I'm posting two chapters in one day because the other one was just a simple edit. I hope you enjoy this one!
Tara's sweet sixteen was in full swing. Gemma had outdone herself. Customized hot pink and zebra print 'Happy Birthday, Tara' banners were hanging from the ceiling and tacked to the exposed walls. A rainbow of balloons were scattered throughout the room, weighed down with tiny 'T' figurines. The few tables surrounding the makeshift dance floor had beautifully decorated vases with a bouquet of flowers as their centerpieces.
Gemma had rented strobe lights for the special occasion. The room was dimly lit , the main source of light was the periodical blinking they projected. Music was blasting from the speakers set up around the clubhouse. It made the building pulsate as though it were alive. Teenagers were slivering and grinding on the dance floor to the fast beat of the music. Sweat glistened on their foreheads, but no one seemed to notice. Each of them were wearing a smile. Others were stationed at the bar. They were sipping ice cream floats or picking at the array of homemade food Gemma had heating up over sterno cans.
Tara hadn't seen Jax in over a half hour. Sophia had come and the two of them disappeared. Tara made her way through the party, greeting each guest per Gemma's request. She kept a look out for Matt, letting her eye wander the room each time she leaned in to hug one of her classmates. Finally, she found him. He was slumped on the couch against the far wall. He looked uncomfortable surrounded by all of the underclassmen.
"Hey you," Tara said with a wide grin. She was so happy he showed up. These weren't his friends, so she didn't expect him to actually come. She sunk down onto his lap and placed a lingering kiss on his mouth.
"Hey," Matt replied. His expression perked up a little after seeing Tara. He leaned in and kissed her again. This time he pulled her bottom lip between his and dragged his teeth slowly across it. Tara pulled away. Her cheeks were flushed a dark red. She scanned the room, hoping not too many people had watched. Most of the other guests' attention was diverted. "Wanna go somewhere more private?" Matt asked, interrupting Tara's thoughts.
Her eyes immediately landed on Gemma. She felt bad leaving the party, but she hadn't asked for it. Tara glanced back at Matt with his big green eyes and dark hair. She bit her lip. It was hot...and she would be lying if she said she wasn't in the mood for a good make out session... "Okay," She finally replied. Tara jumped to her feet and led Matt around the tightly crammed bodies until they were outside.
The shock of cool air felt good against Tara's sticky skin. The two of them found a quieter place behind the boxing ring, where they were covered by the dark shadows of the night sky. Tara leaned in, breathing in the scent of Matt's cologne. It was woodsy and made her head spin.
Matt leaned in to kiss Tara. She pulled away. A teasing smile on her lips. They played this game for a minute before Matt became more forceful. He backed Tara against the brick wall a few feet away and pressed his lips to hers. They stayed like that, their tongues dancing in a perfect harmony before Matt started advancing. He slid his hand under Tara's thin tank top. She felt awkward, with his big, calloused hands groping her, but she remained silent.
Matt was two years older than her. He was experienced. He expected these kinds of things to happen while he was making out with girls. Tara wanted him to continue liking her. She didn't want to be the scared little girl that pushed him away each time he tried to take it further. Which is why, when his hand slowly made it's way down her stomach and began working at the button on her jeans, she said nothing.
He pushed his hand into the lacy band of her thong. Then he undid his own pants. The bulge in his boxers was released, rubbing against Tara's bare stomach. She had her back pressed against the wall with no escape. She pulled her mouth away from his and shook her head vigorously. "Not yet, Matt."
Matt stared at her with a confused expression for a moment. "What do you mean 'not yet?'"
Tara tried not to look down at her and Matt's exposed body parts as she motioned to the space between the two of them. "I'm not ready..." She let her voice trail off, hoping Matt understood what she meant.
Matt's face became dark and clouded. Anger was written prominently across his features. "I'm Matt Goode..." He started through clenched teeth. "You'd be luck to sleep with me." Tara and Matt were nose to nose. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. She rolled her head to the side to avoid his lips, but it was too late. They were already on hers, crushing her head to the wall.
Tara pulled away again, pressing her hands against Matt's toned chest. "No, I don't want this," She said breathlessly. She tried to side step Matt, scaling the wall. She didn't get far before Matt wrapped his hands around the tops of her arms, anchoring her in place. The brick was digging into her skin as he pushed her further against the wall. She pressed her mouth together in a tight line in an attempt to fight off his forceful efforts.
With brutal force he took Tara's body and threw her to the ground as though she weighed no more than a feather. Her head landed against the concrete with a loud crack. Pain instantly flooded her skull. Matt lowered himself over her. He used one hand to hold her in place and the other to work her jeans down over her hips.
Despite the pain in her head Tara began squirming. She knew that her screams wouldn't be heard over the chaos inside, but she screamed anyway. "Help...help!" Her voice was growing weaker with each word. Her legs were kicking at lightening speed in an attempt to free herself. Her reckless motions only made Matt angrier. He pulled his fist back and punched her right in the eye. Her head lolled to the side, but she forced herself to remain conscious. A little voice in her head told her she could win this.
