Sandbox belongs to Kurt Sutter & SM I'm just having fun with their creations. Also any mistakes are my fault, No Beta
Embry closes his phone after checking the time and after looking around to make sure no one is looking his way, disappears into a secluded area to phase.
About time you showed up ~ Leah
Sorry had to make sure no one was around. It's a little harder for me to phase than you guys
Don't worry about it man. How are things? ~ Quil
Caracara was burned down and Bella's cousin thinks that it was her uncle so he wants to go lone wolf
Charlie is still mumbling about going after that guy that attacked Piper's mom ~ Seth
But only when he thinks we're not around. Mom is having a hard time not letting him go ~ Leah
How's Bella? ~ Sam
Trying to keep busy. She pulled the kids out of school and is taking a leave of absence
Damn ~ Jake ~ Sorry Angela needed help with the baby
You get the stuff from Bella?
Angela laughed for an hour when she open the box ~ Jake
What Bella send? ~ Jared
A stuffed wolf on a Harley, a SAMCRO onesie and SAMCRO cap for him to wear ~ Jake
Sounds like something she would do ~ Paul
What's going with that guy, Zobelle? ~ Leah
Nothing right now. They're doing guns again ~ he lets them hear what he did when Opie confronted the judge
She still having you follow him and Jax around ~ Sam
Yeah, which leaves her and the kids unprotected. Dammit, Jake, I need help
Help is headed your way, should be there in less than an hour ~ Jake
Not hearing anyone stirring inside, he sits on the steps and waits.
After a few minutes, he hears the kids talking quietly. Standing, he enters the house.
"Bry!" Ellie shrieks. He grabs her when she gets to him and hugs her.
"Shhhh, are they still sleeping?" he asks motioning down the hall to where he knows Bella and Opie are not sleeping. A least she's trying to be quiet...
Kenny shrugs.
He steers them to the kitchen and grabs a box of cereal. He's poring milk into his bowl when he nearly drops the carton, due to the sound of bikes outside.
"Stay here." he tells the kids. He places his hand on the handle of the gun in the back of his jeans. He opens the door to see Paul and Quil pulling to a stop in front of the house. He laughs taking his hand off his gun, thankful for the help.
"So this is Bells place?" Quil asks when they get close to him.
"Opie's house...yeah it's hers." he laughs.
Paul smirks and cracks his knuckles, "I get to meet the boyfriend before Jake. Awesome." he says with a smirk.
"My cousin. I get first dips." Quil says.
He just rolls his eyes and has them come in.
"Bry?" Kenny says looking at him in confusion.
"They're family. Go get your dad and Bella." he tells him. He looks and sees that Ellie and Piper are sitting in the living room, watching cartoons and eating cereal.
"DAD!" Kenny yells going down the hall.
Embry watches as the bedroom door opens.
"Kenny, what did I say about yelling?" Opie says coming out of the room, putting his shirt on.
"Don't..but..Embry brought friends." Kenny tells him.
He looks up and notices that there are two guys he doesn't know watching him. Knowing Bella is still getting dresses he makes sure to close the door behind him.
"Embry, who are your friends?" he asks coming over to them.
"This is..." Embry is cut off by a excited laugh coming from behind him.
"PAUL!" Bella laughingly yells running by him and grabbing one of the guys in a hug.
"Hey, little sis." the guy she is hugging says.
"Hey Quil." she says noticing the other guy.
"Bella?" he says getting her attention.
She lets go of the guy she is hugging and goes over to him, pulling him down for a quick kiss, "They're family." she whispers.
"As I was saying," Embry mock glares at her, "This is Paul and my brother Quil."
"Nice to meet ya." he says wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him.
Paul and Quil smirk and nod at each other.
"What are you guys doing here?" she asks smiling.
"Came to visit my little sis. Got my kit if you want me to do that ink later." Paul tells her.
"You got it." she says with a grin.
"Rachel let me ink her back." Paul says with a grin.
"Ink?" he asks looking at her.
"Remember, I told you that Paul designed my tattoo." he nods at her, "I asked him to create another one for me and this time he gets to do the ink instead of his fiancee." she tells him leaning back against his chest.
He nods and brushes a kiss on her head. "Okay, I need to get to the garage."
