Season 1 is finished! Enjoy and review about how you feel about the changes. I would love to hear your thoughts on how the writing style feels to you!
Jax had been missing for most of the day as Gemma and Tara waited at the hospital. She had explained to Tara everything that had been happening with Opie and all of the shit that Jax had been through in the last couple of hours to excuse his absence. Tara couldn't believe someone would think that Opie was a rat. All of us kids of a Son knew that being a rat meant that you were dead. Didn't matter who was your father, speaking to the cops against the club was basically putting a bullet in your head.
"What are you smiling about"" The smile on Tara's face was indescribable to anyone around her as she softly spoke to her infant son.
"I bet he is happy." Jax said as he walked in and saw the pair smiling at each other. As she looked up she noticed he was wearing his mischievous grin. "I mean he gets to play with those puppies more than I do."
"Actually I think he knows he is getting out today. Oh and by the way you get just as much time with them as he does." She held Abel out for Jax to hold as she adjusted her top. "How is everything with Opie?"
"Good I think everything should be fine." Bobby was in jail for murder and she knew that tensions were probably flying at the clubhouse. Opie wasn't just anyone. He was a part of the Son's family. His family was a part of the Son's history. If he turned then nothing was sacred.
"Are you sure because I am betting that Tig and Clay are suspicious." Inside Jax knew that the pair was suspicious but hearing someone else say that made him feel that Tara was on to something.
"That is true but I talked with Clay. He promised he was safe." It was not worth an argument so Tara trusted him and his assessment of the situation.
"Then I guess it's true." That was all she needed her to say as she confirmed in that simple statement that she would not fight him on it.
"Is he ready? Can we bust him out of here?" Changing the topic never helped get her mind off of the situation but sometimes it worked in his favor.
"We were waiting for you." She smiled as she picked up Abel and pointed out towards the door. "Jenny already came in for me to sign the papers."
"Alright Gemma is already back at the house with everyone." The new generation of SAMCRO was coming home today and that meant something to celebrate.
"Wouldn't want to keep the Queen waiting." She smiled as passed Abel over grabbing her bag.
"I am just glad he is getting out." Jax said as he kissed the baby's smooth forehead.
"Same but you might want to get yourself ready. It will be long nights with not a lot of sleep." Being a neonatal surgeon had Tara prepared for what would happen besides years of schooling and residency made her body use to no sleep. The real question was how their marriage would handle the new variable.
"I think we can handle it." Jax smile at her before heading into the elevator holding the door open.
"Are you sure because you can always sleep at the clubhouse if you can't." Tara was trying to hide the worry in her voice as the elevator slowly descended towards the ground floor.
"I promise I will be there the whole time tonight." His eyes were serious as he held his arm out once the doors opened.
"Okay." That was all that was said as Jax helped her place the baby seat in the back of the Cutlass and then headed to his own bike.
"I'll meet you at home." She nodded and followed him towards the house.
There she finally felt happy. Everyone had come in for this amazing occasion. Tommy, Kevin, Callie, and Mark were all there to welcome the first grandchild and nephew to the Knowles- Teller clan. Once their foot crossed the threshold there was a toast to the baby. Tara and Jax were beaming with pride as more and more people filed in for the party.
"I think he looks like Jax." Kevin commented as he held his nephew for the first time. "I don't really see Tara at all."
"I wouldn't say that man she gets pissed when someone mentions it." Jax said as he passed by his brother in law with a fresh beer in hand.
"I do not but it is true he does look like Jax as a baby." Tara commented from her seat as she gave Jax's shoulder a slight punch.
"Don't worry we can hope that he inherits our side of the family. Our genes are dominant." Mark commented as everyone around them laughed.
"I don't think so Teller genes are strong." Gemma said as she wrapped her arms around Tommy happy to have him home for once.
"It's true he already inherited one Teller trait." Tommy said as he gave his mom a slight nudge giving her that Teller charm.
"Two he had Tara under his charm within moments of meeting him." Mark said as Tara just rolled her eyes at how the conversation changed.
"Actually he had me the first time I heard his heartbeat. Besides it took almost fifteen years for Jax's charm to actually work." She proclaimed as she shot her dad a faux dirty look.
"That's not true he was flirting with you when you were in diapers sitting in my office at the garage." Gemma gave back as she turned to the loved up couple.
"Alright let's not take attention away from Abel. It is his big day." Jax said trying to stop this reminiscing party from going to more stories from their youth. He did not want some of them being told while his kid was in the room.
"Yeah that's the reason." Her sarcasm was not lost as people seemed to get distracted in their own separate conversations.