Pain seared from between her thighs and a grunt escaped from Matt's lips. He moved awkwardly above her, his huge, sweaty body rubbing against her. His hands were holding her head in place as he showered her with rough, sloppy kisses. Her skin was chafing against the ground, leaving bloody scrapes on her bare skin.
Tara pinched her eyes closed and forced her mind to wander. She put herself in a happy place. On the beach with her mother. They were making sandcastles by the water's edge. A cool breeze blew, ruffling her dark hair and taking away some of the sun's heat. Sandra was smiling and she had a healthy glow about her.
"What the hell are you doing?" A familiar voice broke through Tara's thoughts. Then Matt's weight was gone and Tara was free. She slowly opened her eyes to see Jax. He was holding Matt up to the same brick wall Tara had just been pressed against. Jax was pounding his fist against Matt's face. "You don't touch her. You don't come near her again. You so much as think about her. I find you and we do this all over again." He threatened, landing a blow just above Matt's right eye. It connected to his skull with a crack that echoed off the clubhouse.
Matt was drunk, but not drunk enough to give up. He swung blindly, punching Jax in the gut. Jax grabbed at his stomach and backed away from the older boy. Without Jax's support Matt crumpled to the floor. Tara instinctively scooted backwards. With each movement her body cried out in pain.
Jax recovered quickly. Tara watched in horror as he pinned Matt to the ground and punched him square in the face. There was an ear splitting sound as the cartilage in Matt's nose broke. Then his huge form went limp. His head rolled the the side against the concrete.
Jax looked from the lifeless body in his arms to a terrified Tara only a few feet away. He crawled across the ground, closing the small distance between them. Tara immediately crumpled against Jax's chest and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her there. She had been in shock, but now that she was safe in Jax's arms she let herself cry. The tears came quickly, making wet trails down her cheeks. Her body rocked uncontrollably with sobs.
"Shh," Jax soothed. "I'm here," He reminded her, smoothing down her dark hair. Tara buried her head further into the hollow under his arm and let the tears soak through his flannel shirt. Jax pulled her back and planted a kiss against her forehead, keeping his lips pressed against her skin for a second longer than necessary. "It's okay," He promised.
It took Tara almost a half hour before she could compose herself. Jax sat with her the whole time. She remained wrapped in his arms while she cried herself dry. When she finally stopped crying and her body stilled, she pulled away and slowly brought herself to a standing position. Jax followed her. He held her at arms length while he examined the damage. His face contorted in different angry expressions as he looked at her torn clothes. "That piece of shit," He muttered under his breath. His blue eyes swept over Matt, who was just beginning to open his eyes. Jax turned back to Tara, stripping off his flannel and handing it to her, so she could cover her ripped clothes. Then he slipped his hand in hers and began leading her toward the clubhouse entrance.
Tara dug her heels into the ground to stop their forward motion. Jax turned around, his face a mask of confusion. Tara shook her head vigorously. She didn't trust her voice. When Jax continued to stare at her, she cleared her throat. "I don't want to go inside," She explained.
There were over sixty people inside. They were all pressed against each other, touch, grinding. Tara cringed at the thought. Her skin was burning and her body ached. She couldn't stomach the idea of other people rubbing against her as she and Jax made their way through the clubhouse.
Jax's face fell in an expression of sympathy. He pulled Tara against his chest and kissed the side of her head. "You don't have to," He promised. "I'll go in and get Gemma."
Tara shook her head vigorously. Her lip quivered with new impending tears. Her eyes darted from Jax's blue ones to the building behind him before finally landing on Matt. "Don't leave me," She pleaded. She hated how weak she sounded. Chibs walked out with a cigarette between his lips as Tara finished her sentence. He took in her distressed state and Matt lying on the floor. He had started groaning and grabbing at his head, but neither Jax nor Tara rushed to his aid.
"Shit, Jackie boy. What happened?" Chibs asked, his eyes widened with shock. He turned his gaze to focus on Jax, waiting for an explanation.
"Not important," Jax replied. He nodded toward the clubhouse. "Go get my mom." Chibs gaged Jax's lack of authority against the apparent seriousness of the situation. He ducked inside without another word.
Gemma had come outside and nearly passed out when Jax replayed the story. Tara felt sick to her stomach as she was forced to relive the situation again. Her, Gemma, and Jax were sitting at the picnic table. Tara was curled into Jax, resting her head against his shoulder. Gemma was enraged. She looked as though she was going to kill Matt herself. Her eyes burned with pure anger.
"Take her home," Gemma ordered. "I'll have Dr. Walker meet you there." Tara shivered at the mention of a doctor's name. She didn't want anyone touching her intimately for the rest of her life. Then Gemma nodded toward Matt's squirming form. "I'll have Bobby and Chibs take care of him."
Nothing felt real. Tara felt as though she was watching her life hrough a screen. Like this was actually a movie and she should be sympathetic toward the young starlet playing the rape victim. After Matt had forced himself on her, the world seemed to be moving in slow motion. She felt stiff and sore, like she had just worked out too much. She wanted to curl up in a ball and wait until time could heal her pain.