"I know...any word about the transfer yet?" she whispers turning in his arms.
"I'll let you know when I know something. You visiting Luann today?" he asks smiling down at her.
"Yeah, Chibs gets out today right?" she asks.
He nods.
"Love you." she whispers before kissing him.
Embry, Paul and Quil head into the living room and sit down with the kids and wait for Bells to finish saying goodbye to her mate.
"Em, take your time. I'll let them know that you'll be a little late. Nice meeting the two of you." Opie calls out as he is putting on his kutte. Kenny, Ellie and Piper quickly get up and each give him a hug.
"Later." they all say as Opie leaves.
Bella stands in the doorway, smirking at her pack brothers and kids.
"SO why you really here?" she asks.
"Extra protection, sis. You and the pups need it." Paul tells here.
Quil nods in agreement.
"Okay...I'm glad you guys are here." she tells them as Quil gets up and gives her a hug.
He walks into the clubhouse behind Bobby and Tig.
"What's going on?" Bobby asks seeing Clay on the phone.
"Nomad prez." Half-Sac tells them.
Each find a seat and wait.
Clay hangs up and joins them.
"Quinn accepted Jax's transfer." Clay tells them. "He's waiting on us."
"So it's really happening?" Half-Sac asks.
"Yeah..." Bobby says looking at Clay.
"I didn't start this. I didn't light the goddamn match." Clay tells them.
"Tell that to Jax." he says grabbing his phone to text Bella.
"If he truly thinks that I would burn down Caracara while Luann is laid up in the hospital...I got no reason to keep him around." Clay says.
"Gonna need a full table." Bobby says. "Vote needs to be unanimous."
"I'll go tell my old man." he says sending the text to Bella.
"Nomad says yes..Need full table, heading to see my dad. It's from Opie." Quil says reading off the text for her while she is laying down while Paul does her new tattoo.
"Who's Nomad?" Kenny asks from his seat. He's sitting next to Bella's head while she helps him with his reading.
Ellie and Piper are watching cartoons on the other side of the room.
"Nomad is...what Uncle Jax is thinking about doing." she tells him, slightly upset.
"Sorry sis." Paul says softly not taking his eyes off his work.
She nods and closes her eyes thankful for the pain of him inking her skin at the moment.
Jax pulls into the driveway of Piney's cabin. He gets off his back and heads to the door to knock.
Piney is waiting with the door open before he gets there.
"What are you doing here?" Piney wheezes out.
"No one heard from in a while. Making sure you're not dead."
"Well?" Piney scoffs holding his arms out so he can look at him.
"Smell like you are. When did you take a shower last."
Piney rolls his eyes and sits down.
"I wanted you to hear this from me...I've decided to go nomad." he says leaning against the wall.
"You gave me your word that you would make things right...how you going to do that if you're not there? I gave you your dad's book."
"I know...but it's not exactly a how-to manual. It's half manifesto, half MC love letter. I'm trying to read between the lines. Even Bella is trying to help and even she is having a hard time finding the right path."
"He saw this coming, you know. The feds, Irish..guys like Zobelle. He knew it would end bloody."
"It doesn't have to be that way."
"It will when you give up." Piney states.
"If I don't leave now, someone is going to end up dead. I can't do that to my mom or Bella, for some reason, they love him."
Piney just shakes his head and leaves the room. Knowing they aren't going to get anywhere he leaves.
Opie pulls in as he exits.
"Told him?" Opie asks getting off his bike.
He nods.
"Didn't take it well, did he?"
"Nope." he scoffs.
"Can admit, i'm having a hard time wrapping my head around it."
"When it comes to me and Clay, I'm not sure anything I do is good for the club."
"He's your father, Jax."
"No, my old man died sixteen years ago." he says walking off.
She enters the hospital to find Jax standing there, waiting.
"Told Gemma yet?" she asks coming up behind him.
He turns to her as she warps her arm around his waist, he looks behind her and notices a new shadow.
"Not yet. Who your friend?" he asks.
"Paul."
"The one that did your back."
She nods, "And my new ink. Thought Luann could use a little eye candy." she says with a grin.
He's cut off by Happy heading their way.
Happy reaches into his vest and starts pulling out a piece of paper, "I got Quinn's letter..."
