Hi guys,

Another update for you. This one may make more sense to those of you that have read my previous fic 'What I want for you' as this chapter centres around Catherine's letter to Tara. This is where their feeling for each other start to change (or my interpretation of it)

A happier chapter than the previous one (needed to vent out my 'I can't believe Tara's dead' anguish out in that last one). As always, reviews and messages are always appreciated xxxx

Never forget her birthday…..

He rounded the corner of her road a little faster than he should have. He'd been running an errand for Clay and although he knew he wouldn't prospect for at least another two years, Jax knew that it all went in his favour when getting a sponsor. But the journey had taken longer than expected, meaning that he hadn't had chance to wish her a happy birthday.

They weren't dating. Jax had pondered the thought, more so recently, but nothing was exchanged between them more than innocent hugs or pecks on the cheeks. He often wondered if Tara had ever considered the notion too.

He found her sat on the step of her porch, deep in thought. He looked across at her as he switched off the engine and Tara was completely oblivious to him as he parked on the other side of the road. It was only as he walked down her driveway that she looked up at him, a slow but wide smile gracing her lips as she saw him.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing out here all alone?" he beckoned as he approached, his hands carefully placed behind his back.

Tara smiled slightly wider, glowing from his compliment "I just needed some fresh air"

Jax nodded and looked across at the front door to Tara's house, noticing that it was slightly ajar. No doubt her dad was in there, probably passed out drunk. On her birthday. Son of a bitch, Jax thought.

"Everything alright?" Jax nodded his headed slightly towards the door. She knew what he was asking, knew that he was really trying to gage if her dad had fucked up the day for her without saying it outright.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's great. My dad made my day really special, bought me some really nice things. He even baked me a cake" Tara beamed, it seemed Eddie Knowles could make an effort when he wanted.

Jax nodded but his brows hunched together, a confused look gracing his face "What's so special about today?"

Tara pursed her lips together and raised her eyebrows at him. She knew he hadn't forgotten, every year he feigned forgetfulness.

Jax grinned and brought his hands from behind his back. In them he held a small red box, wrapped in paper, and as he reached over to give her his gift he kissed her cheek lightly before sitting next to her on the step.

"Happy birthday Knowles"

She smiled at him before whispering her thanks. She looked down at the box excitedly. They rarely exchanged gifts on birthdays but this year was an exception. Her long fingers unwrapped the present hastily but she was careful not to rip the paper, not wanting to seem ungrateful for the time her had clearly spent wrapping the gift.

As she opened the box she let out a small sigh, a clear sign that he had chosen well. Jax watched her reaction, acknowledged how her eyes widened and her mouth opened, with her lips tugging into a smile.

"Oh Jax, it's beautiful, thank you"

Jax smiled, happy that she was thrilled with his choice. He reached into the box to take out the necklace. It was a simple gold chain with a single pendent that had a small heart shape with the number 16 in it. He unclasped the fastening and placed it on her neck, reaching behind her to fasten it up.

"It's only little but I thought you might like it"

"I do, I love it"

Tara placed her hand across the pendant, bringing it closer to her heart, touched at his thoughtfulness. Her other hand grasped tightly to the letter that she had been given just hours before.

"What's that?" Jax asked, his eyes resting on the piece of paper she held in her hand.

Tara looked down at the paper and smiled sadly "It's a letter from my mom"

Tara looked over at Jax and giggled at his confused look. How could her mom give her a letter if she had been dead for seven years? "She wrote me a letter for me to open today. I guess she felt guilty that she wouldn't be here. My dad gave it to me earlier, telling me that she had written it specifically for me to read today"

Jax nodded and contemplated how thoughtful an action that was. Catherine Knowles had died eight months after she had been told her cancer was terminal but this small gesture made her presence known in her absence. Jax noted the smile on Tara's face as she reread some of the words.

"So, does your mom say anything good in this letter?" he enquired.