After Tara had tearfully explained the news of her mother's terminal illness Sandra had asked Jax to do one simple thing. "I need you to watch out for Tara. I mean after I'm gone. You're her best friend, Jax. You have to protect her. You have your head screwed on straight. Make sure she doesn't lose her way. Chase off any guys that aren't good enough for her." Jax had thought about the promise he made her everyday since she passed.
Now he was sitting on the wood floor in the hallway outside of Tara's bedroom. She was inside with Dr. Walker getting her injuries examined. She had looked at Jax with terrified eyes and clung to him while the doctor led her away. Jax could do nothing but pry her off with promises of being in the hallway when she was finished. He was fighting off tears as he sat propped up against the wall remembering the promise he made Sandra.
When Matt walked into Tara's life Jax knew the kid was bad news. He should have ended their relationship there. Tara didn't want to listen, so he should've have went to Matt. Threatened him. Hit him. Whatever he had to do to get rid of him. He didn't. Now he was sitting here, listening to Tara's muffled sobs through the door as her sexual assault injuries were examined by the club's shot doc.
The doctor gave Tara a good report. There were a few small tears and bruising, lacerations on her back and around her mouth. She was going to have a black eyes and her head had a small cut, but there was no concussion. He gave her permission to shower then collected his supplies. Jax escorted Dr. Walker to the door while Tara showered. The doctor instructed Jax to monitor Tara and call immediately if there were signs of a concussion. Then he told the younger boy to ice Tara's head and eye. Twenty minutes on twenty minutes off.
The hot water pelted down against Tara's pale skin, turning it a dark shade of red. She bowed her head under the faucet, letting the water sooth her. The best that it could. In the shower, her tears mixed with the running water and the sound drowned out her cries. She scrubbed at her skin until it was raw. Then waited a few minutes and scrubbed again. She still felt dirty. Her skin was crawling as though there were a hundred bugs on her. No amount of soap and water could shake the feeling.
After her shower she changed into a pair of baggy sweatpants and a loose fitting t-shirt. Then she stared at herself in the mirror on the back of her closet door. Even under the baggy clothes she could still see the places that Matt touched with his hands or where his skin rubbed against hers. She cringed, but couldn't look away. Her skin seemed paler and her body weaker. She wanted to runaway or hide forever. A million thoughts raced through her head. She only wanted her mind to silence and her nerve endings to stop working, for there to be no more voices in her head or pain under her skin.
A light knock made her turn around. Jax was standing in the doorway, leaning against the white frame. His face was a mixed mask of anger and sympathy. Tara couldn't stomach the idea of being touched by anyone...she had cringed and cried when Dr. Walker examined her, but the thought of being held by Jax soothed her. Maybe because he was the one that found her or maybe because he was her best friend. All she knew was that she needed to be close to him. Jax opened his arms and Tara willingly folded herself into them. She nestled her head into the hollow at his neck. He kissed the top of her head and simply stood there, in the middle of her bedroom holding Tara's fragile form.
Tara had begged Jax to sleep in her room that night. She didn't want to be alone. Although she was positive Matt would never come for her again, the fear still crippled her. Jax obliged. He pulled down her blankets and helped her climb into bed before following close behind. Tara hadn't said much. She mostly stared blankly at the wall. Jax didn't force her to speak and didn't react when she randomly cried. Instead, he held her against his chest and wiped her tears when they came. He spent the entire night raining kisses down on her head and rubbing soothing circles on her back.
Jax never slept that night. He laid in Tara's bed feeling her warmth in his arms. He was so happy she was okay. The moments at the clubhouse came rushing back to him. Sophia had insisted the two of them go out to the swing set, probably to have sex. While they were fooling around Jax heard cries. The sound was nearly all, but drowned out by the music blasting inside the clubhouse. He left Sophia on the grass under the swings to investigate. That's when he found her.
Matt's disgusting body was moving over Tara's limp one. Jax's body went into overdrive. His heart pounded against his chest, threatening to jump out of his skin and his palms were slick with sweat. He managed to pull Matt off of Tara. Her body remained unmoving, but the rage that overcame Jax was powerful. He couldn't stop. The punches kept coming.
Then Tara sat up. Her eyes popped open. The relief that overcame Jax when he saw Tara conscious and moving couldn't be described. He felt like he was going to fall over and weep tears of joy. The tightness in his chest was released, then the desire to have her in his arms, to be positive she was okay overcame him.
Jax pulled her tighter against his chest and placed a kiss on her temple. He was thankful she was there. Thankful that she was alive. He had made it in time. And Matt was going to get what he deserved. Chibs and Bobby were probably showing no mercy. He didn't deserve any. Jax grit his teeth together to fight off the rage at the thought of Matt.
The sun was slowly making it's way higher into the sky when Jax finally drifted off to sleep. Tara was clutched in his arms. He knew she had a long, emotional battle ahead of her. He made a silent vow to himself to be there for her no matter what.
Originally, I planned on making this fic a one shot including only this chapter. It was later on that I decided to base an entire fic around it. Well, I hope you enjoy it! Leave reviews and let me know what you think!