"Not now." she snarls looking around.
Jax nods in agreement. Happy nods in understanding as Chibs steam rolls toward them, Half-Sac, Bobby and Tara behind him.
"I"M FREE! Jackie boy!"
"Put this on, brother." Bobby says handing Chibs his kutte.
"Was he always like this or was there some damage?" she says with a grin when Chibs laughs and picks her up in a hug.
"Hello, beautiful." Chibs says before shocking all of them by smacking her lips with a kiss.
Paul moves forward and growls softly.
She hits him on the shoulder laughing as he puts her back down and wiping her mouth. "Yeah there was brain damage."
Jax just shakes his head laughing, "How you doing?"
"I'm alright. What's going on with Zobelle?" Chibs says softly.
She and Paul move around the boys to stand next to Tara as Chibs and Jax talk quietly.
Unlike Tara, she notices that the woman, Margaret Murphy was watching them.
Jax comes over and gives her a hug before kissing Tara goodbye.
"I'm going to see Luann, you coming?" she asks trying to ignore the woman glaring at Tara.
Tara shakes her head no, so she and Paul head up.
Embry watches as the van and Jax's bike come onto the lot.
"Chibs!" Clay calls out as he and the rest of the group go to meet him.
"Jax going nomad, Caracara burning down. Anything else I don't know about?" Chibs demands.
"Wanted to let you heal first." Clay tells him.
"I'm all better." Chibs scoffs.
"Save it for the table." Bobby says as Gemma gets near them.
"Welcome home." Gemma tells Chibs.
He watches as Chibs hugs Gemma.
"I have a repo." Gemma says when Chibs lets her go.
Opie takes it out of her hand, "Sacks!"
He watches as Opie and Half-Sac head to the tow truck. He sees Clay say something to Jax but he's unable to hear it since he's closer to the machines now. He notices Jax take out his phone before taking off again.
"What's up? Text was vague." he says entering the house to find Tara waiting for him holding Abel.
She nods her head to the living room where Stahl is sitting on his couch.
"You got a warrant?" he snarls at her.
"Not searching now am I?" Stahl snarks.
"Where's Neeta?" he asks Tara softly as he goes over to her and Abel.
"Getting groceries." Tara tells him.
"You two are so sweet. Like Ozzy and Harriet."
Tara glares at her as the front door opens and three kids burst into the house.
"Hey, it okay if Neeta..." Bella starts as she walks in Paul and another guy behind her. "Ellie, take Kenny and Piper outside. Quil, go with them." she orders to the guy he doesn't know.
The kids, knowing something is up quickly go outside with Quil.
"Unless you have a warrant, get the hell out of this house." she snarls pointing at the door.
He wraps a arms around Tara and watches his cousin go head to dead with the ATF bitch.
"Hmmm, need a little girl to protect you Jax." Stahl snarks.
Bella glares at her. For some reason, he is sure that Paul starts growling when Stahl stands up and moves close to Bella.
"I'm just curious, why are you leaving SAMCRO, Jax?" Stahl says not once taking her eyes off Bella.
Tara looks at him in confusion.
"Give me a few?" he asks her. Glaring at Stahl, Tara heads outside to join the kids.
"Oh..I thought old ladies knew everything." Stahl snarks looking away from Bella to turn and face him.
Out the corner of his eye, he sees Paul grab Bella when her arm raises, more than likely to attack Stahl.
"What do you want?"
"Same pitch as last time. The Irish screwed you, so screw them back and screw Zobelle. Plus you'll be protecting the MC."
"Same response. I'm not a rat." he snarls at her.
Stahl smirks, "SAMCRO is not my target at the moment but you don't help me and I will come after you." Stahl says grabbing her purse. "Tara's a legal guardian, right? I would hate for that precious little boy to end up in the system. Any of the kids really." Stahl says the last part looking right a Bella.
"Touch any of my kids and I will end you." Bella snarls at her.
Stahl smirks and lets herself out.
"Calm down, Bells. Bitch was just trying to rile you." Paul tells her.
"He's right. No one is going to touch any of your kids." he says coming over and Paul lets her go as he wraps his arms around her. He smiles softly knowing that she considers Abel one of her kids.