"So have you guys found a place yet?" Tara asked Callie as they were both fawning over Abel in Donna's arms.
"Yeah it is all taken care of. We are going to rent out the house in case we decide to move back." Callie commented as both of them hoped that this would be true. Tara knew why they were moving but still wished that they would stay but she also knew how stubborn was. She had inherited that same stubbornness and understood that he wanted to protect so she did not push the conversation any longer.
Donna and Tara ended up on the couch together talking. Truthfully neither one really had too many conversations outside of the club meeting. Donna had come after she had moved to Denver and then Opie had been inside when she came back. All together both women didn't really know much about the other but knew that they like each other enough. Tara had helped her a few times with the club drama. Being raised in this world you become numb to things like prison and runs.
"I better get the kids home." Donna declared as she headed over to where Jax and Opie were standing.
"It was good to talk to you Donna. We should do this more often." Tara questioned as she stood to follow in the same direction.
"I would like that. If you need any help just call okay?" Tara agreed and she smiled as she saw Opie and Donna embrace. It was nice to see him happy.
"I never told you but you did good on him." Opie said as he gave her a hug while Jax busied himself with Donna.
"I think so but Jax did have a part in it." She smiled as Jax just smiled as he watches their interaction with Donna also smiling beside him.
"He got the fun part. You did all the hard things." That brought a laugh to Jax's mouth. "All right good night."
"Night." Tara said as she gave Jax a little squeeze as she watched the pair leave.
"Tara where do you keep the extra dish washer powder?" Gemma asked as she fed Abel on the couch.
"I was just going to go get it. Do you want to go with me?" Donna asked as she headed toward to truck.
"Sure I could use a break from in there." Tara loved everyone in there but she was exhausted and didn't feel that.
"Yeah it's a little intense in there." Donna commented as they both climbed into the truck.
"There is definitely not enough room for all the leather in there." She declared as both of them laughed as Donna headed out onto the road.
"I bet you are beat. The first time you bring them home is the most stressful." Donna added as she smiled when Tara placed her head on the edge of the seat leaning against the window.
"That and you can't tell anyone but Jax is trying to get me pregnant again." She hadn't told anyone that they were trying but Donna was a person that was easy to talk to.
"He is trying already? It has been two months." Tara smiled at her reaction. It was similar to the one she had the previous night.
"I know but I think he feels guilty about the whole birth thing and besides he knows how quickly things change. Bobby's arrest has been hard on him." She tried to explain the best she could but Donna didn't grow up in this life.
"Opie has been weird too since he barely got out." They stopped at a stop light and Tara heard her phone go off in her bag.
She was leaning forward looking through the garbage that had accumulated when a round of gunfire went off. Then horn of the car was ringing through the quiet night as Tara finally looked up and let out a blood curdling scream. Donna was lying on the wheel staring at her with lifeless eyes. She knew there was no way to save her but she still touched the base of her neck looking for a pulse. Finally she looked up and saw the Range Rover speed up the street. This wasn't random. Her gut told her that this was because of the club.
Cops were called and took over as Hale let her sit in the back of his squad car as far away from the scene so as to not let her watch them take care of the body. The sound of bikes roared in the air as Tara felt the sudden gloom. Opie's yells were loud as he screamed for his wife. Tara was a coward for a moment not wanting to see him. See the way he looked at her trying to figure out why she had survived but Donna didn't.
Jax of course would never let her go and screamed through the crowd knowing that she was probably here since the Cutlass hadn't been missing. "Tara!"
"She's in the squad car." Hale informed him as he pointed at his own vehicle not even thirty feet.
She saw his eyes and immediately broke down crying. He had so much worry in his face as he grabbed her face in his hands and checked her for injuries. "What happened?"
"I don't know we were at the stop light and my phone went off. I was looking for it in my bag when the gun went off. She was dead before she even hit the steering wheel. The shooter was in a black Range Rover." She was rambling and couldn't even catch a breath before she kept on talking. "I can't see him Opie. I can't see his disappointment that it wasn't me who got shot in the head. I don't think I can take that."
"Opie would never think that. Please just take a deep breath before you pass out." He ordered as he pulled her to stand up so she could actually have a clear air way.
"You don't know that. He isn't going to be able to look at me." Tara said while bursting into another round of sobs not being able to control her emotions.
"It's okay." Jax could only think of that statement. His mind was handling too much and at the moment he needed to comfort his wife so he stood there with her against his chest rubbing her back.
"Jax we needed to get Donna to the hospital but we can't get Opie to let go." Hale knew pulling him away from Tara was dangerous but they needed to get her out of the street.
