***Thanks everyone for the reviews! I LOVE them, they make me want to write quicker! I also love all the guest reviews, it's awesome that you guys want to reach out and let me know what you think, even though you don't have to! But I hope you keep doing it because it helps me more than you know!***

Kate followed Jax outside and wondered what the hell she was even doing. But before she knew it she was behind him on his motorcycle and speeding away. There was so much going on in her head that it seemed impossible to even form a single thought. They drove for a little while before stopping at a 24 hr diner, the only thing that appeared to be open in Charming at 2am besides a gas station and some bars.

Jax led her inside and waved hello to a waitress who smiled a goofy smile back at him. He sat down in the first booth he saw and looked up at Kate so that she would join him. The smell of coffee hit her nose as she slid into the booth and turned, seeing the waitress right behind her with the pot in her hand. She slid them a couple of menus and placed two white coffee mugs on the table, filling them up.

"I'll give you two a minute to look." She said before walking back behind her counter. Kate looked around the diner and noticed they were the only ones in there. She turned her gaze back to Jax only to find him staring intently at her.

"You should get the apple pie, it's good here," He said with a small smirk. She raised an eyebrow at him before looking down at her menu. Everything about the night was so bizarre. Were they really in a diner talking about pie right now? And was she, not even an hour ago, finding herself with a ribbon wrapped around her neck being choked by an insane man?

Jax waved over the waitress and told her to bring them two slices of pie. Kate had no idea what he was doing or thinking for that matter. Her attention was drawn to his hands. He was playing with a ring on one of them and she could see the cuts and redness on his knuckles. She looked back up to catch him staring again so she glanced away, pretending she didn't notice.

"After this I'll take you home ok?"

"No!" She blurted out too fast.

He sat back, trying to read her. "Why's that?"

"I have to get my purse and my car, I left them at work," She said trying to hide the real reason.

He sat there studying her and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "Thanks for everything Jax, I am so grateful you came in when you did," She had wanted to thank him, owing him so much by his intervention.

"I'm confused why you were even in there."

"Collette told me I had to or it was my job."

She could see the anger crossing his face, "We had made it very clear to her that you weren't to be with him."

"I don't know, but I'm thankful you came. That was some really scary shit," Kate said, hoping he saw her sincerity.

"You got Collette pretty good too," He smiled as he said that.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll be fired now," Kate thoughtlessly palmed the warm mug in her hand.

"Would that be so bad?"

"It would be bad, I have to make a certain amount of money or…"

"Or what?"

"I just do. How is everything going with you?" She looked up at him and asked, trying to change the subject.

"You really want to go back there after what happened?" He asked, ignoring her attempt. She really didn't.

"What did you do to Mr. Paulsen?" She asked, making her second stab at trying to control the conversation.

"He understands now, without any question, to stay out of there. He didn't seem to take the hint when Nero had talked to him," He was giving her the quick version obviously, she looked at him skeptically and he answered her unspoken question, "Don't worry, he won't be back."

"It bothers me that he's out there at all, he's really fucked up Jax, he would have killed me, who knows what he could do to someone else."

She saw some sort of emotion flash across his face but couldn't put her finger on it. "I have a plan for Mr. Paulsen, I just need a little time," Jax gave her a confident look.

She trusted what he was saying even though she didn't really understand it. The waitress, staring at him with a smile the entire time, brought over their slices and refilled Jax's coffee. Kate still hadn't touched hers.

"I'll be over there if you need anything," She said to Jax, giving him a wink.

"Thanks darlin," He responded with a small smile and Kate wondered if there was anyone he couldn't get.

"How are you doing with everything?" She tried again to talk to him, feeling a little confident after the craziness of the night.

To her surprise he answered her, "I'm frustrated that I don't know who did it."

She looked at him, trying to think of what to say, now that he was opening up she wasn't sure how to navigate it.