The three of them head outside. Ellie, Kenny and Piper are playing on the play set that he put in when Kenny and Ellie started spending time here.
Abel is sitting in a bouncy seat watching them.
"What was she talking about? And why did it seem like Bella already knew?" Tara asks him. Bella and Paul sit down on the lawn chairs.
He takes her inside.
"I'm going Nomad. I'm still part of the MC, just not attached to any one town." he tells her.
"Bella?"
"She was there at Caracara when I asked Happy to talk to Quinn."
"So she knew and didn't tell me?"
"I asked her not to until things were certain. I need to do this. There needs to be space between me and Clay."
"You made this decision without talking to me."
"It was the right one." he tells her.
She heads back outside, ending the conversation. He stops himself from kicking or hitting anything and lets himself out.
She looks up when Tara comes out by herself.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Part of me was hoping that he'd change his mind." she tells her as Tara sits down.
"I just wish he would have talked about it with me before deciding it."
"I know. If you want to head to work, I can wait for Neeta. Was gonna see if she could watch the kids for a couple hours, at least until Embry could come get them."
"She likes having the around, says it makes her feel useful having a house full." Tara says standing and heading back inside.
"You know Quil could watch them." Paul says.
"Not yet. They don't know him."
He nods in understanding.
At the Wahewa Reservation , he and Sac repossess an old SUV.
An Indian woman rushes out to stop them.
"NO!" the woman yells.
"Sorry, just doing our job." Sac says.
"I need my truck!" she says. "All my beads are in there. I'm a bead weaver."
"Sorry, contact your finance company." he tells her.
"Please." she begs.
"I'm sorry." he says getting into the truck.
"I call dibs." Sac says opening up the trunk of the SUV.
"Really?" he says as Sac grabs one of the boxes and takes out his knife to open it.
Sac nods as he cuts open the box to reveal bullets.
"Holy shit." he mutters as Sac takes one of the bullets out.
"Clay. Tig. You might want to come see this." Sac calls out. Sac holds out the bullet for Clay to take when they get close.
"Homemade, unstamped." Clay says handing it to Tig.
"Where?" Tig asks.
"Hauled it from the Wahewa land." he tells them.
"Not many hunters use nine mil for deer." Clay says. "We need to talk to the owner."
"Umm..is he suppose to be driving?" Embry calls out pointing to Chibs getting into one of the vans and driving off.
"Fuck." all of them mutter.
She takes a deep breath before dialing the number.
"Hey hun. What's wrong?" Gemma ask when she picks up.
"I wanted you to hear it from me... though I'm sure Tara is on her way to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Jax is joining the Nomads."
"SHIT!"
"Yeah..."
She can hear Gemma breathing hard. "Tara just pulled in."
"Okay, I'm sorry." she says softly.
"I know." Gemma says hanging up.
Tara enters the office to find Gemma pacing.
"Guess you heard." she says sitting down "Maybe with the way things are going, it's not a bad idea."
"No, it's a terrible idea. Nomad is purgatory. No family or roots."
"He thinks it's the right thing to do."
"He doesn't know what's best right now. Jax by himself with the list of enemies we have." Gemma shakes her head, lost.
Swallowing hard, she gets up and leaves Gemma to her thoughts. Not so sure about Jax going Nomad anymore.
"Were you going to tell me?" Gemma asks when he enters the office.
"Yeah, just didn't want to say anything until things were certain." he tells her sitting down next to her.
"Are they?"
"Vote's tonight."
Swallowing, "A while back, you were searching for a box. I know what was in it."
He nods.
"Why did you burn it?"
"At the time, I wasn't sure what to do with it."
"Your dad was lost, Thomas had just died. Darkest time of his life." she wipes a tear from her eye, "I loved him, more than I loved any man. Smart, big heart and very complicated. Just like you."
He laughs.
"I think his complications killed him."
"What?" he asks sitting straighter.
"I don't think it was an accident. I think he hated his life and let the road take it. I don't want that for you, Jackson."
"I know, ma." he says standing.
"Page 449." she calls out.
He nods but doesn't look back.
Opie goes with Clay, Tig and Half-Sac back to the reservation.
While the woman doesn't want to talk to them, her son does.
"You've been quiet about this." he says to Bobby as they get on their bikes to go talk to Juice.
