your reviews have been great motivation to add to this story. I hope you all like the direction it's going.
Tara came looking for him after she got to work. He was still by Lanie's side. She walked in the room like she was supposed to be there.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"Wow, they really did a number on her," she said, quietly.
"Who did?"
"Whoever did this."
"Who did it Tara, you know something and you will tell me before we have a major problem and I tell you and that kid to take a hike."
"I don't know who they are Jax."
"You're lying. Get the hell out now."
She rolled her eyes but left the room. Gemma was coming down the hall with Abel and Harlee who was glaring at her. Tara went back to the NICU. She had a surgery that morning. Gemma stopped outside Lanie's door. She looked at Harlee.
"You sure you want to do this?" she asked.
Harlee nodded. She wanted to see her mommy. Gemma started to open the door when it was ripped open by Jax.
"What the hell are you doing? I don't want her to see her mother like that," he said.
"Jax, she asked to come up here. She wants to know her mother is ok." Gemma explained.
Jax knelt in front of his daughter. Harlee stared at him.
"Baby, daddy doesn't want you to see mommy like that," he said.
"I want to see my mommy," Harlee demanded.
"Baby,"
"I want to see my mommy."
Jax sighed but knew his daughter was just like her mother. There was no arguing with her about anything once she had her mind made up.
"Ok baby, come on," he said.
He led his daughter into the room. She gasped when she saw Lanie. He felt her hand tighten on his. She moved closer to the bed. He stayed right with her.
*48 hours later*
He was next to her when she woke up. She stared at him. A wave of panic set in and she started to freak out.
"Lanie, look at me," he said.
Her eyes turned toward him.
"It's all right, Harlee is ok. You are going to be ok. I promise you," he said.
She began to relax. The door opened and a nurse walked in.
"When did she wake up?" the woman asked.
"Just now," Jax said.
She nodded and walked out to get a doctor to come examine Lanie. Jax kept his hand in hers and stayed right by her side.
"Gemma has Harlee," he said.
Lanie nodded. She had tube down her throat. Jax could see her searching his face. He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead.
"It's only you, I chose you," he said.
She squeezed her eyes shut as one tear escaped.
"Baby, please don't cry," he said.
The doctor came in with the nurse right behind him. He checked over Lanie's vital signs.
"Bet you want that tube out huh?" the doctor asked.
Lanie nodded slightly.
"On the count of three, blow out as hard as you can," he said.
She nodded again.
"One, two, three," he pulled the tube out, leaving Lanie coughing. "Don't try talking too much now. Give yourself a chance to get over having that down your throat."
Lanie nodded again. She stared at Jax the whole time the doctor was talking. The nurse placed a cup with a straw and some water in it on the table near the bed. She looked at Jax who just nodded.
"I will help her," he said.
"I'll be back to check on her in about ten minutes," the nurse said.
"We will be here."
She walked out the door. Jax stared down at Lanie.
"Jax," Lanie sounded hoarse.
"Don't try to talk now, we will talk later," he said.
"No, you have to know this."
"What babe?"
"The guy who broke in, Tara sent him. He told me when he raped me that it was so I would leave you and Tara alone."
Jax could feel the anger begin to build. Tara had tried to act like an innocent party in all this but he had known there was something else going on. He was even more pissed that he had talked to her and she had hinted at being the one responsible. He put his hand in Lanie's. She stared at him.
"Jax," she said.
"Sorry, I was just thinking," he said.
"Babe, you can't do something stupid and end up in jail. Harlee needs you right now."
"Harlee's fine, I promise you that. She and Abel are with Gemma."
"Not the point I'm making here, Jax."
"I know babe. I got this under control."
"That's what worries me."
"Why?"
She gave him that look. He knew exactly why she was worried. She knew what he was thinking without him even saying it. She stared at him. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.
"I love you, I really do," he said.
"I love you too," she told him, honestly.
She had loved him since high school. She couldn't help it. She had a blue eyed blonde little girl that was an everyday reminder of Jax. They had gotten lucky. Harlee didn't inherit the family flaw. She was a normal healthy little girl. She had always been healthy. She barely ever even got a cold. Jax stared down at Lanie. She sighed.