Tara straightened her back and inhaled deeply. She had expected to cry when reading her mother's letter, to miss her more than she already did. But somehow Catherine's words brought a smile to Tara's face, it made her feel like her mother was sitting by her side on that step, like she was just as close as Jax was to her now. Tara smiled and glanced at Jax coyly.

"Actually, she's giving me advice on how to get a boyfriend" Tara laughed, thinking how stupid that statement sounded.

Jax laughed with her "I don't think you'll have any problems in that department Knowles"

Tara glanced over at him and her smile became broader. It wasn't the first time Jax had complimented her like this, he always playfully flirted with her and she had always flirted back. Nothing would ever come of it, besides he'd never look at a 'plain Jane' like her.

But as she watched Jax his eyes looked up to meet with hers and his smile faltered slightly, his eyes momentarily glanced down at her lips. Her breath caught in the back of her throat for a moment and she wondered if, when writing her letter, Catherine Knowles had seen something between Jax and Tara that they had been completely unaware of.

Maybe Jax was the one Catherine was writing about.

"Tara!" Eddie Knowles's voice boomed from inside the house, breaking the momentary spell between the two teens.

Tara tore her gaze away from Jax and looked at the front of her house, worried that her father would come out and see her in such an intimate moment. But what was intimate about it? All they were doing was sitting on the steps of her porch, as they had done since they were six years old. So why had that particular instant felt so different to all those other childhood moments?

Tara shook her head, and smiled to herself as Jax shifted uncomfortably on the step beside her. She listened as he cleared his throat, eager to expel the nervous tension between them.

"I better go, I promised my dad that we would sit and watch some home movies together tonight. I think the letter has made him miss my mom that much more"

Jax nodded and wiped his palms on his jeans "No problem, I better head back home too"

A strange feeling crept over Tara, almost as if she was reluctant to see him leave.

"I mean, you don't have to go" she stuttered "You could come in, have some of my cake and watch the movies with us? There's one of my eighth birthday with you and Opie in it"

Jax chuckled at the thought as he got to his feet, remembering the party that Tara was referring to "No thanks, my mom's doing a dinner. She'll spew if I'm late"

Tara reluctantly rose to her feet to, nodding her understanding. They stood in front of each other, an awkward silence filling the small gap between them. Jax, with his hands stuffed in his jeans pockets, shifted uncomfortably from one leg to the other, Tara clasped her letter in her hands tightly. Both thought back to what had occurred a few moments ago when Jax, unbeknown to Tara, had wanted to kiss her. Maybe she had wanted that too, and that was why they now seemed so uncomfortable. These childhood friends seemed to be evolving into something more.

Tara nervously bit her lip as she looked at him. Why did she have butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she looked at him? She broke the silence "Well thanks for the present Jax. I love it"

Jax's shoulders hunched up and his head fell back a little, a cocky smile tugging at his lips. "No problem Knowles. Save me a piece of that cake, huh?"

Tara giggled, feeling a little easier. "Uh huh"

"Happy sweet sixteenth Tara" he whispered as he stepped closer. He moved his head towards her cheek, making sure his movement was slow in case she fleetingly felt brave and shifted her stance so that he could kiss her lips, but she stayed still for him to rest his lips on her smooth cheek. As his lips stayed there for a moment longer, savouring the touch of his mouth on her skin, she closed her eyes.

He pulled away and his eyes gazed deeply into hers. He mimicked her actions by biting his lip and smirked as he backed away and started to walk down the drive way slowly. After a moment he turned back around to see that Tara was now walking towards her front door and just before she ventured over the threshold he shouted back to her;

"Hey Knowles. Don't worry about having to find Romeo, I'm sure he'll find you. Maybe he's closer than you think, huh?"

Tara smiled across at Jax and their eyes met once more, this new chemistry fleetingly surging between them again, before Jax waved goodbye and turned his back to mount his bike.

As he rode off her eyes followed him until he reached the end of the street and as he swerved into the new road that took him out of her sight.

"Maybe he is" she murmured as she closed the door, her thoughts lost on how close their lips had been just minutes before.

Wondering what was in Catherine's letter? Check out 'What I want for you' xxx