"No one asked what I think." Bobby says.
"I'm asking."
"I don't think Clay burned down Caracara. He wouldn't do that to Luann or Bella. I makes it easier for you to hate him if you think it's true. Check with Unser. See what he knows."
"What about my going Nomad?"
"I think we need a psychic shift. Maybe you doing Nomad is it or not." Bobby starts up his bike and that is the end of the conversation.
He and Bobby enter Juice's hospital room.
"There's our favorite pin cushion." Bobby jokes.
"Shit..I've missed you guys." Juice says sitting up.
"How you doing?" he asks.
"Should be out in a day or so."
"Nice." Bobby says.
"So what's up?"
"Gonna need you to proxy a vote."
Juice looks at them in confusion. "For?"
"I'm asking for a transfer." He tells him. "Going Nomad."
Juice scoffs leaning his head back to lay on the pillow behind him, "Can't say I didn't see it coming."
"I'll let you give Bobby your vote." he says and turns to leave.
"You remember what you told me, once you're patched, the members are your family. This charter is your home." Juice says as he opens the door and leaves the room.
He's sitting down drinking a beer when Clay joins him.
"When you get all quiet like this, you remind me of your old man." Clay tells him.
He laughs, "Jax wants me to vote to let him go."
"Love to give advice don't he. Sure don't take any."
"Reminds me of his old man." he says looking at Clay.
"John was a stubborn bastard." Clay says with a laugh.
"I was talking about you." he says.
"Fatherhood...tough."
"Yeah, when Donna...I spun out of control. Didn't know how to comfort my kids. Bella...she helped me stay sane. Helped me and the kids."
"You're a good man, Ope. Bella would't love you if you weren't. You know what, head home. I'll wait."
"You sure?" he asks about to get up.
"See you at the clubhouse."
He gets up and heads out.
Jax sits in Abel's room while he sleeps. He can hear Neeta telling the kids to quiet down.
He opens the manuscript to page 449.
I found myself lost in my own club. I trusted few, feared most. Nomad offered escape and exile. I didn't know if leaving would cure of kill this thing that we created. I didn't know if it was an act of strength or cowardice. I didn't know, so I stayed. I stayed because, in the end, the only way I could hold this up was to suffer under the weight of it.
He gets home and sees Quil and Paul passed out in the living room. He heads into the bedroom and starts undressing, thinking to grab a shower before having to head to the clubhouse.
"Hey." Bella says coming into the room, in only a towel, her hair wet. He sits on the bed when she stands in front of him. "What are you doing home?" she says with a smile.
He runs his hands from her knees to just under the towel, "Want to take a shower with me?"
"You just want to see my new ink." she says with a grin and drops the towel.
He slowly traces the new tattoo. It starts at the tops of her rips and flows down to her hip. It's an angel crumbled on to its knees, hands covering it's face. Black hair fallen between the gray and black wings, black, grey and white bandages cover its body. The ball that the SOA symbol on it is next to her knees. Loose feathers from the wings go down her side to pool at her hip.
He stutters unsure what to say.
"A fallen angel." she says softly. "For all those that we've lost." she adds with a small smile.
"You most certainly are one." he says softly picking her up and carrying her back in the bathroom.
He sits with Unser, who tells him that there is no way that one man burned down the Caracara.
Understanding, he gets up and walks over to talk to Clay, who is luckily standing by himself.
"Can I talk to you?" he says swallowing his pride.
"What's up?" Clay asks.
"I'm sorry about accusing you for burning Caracara. I was wrong."
"The way we've been going at each other, not surprised you though I did it."
"My going Noman, what's your thoughts?"
"Makes sense."
"You want me gone." he asks roughly.
"I didn't put this in motion."
"Not what I'm asking. Do you want me gone?" he swallows hard.
"Yes." Clay says roughly.
He walks away quickly to hide how that one word affected him.
"Alright. We know what's on the table. Nomad has accepted Jax. We need to vote for release. Anything to say?" Clay says unable to look at him. His glasses hiding his eyes.
He shakes his head, knowing if he opens his mouth part of him might beg to stop this.
"Yea." Clay says roughly. "I have Tig's proxy, yea."
"Juice's proxy is yea. Me...yea." Bobby says.