"It's personal and I know it," He kept going, "I moved my kids somewhere safe while I can sort everything out. I'm still trying to figure out what I need to do."

"That's good that your kids are safe," She said, still unsure of what to tell him.

"I hope I find him before the cops do."

"What about the club?" She asked, noticing he didn't say we at all. She knew the basics of a club or gang or whatever it was and she knew that they should be behind him, helping him take care of this.

"I don't know." She remembered him telling her about his priorities, she figured he probably didn't trust anyone at this point. But who were the kids with? He must trust someone.

She tried to eat the pie, he was right it was good. But she really wasn't hungry, still shaken up from the episode with Mr. Paulsen. How was she ever going to go back to work there? She had really had enough and nothing screamed get the hell out of there like what had happened tonight. She was done with people abusing her, she knew that by the way she attacked Collette. She had finally been pushed too far and someone she didn't even know she could be had been unleashed. She stabbed at the crust with her fork and tried to figure out if the money she had already saved could possibly be enough.

"Not hungry?"

"Not really."

He slid her plate over in front of him and started eating her mutilated pie. She continued to think about Carlos and how it was time to finally leave him too, probably even more so then her job. Maybe in the morning when he goes to work she would drive to the bus station and buy a ticket to God knows where. She would figure it out when she got there. Carlos for sure would go down there and threaten to know where she had headed, but at least by then she'd have 7 or 8 hours on him.

"You ok?" She glanced up and saw Jax studying her again. He seemed very focused on finding out what was up with her.

"Yeah, just rattled that's all."

"How about I take you back for your stuff and then I follow you home?" His eyes were searching hers for an answer, but this time she didn't react as quick.

"You don't have to follow me home, I'll be fine." Please just say ok and drop it.

"I don't have to but I'm going to. I want to make sure you're ok after everything you went through tonight."

She tried to think of some excuse, but his face looked determined. He wasn't going to take no for an answer. Maybe she could drive to a different address and fake going in…no he'd probably wait to watch her go inside. She was so screwed.

"Do you have a boyfriend or something?"

"It's complicated."

"Alright, I'll take you to get your stuff though, I know you don't want to go back in there alone."

"Thanks," She said smiling at him. He really was a strange kind of sweet.

As they went back out to his bike, Kate waited for him to hand her his helmet and she hugged him, thinking that was the best way to show him she was thankful for what he did, basically saving her life. But as soon as she did it, she instantly regretted it. His smell, the way his body fit next to hers, the way he felt under her hands….she realized she was lingering and thought about pulling back.

"Thanks again, I mean it," She said in his ear, trying to cover that she was enjoying it way too much. He pulled back a little to look at her, both of their arms falling to their sides. It was dark outside but there was enough light coming from the outside of the building that she could see his features. His face remained close to hers and she started feeling nervous.

"I'm sorry you were even there." He answered, looking into her eyes with that same intent stare, she saw his eyes look downward and she wondered if he was looking at what she wanted him to be looking at. Scared, she turned to put the helmet on her head.

"Me too," She threw him a small smile and quickly buckled the chin strap. He smiled back but seemed to realize it was a bad idea too, turning to get on his bike. She got on behind him, wrapping her arms around his stomach. She didn't notice before how good it felt. She tried to push the thoughts from her mind though, determined to leave town in the morning forever. But could she? After what he had done for her? After what he had been through? Could she leave without even telling him? Why not, there was nothing going on between them, except maybe a small friendship developing. It was better this way anyway. He was focused on justice for his wife, he didn't need her distracting him with her client drama.

But for one quiet moment, riding along with the air whipping circles around her, she got a glimpse at what was possible in her life. A life of freedom, a life of choices and the feeling that she might be good enough for someone to actually care about.

****This one's a little shorter, sorry about that, but I wanted to keep it drama free for at least one chapter of the story. And when I don't have drama, I don't know what to write :) Please let me know, good, bad, ugly, crazy whatever!****