"Okay, you stay here I will be right back." Jax looked in her eyes as he slowly pulled away towards his best friend who was crying over his wife's body. "Tommy!"
Tommy came over since Mark and Kevin had stayed behind with the girls, so Jax figured he would be the second best to watch over Tara. "Yeah bro what do you need?"
"I am going to deal with Opie. I want you to take Tara home and stay with her until I get home. Tell everyone to leave." Crowded houses were never a good thing when dealing with someone in Tara's state. Jax knew that once he had done all he could with Opie then he needed to help Tara.
"Alright I am so sorry man." The brother's embraced then they went separate ways.
Jax could barely feel his body as he walked in the front door. Everything had been cleaned and there seemed to be a silence to the house that wasn't there when he left. Tommy had stood from his seat on the couch and said, "She's not doing too good. Hasn't left the nursery since we got here."
"Thanks for watching her. I can take it from here." Jax said as he grabbed his little brother in a tight embrace. There had been enough death in their life. The two of them had to deal with too much too young.
Tommy and he had watched as their mother and father's married dissolved into nothing. Gemma and Clay both started a relationship while John would escape to Belfast. Tommy had almost died from the same heart defect that his son had inherited. Their father's funeral was extravagant especially for the way he went. He went out on 580 by a semi. By the time the pair had been able to see him; the doctors had declared him brain dead. Death in this life was something that happened. This death however shook all of them in a way that no other could.
"Hey." Nerves kicked in as he walked into the nursery and saw Tara holding Abel tightly to her chest.
"Hi." Tara whispered back as she softly rubbed the baby's back soothing both her and his tension.
"We should get some sleep." Jax offered as he slowly bent down to pick up his son's small body relishing in the feel of the soft breath and steady heartbeat.
"I don't think I can sleep. The image won't go away." She felt ashamed to know she was so weak but seeing Donna just brought back memories of her mother's own death.
"Which image?" Jax asked. He knew this was a trigger. She had been through hell with her mother and now being there with Donna meant that all those emotions she had finally buried seemed to emerge once again.
"I guess both." Her honest answer was no shock to Jax. "Do you think if I wasn't there that maybe both of them would be alive?"
"No Robert was a ticking time bomb and Donna was the worst kind of mistake." He slowly stood placing the baby back into the crib.
"I was so scared." She whispered as she walked into his arms trying to find comfort.
"I know babe. I know." He grabbed her face in his hands and slowly started to kiss her. This was the way he could make her forget. He needed her to be somewhat whole so that he could help out Opie.
The next day was the hardest on Jax. Tara had hidden herself away from everyone. It took both Gemma and Callie to convince her to go on rounds at the hospital to help her get her mind off of everything. It wasn't until she got an unexpected visit from Kevin that made her terribly ill.
"Can we talk for a moment?" He asked as she nodded stepping aside in the hall way handing off the chart to a nurse.
"What's up?" Tara asked as Kevin continued to stare at his baby sister. She and he were both the same person just female and male versions of each other in looks and personality. He still couldn't believe that she had become a doctor.
"I was talking with dad and we think you and Abel should come to San Gabriel for a few weeks. Just until all of this shit calms down and then you can come back." She was shocked that he wanted her to leave.
"I can't leave Jax alone. Not like this." Tara knew that he needed her.
"Well you don't need this shit Tara. You have dealt with enough these past few years I don't want you to see the after math of this shit." Kevin knew that Donna's death was foreshadowing something horrible that was going to happen. He didn't need Tara getting in the middle of that.
"I can't leave him. I vowed for better or worse." Tara replied as she wanted him to understand that even though they were her family, Jax was her husband. "He has seen me in my worst now I need to be here for him."
"Okay but if you feel the need to leave then you get on the road. Don't even stop to call. Go straight to our clubhouse." Kevin demanded even though he knew that this would do nothing for her. She would stay with Jax because the love they had was blinding.
"I will." He grabbed her in a quick hug before heading back out towards the clubhouse where the funeral arrangements were being made.
It was maybe an hour before Jax showed up. She couldn't help but smiled at the idea that there had never been so many visits from SAMCRO members to St. Thomas since before her son's birth. "Can I have a minute?"
"Of course." She nodded as she guided him to abandoned waiting room. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to check on you. Make sure that you were doing okay." She smiled as he pulled her hand towards his mouth giving them a sweet kiss.
"I am doing okay. Kevin stopped by a little while ago." He looked interested in why her brother would stop by.
"What did he say?" Jax knew that Kevin was happy they were together but most of the members knew that this death would lead to some bad before any good could happen.