Piney stands, "Yea." he says roughly and walks out.
Opie looks at him, sighs, "Yea."
He nods.
Chibs sits there unsure.
"Chibs?" Clay asks.
"This what you want?" Chibs asks.
He nods, not looking at anyone.
"Jesus...yea."
"Vote is unanimous. You're free to transfer." Clay says and turns unable to look at him.
He stands, removes his kutte and lays it on the table. He takes out his knife and starts removing his patches.
Tara is waiting for him when he exits the clubhouse.
"Thought you were at work?" he asks when she wraps her arms around him. She rests her hands on the empty spots where his patches were.
"I had vacation time saved up. Let's get away from Charming for a few days. Let things quiet down." Tara says softly.
"What about the kid?" he says with a smile.
"We'll bring him with us. He'll love it."
"Alright...we'll go tonight." he says.
"I need to talk to you." Gemma says coming over to them.
"Ma..."
"Come to the house. Both of you." Gemma says before walking off.
"Hey Gemma, what's up?" she asks picking up the phone.
"Come to the house. You and Ope. Tonight."
"Umm... okay. We'll be there soon."
"What's up?" Opie asks stealing a carrot off the plate.
"Gemma wants you and me to come over. Now."
"Okay, what about the kids?" he says looking at their kids sprawled out in the next room. Ellie is sitting next to Embry, reading. Paul is showing Kenny all the things in is kit and Piper is watching a movie with his head on Quil's lap.
"Embry." she calls out. He comes in the kitchen. "Could the three of you watch the kids? Gemma needs me and Ope."
"No problem."
"Okay, food will be ready in fifteen minutes. Make sure they eat everything." she says pointing to the food in the oven before following Opie out of the house.
He smokes a cigeratte while Tara gets him some coffee.
He looks up when Opie and Bella walk in.
"What are you doing here?" he asks giving Bella a hug.
"Gemma told us to come over." she tells him, staring at his kutte. "It's done." she says softly.
He nods.
Gemma arrives with Clay.
Clay puts Jax's patches on the counter by the door.
"Sit down. You too, Tara." Gemma says when Tara starts to leave the room. "You and Bella know what I have to tell them."
Opie sits down and instead of sitting next to him, Bella sits in his lap. Clearly upset. Tara sits down next to him, placing her hand over his.
Opie, Clay and he look at the three of them in confusion.
"Gemma?" Clay asks.
"The night of Bobby's party...I didn't get into an accident." Gemma starts. "I was attacked."
The air in the room seems to be gone.
"A minivan pulls up behind me..this girl jumps out, screaming that her baby is choking. She was very convincing."
Opie wraps an arm around her waist while she places a hand on Gemma shoulder. Gemma reaches up and squeezes it.
"It was a goddamn doll. She hit me over the head, not sure what she used."
He can feel Tara's hand on his, shaking.
"I woke up, chained to some fence in the utility house by the access road. There was three of them..they wore masks." Gemma cuts off, tears in her eyes, "One spoke and I knew who it was by his voice and the tat on his throat. Zobelle's right hand, Weston. He told me to give you a message. Stop selling guns to color."
She lowers her head, trying to muffle the sobs by holding a hand over her mouth.
"Told me if I didn't, they'ld find me and do it again."
He, Clay and Opie silently seethe that Zobelle dared to do this.
Gemma takes a deep breath, "They raped me. All three of them...more than once."
She sees her uncle's heart break at the news as his eyes start to water. She feels Opie tighten his hold on her.
Near tears, he hits the table before standing and going over to his mom, he kisses her hands and squeezes his step-father's shoulder. Clay places his hand over his. He holds out his hands for Tara and she takes it, nodding at Gemma that she is proud of her.
She slips out of Opie's lap and wraps her arms around Gemma shoulders, her tears following freely. She goes around and hugs her uncle.
Opie does the same as Jax, kisses Gemma's hands and resting his hand on his shoulder.
The four of them leave them be.
Clay cradles his wife's face in his hands, unsure what to say.
As he is about to leave, he stops at the doorway and reclaims his patches from the counter.
She smiles through her tears when she sees him pick them up. He and Opie exchange a look of understanding, Zobelle will pay with his life for this.