"It's going to be ok. You and I are going to do this together," he said.
"What about the house? How bad is it?" she asked.
"Don't worry about the damn house. I'll deal with it."
"Jackson, I have to worry about something."
"No you don't, that's my job. Tara is going to pay for what she has done. I will find who did this and they will be dealt with as well."
"Tara Knowles is not worth my time. She's a worthless bitch that is a complete waste of space."
"Lanie,"
"Jax, I'm serious. Leave it alone. I don't want to think about it anymore. I just want to get past this and get home to my daughter."
"Our daughter."
"I know she's yours too."
He nodded. She looked at the door as it opened. The doctor walked in to give her a once over and make sure there was not going to be any lasting damage from the tube that had been down her throat. She complied with all of his requests.
"You keep healing like this and you'll be home in no time," the doctor said.
"Do me a favor and send security in here," Jax asked.
"Sure,"
Jax was not going to take any chances. If he had to leave, he wanted it on hospital record that he didn't want Tara anywhere near this room. He told hospital security but he also left a prospect posted outside the door. Lanie was going to be protected. She sighed. He had some things to handle before he could take his girls home. He wasn't too happy with the whole Tara situation and he was going to deal with it. His daughter was terrified and he worried that it was going to completely affect her for quite some time.
"Where's Tara?" he asked a nurse.
"In surgery," she told him.
He rolled his eyes and walked away. He went to check on his kids. Gemma had them both at the house. She wasn't alone at the house. He had made sure that someone was with them at all times as well. He wanted to make sure that his family was protected.
"Daddy," Harlee looked up from the picture she was coloring with Juice.
"Hi princess," he smiled.
"Where's my mommy?"
"She's getting better at the hospital,"
"I want her."
"I know you do baby. Grandma is going to keep you and Abel here for a few days til daddy can get some things sorted out."
"Ok."
"Where is Grandma?"
"She's putting Abel to bed," Juice said.
"Thanks."
Jax walked down the hall to the room Gemma had set up for the kids. He sighed. She looked at him.
"How's Lanie?" Gemma asked.
"She's good. She's healing nicely. Doctor says if she keeps it up, she'll be home in no time," he said.
"Good."
"Yeah, I'm glad she's going to be ok. I just worry about this affecting our relationship."
"What do you mean?"
"Tara is responsible for this attack on Lanie and the guy was supposed to find Harlee as well."
"What the hell was he going to do to Harlee?"
"I have no idea."
"What the hell is wrong with that girl?"
Jax shrugged. He had no idea what would have happened to his daughter if she hadn't hid from the attacker. It scared the hell out of him just to think of it and it pissed him off to know that Tara was out there and actually had the nerve to throw an attack on not only Lanie but on his four year old daughter who wasn't even to blame for anything that she felt for Lanie. The more he thought about it the more pissed off he got. He looked at his mother again. She was just watching him as she rocked the baby. He turned and went back down the hall. Harlee looked up from her coloring book again. She grinned when she saw him. He could feel the anger building up more as he stared at his daughter.
"Juice, you good to stay here for a while?" he asked.
"Yeah man," Juice replied.
"Ok, I'll be back."
Jax walked out of the house and headed back for the hospital. She was out of surgery and he caught her in the hall.
"We need to talk, in your office, now," he snapped.
She nodded and led him down the hall. She knew he was pissed and she wanted to see what he had to say before she dealt with it.
"What do you want, Jackson?" she asked.
"You attacked my daughter's mother and you sent the attacker to not only do that but to attack a four year old child," he growled.
"I did not,"
"You are full of shit. Lanie told me the guy said it was to keep her away from me and to leave you and I alone."
"Jax."
Tara was whining now. She stared at him. He was pissed and she could see it.
"Stay the hell away from my family. Lanie, Harlee, and Abel. You are nothing to me anymore. Anyone who can send a man to attack a little girl is sick and needs help. Maybe instead of treating patients you should be checked out your damn self. I see you around again and you will regret it. I promise you that," Jax snapped.
