fighter, having managed to survive the fucked up start she got in life. In a matter of months, Jolene went from being sickly and suffering from malnutrition to healthy and happy under Bobby's mother hen-like doting. Clay had never seen that "problem child" that Valentina had claimed she could no longer handle on her own.
On the contrary, his little girl was special and only someone truly deserving was worth having his daughter. And in spite of the miles he's put on his dick, Clay couldn't honestly say that Jax was unworthy. Quite the opposite. As his stepfather, Clay had witnessed first hand the strong and capable man he had grown into. Clay also knew how important family was to Jax. Even though he was JT's legacy, Jax was very much his mother's son. As a brother, Clay knew Jax to be loyal and protective of what he valued most, his family and the Club. If he dug deep enough, in his heart Clay knew he would be the same way with his baby girl.
Without saying another word, Clay slapped his hands on the table and pushed himself out of his chair. Walking over to Jolene, he gently held onto her face with one hand and kissed the top of her head, like he'd done countless of times before throughout her life. Stepping out of the Chapel, he closed the door behind him, giving a grateful Jolene time to gather herself as she slumped into her chair. Rounding the table, Jax picked up her nearly-limp hand from her lap and pulled her into his arms.
"Careful what you wish for, darlin' 'cause I think you're stuck with me now." Jax smiled as Jolene perked up in his arms. Jolene felt like bouncing around the room like a giddy 5 year old. Instead, she jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Jax quickly found her mouth as he dropped her onto the Redwood table in order to hold her face in his hands as he kissed her deeply and thoroughly.
Breaking their kiss, Jolene pulled back and examined the bruises on his beautiful face. "Aw, baby, did you even fight back?" She nearly whispered, her thumb gently grazing the angry red welt on the side of his face, close to this mouth.
Jax smiled, shaking his head. "I love you, Jolene." He replied. "I don't know how it happened or even when but I can't, I don't want to live without you loving me back."
"You know I do, baby." Jolene smiled.
Jax pressed his forehead against hers. "Say it then 'cause I was ready to die for you today, darlin' and I need to hear you say it."
"I love you, Jackson. I always have. I always will."
Jax was sitting under one of the light fixtures hanging over the pool table in the middle of the main room as Jolene gingerly dabbed at his face with a washcloth soaked in warm water.
"Baby, I think you might need stitches." Jolene said, referring to the small gash above his left eye that had started bleeding again the moment she had cleaned away the dried blood.
"Nah, darlin'," Jax pulled her closer. "Just throw a band-aid on that shit. I'll be fine."
Jolene brushed his hair away from his face and dropped a kiss on his puckered lips. "Keep this on your eye." She wrapped an ice pack in the wash cloth and placed it on the gash. "I'll go get the first aid kit."
"I need some air," Jax grabbed his new pack of cigarettes with his free hand from the corner of the pool table and followed Jolene outside. Jumping onto the picnic table as he lit a smoke, Jax indulged in his favorite activity and watched Jolene walk across the lot towards T-M's offices, hips swaying and her ass calling his name. Opie, who was backing his bike into his spot, was watching Jax watch Jolene, causing him to chuckle to himself as Jax was almost on the verge of licking his chops.
Catching the pack of smokes Jax tossed him as he approached the table, Opie quirked an eyebrow as he caught sight of Jax's busted face. "Bro, what happened?" Opie asked as he lit a cigarette.
Jax shook his head. "It's a long story, Ope."
"Well, maybe if you'd stop looking at her like that, Clay wouldn't have to kick your ass." Opie kidded, unaware of just how close to the truth he actually was.
Tearing his eyes away from the door Jolene had just disappeared through, Jax smiled to himself. Turning to Opie, Jax feigned a wounded look on his face. "What are you talking about? Looking at her like what?"
"Like you know exactly what she looks like naked." Opie said, jumping onto the table next to his friend.
Jax smirked as he rubbed the hair on his chin and turned his head to avoid eye contact with Opie. Opie shook his head. "Oh shit, Jax! Tell me you didn't."
Jax shrugged his shoulders, flicking the butt of his cigarette across the yard. "Can't." He said simply.
Opie ran his hand through his hair, which was currently growing into an awkward stage after an ill-advised buzz cut. "Man, are you fuckin' crazy? Clay's gonna kill you if he finds out."
"Nah," Jax said confidently, bringing the ice pack back to his eye. "He wanted to, though. Almost got taken out by a chair aimed at my head."
"He knows?" Opie was incredulous. "That explains why your face looks like raw meat."
Jax nodded. "Yeah, and he's not happy about it, in case you couldn't tell," He kidded. "But have you ever known Clay to deny Jolene anything?"
"How long?" Opie asked.
"A couple of months," Jax replied, making a mental note. He knew how important birthdays and anniversaries were to Jolene and didn't want to miss marking another month together. Shit, it hadn't taken her long at all to have him completely whipped already.
"And you're just telling me now? And only cuz I was on the verge of calling you a perv for mindfucking your stepsister?" Opie couldn't help but feel a little hurt. They were a tight circle of friends and neither one of them had ever hinted that something was up.
"First off, bro, as of today, you're no longer allowed to refer to Jolene as my stepsister, a'ight?" Jax asked.
Opie laughed as he shook his head. Why was he at all surprised? He should have put money on it, but not even Opie thought Jax would have the balls to bang Clay's daughter.
"And I didn't tell you only because Jolene didn't want anyone knowing before Clay did."
"So, what the fuck does that mean? She's your old lady now?"
"Officially?" Jax questioned and Opie nodded. "No."
"And off the record?" Opie asked.
Jax jumped off the table and stood in front of his friend. "I love her."
"Holy shit!" Opie exclaimed.
Jax nodded, grabbing his pack of cigarettes from the table. He needed another smoke. "Yep, that about sums it up," He said while lighting up again.