"He wanted me to head down with Abel and stay with Dad for a while." Tara said with a cringe. She knew his insecurities and didn't want it to get out of hand. "I told him no."
"Maybe you should." Jax said masking the anger boiling inside him. "I mean it seems as if everyone is questioning my ability to protect you."
"What are you talking about? I know that you will always protect you. I have never questioned that." Tara stated with fierce loyalty running in her veins.
"Why, I wasn't able to stop that dick Robert from almost killing you and Abel. Didn't you ever doubt that as you sat there watching our son fight for his life?" He asked needing to understand how she could trust him with her life.
"I never doubted you. I swear on my life." She took his hand in her to ensure that he wouldn't try to escape. "You can't be there every time but you were there when I needed you the most. I think I can take care of myself too."
"I know you can but that's not your job. I vowed to protect you with my life. Somehow I keep making people question that." Jax couldn't even make eye contact with her. He just leant his head down staring at his shoes.
"Please don't push me away. I need you in my life. I won't leave I promise." Tara grabbed his face as she kissed his lips lightly. "I love you too much to leave you."
"I love you too." He kissed with a fierce intensity but realized that he needed to leave and go take care of the club issues. "I have to go but promise me that when you are done that you will stay at the house. I will be home tonight."
"I will." She smiled at him as he stood and walked out the door. Suddenly she felt good about their chances.
That night Jax came home late at night and made love to her. It was passionate and needy. The one they both were in need of. She needed his strength to get through this coming day and he needed to know that one person in this whole entire world would never leave him.
Jax left as soon as it was finished. He said it was because he needed to ride out his emotions. The open road was one of two ways where he found clarity. Tara was the other. Usually one worked on its own but he knew that after their round of love making he needed more. Clay and Tig had killed Donna. That was more than his mind could take. His president had lied to face. It made him think of how many other times he had lied to him in his life about something. The graveyard gave him closure. The cold brought his senses back to life. The darkness gave him the vision he needed to figure what he needed to do. In truth what he needed to do was deal with Clay until it was time for him to step down and then make his own decisions. He needed to change the way this club operated. His son deserved a legacy better than this one.
Tara had brought Abel to the ceremony. She knew that it was not proper etiquette but it didn't really matter to her. He was a comfort. Reminding everyone around her with a death comes a new life. He was happy to be out and about in this new world. Abel enjoyed being in his mother's arms as she continually kissed his head to escape the final moments of Donna's life.
Jax hadn't showed up yet and that was making her fearful that something had happened. She had given Tommy his kutte that he left at the house the night before. Tommy was loyal and stood beside her the entire time. His familiar eyes and hair made her feel slightly at peace knowing that two people around her had pieces of Jax inside her. Towards the end of the service he showed looking out of shape. She had known that there had been a fight and someone's fist had made the bruises and cuts on Jax's face.
As he approached he slowly put on his kutte as he picked up a flower and placed it on Donna's grave. Then he came straight over to her. He grabbed Abel out of her arms and gave her a small kiss before disappearing again.
The priest finished his speech and people started to disperse. Gemma had tried to convince her to come back to her house but she declined. She needed to find Jax. Tommy had agreed to help her at this task. In the end Piney had ended up helping the pair. "He's with your dad." He directed at Tommy since he knew the way.
"I am going to go talk to him first. Once we are done then you should come in." Tommy had seen everything that happened. Happy had explained the fight that had gone down at the witness' house. Jax was self-destructing and he wanted Tara far away from that.
"What is going on in your head bro?" It was a question that could swing one of two ways. Simple or the most complicated answer in the history of Jax's life.
"Clay and Tig tried to kill Opie and instead killed Donna." He took the simple route. "And I can't do anything about it because it would kill Opie."
"What do we do then?" Tommy asked as he tried to figure what plan was going on in his mind.
"We go on as normal but you are going to have to transfer back here. I need you more than anyone right now." He needed his brother to keep him straight.
"Of course I will call Tacoma tomorrow." Jax nodded as he saw Tara standing off to the side with the baby. "She is worried about you."
"I know but we can't tell her. She had been through too much to deal with this." Tommy nodded as he saw his mom looking for them.
"I am going to go with mom. I trust you can take care of her then?" Jax nodded and smile as he saw her make her way over to him with a small smile on her face.
"Hey." She said as soon as he was close enough.
"You ready to go?" He asked taking Abel from her and giving his temple a kiss as the baby grabbed onto a lock of his hair.
"Let's go." She offered as they walked side by side towards the Cutlass. These next few months would be a test to their relationship.
Alrighty season 1 is done! Now it is on to season two and I am super excited to continue writing this.