Chibs quietly entered Jessie's hospital room, finding Jax asleep. Prodding the President's shoulder, Chibs roused him from his sleep. "Jacky, got a minute?"

Jax nodded, placing a quick kiss to Jessie's forehead before following Chibs out in the hall. "Yeah, what's up, man?"

Happy was standing there as well, looking solemn. Chibs cleared his throat, pulling Jessie's door shut. "Jax, the boys and I went to your house and did a little looking around. We found something you need to see." Chibs looked over at Happy, nodding.

The Saergent-at-Arms reached in the pocket of his kutte, pulling out something before showing it to Jax.

In Happy's hand was a horseshoe necklace.

There was only one person Jax knew who wore a necklace like that.

Without hesitation, Jax looked back up at the two men.

"Call everyone to chapel. Thirty minutes."

With that, he disappeared back into Jessie's room, shutting the door silently. As he stood there, he paused, looking at Jessie laying there with all the tubes and wires in her. She looked dead already, though the rising and falling of her chest told otherwise. Jax felt hot tears prick his eyes, and he sniffed to hold them back. His fists clenched as he leaned against the door. iHow could he not have known it was Tara? Why would Tara have a reason to do this? What the fuck was up with everybody wanting Jessie dead?/i Deciding that his inner battle would have to wait until later, he pushed down his thoughts and walked back over to sit in the chair beside Jessie's bed, taking her cold hand in his.

Revenge would be especially sweet when he got his hands on Tara.

Everything was in a white hazy halo as Jessie's eyes flickered open. She squinted at the brightness above her before realizing it was a light. It took an effort, but she finally managed to fully open her eyes and look around. The first thing she saw was Jax. He was sitting in a chair beside her bed, a hospital bed. Then she tried to sit up and the bolt of pain through her chest reminded her of what had happened. She remembered Tara, the evil look on her face, the sound of the gun going off before she had faded into unconsciousness.

Slowly Jessie relaxed back onto the bed, sucking in a labored breath before managing to let out a raspy cough. He looked up from the floor, a smile crossing his face. "Jess? Baby, you're awake!" He looked tired, more worn out than she'd seen him look in years. He leaned over the side of her bed, one hand brushing the blonde hair out of her face. The other rested softly on her stomach, Jessie feeling a flutter inside of her in response. "Jessie, you had us all so worried. Are you alright?"

Jessie nodded, trying to find the strength to speak. "I'm fine, Jax. How long have I been out?"

"Four days. They wanted you to rest."

"What about the boys? Are Thomas and Abel alright?"

Jax softly smiled. "Don't worry, they're fine. They've been staying with Mom while I was here. They know you got hurt, and that you're here to get better."

Tears filled Jessie's eyes as she looked up at her boyfriend. "Jax, I was so scared I was going to die. All I could do was lay there, feeling the blood pour out of me, not knowing if the boys were okay, nothing."

Jax soothingly brushed her hair back, looking into her eyes and pressing a kiss to her hand. "Baby, it's fine now. No one's going to hurt you, you and the babies are safe. You don't have to worry." He tightened his grip on her hand, reassuring her. She looked small and fragile in the hospital bed, and her blue eyes were welled with tears. "Nothing is ever going to hurt you again, Jessie, I promise."

She finally settled, relaxing back onto the bed. "I just want to go home, Jax. I don't want to be in this goddamn hospital bed with shit stuck in my arms like an alien. I want to be at home with Thomas and Abel."

"I know, baby, but you can't go home until you're better."

Abruptly, Jessie sat up in the bed, pulling the IV from her arm and screaming in rage. "I'm sick of this! Every fucking day I'm not safe, Jax, why does it matter if I'm at home or not! I don't want to be in a fucking hospital bed when I should be at home with my boys and being there for you and the club! My safety isn't a huge concern everyday when I'm at home, with fucking gangbangers blowing up our clubhouse, cartel members shooting up our house. It's not any different now!"

Jax grabbed her arms, pushing back down on the bed. She fought, kicking and screaming against his strength. "Jessie, stop!" Finally she calmed down, beginning to sob as she curled into a ball on the bed.

"I just want to be alone, Jax. Go be with the boys, the club, anything, just get out of here." Burying her face in the pillow, she curled her arms around herself, sobbing loudly. Standing there watching her cry, Jax knew there would be no reasoning with her in this state, and so he turned towards the door. He paused briefly, looking back over his shoulder at her. She was so vulnerable now that it scared him. He was used to Jessie being the rock, the one who was always steady. Watching her fall to pieces unnerved him. He could take blood, guts, anything but this. Finally, he opened the door and walked out into the hall, trying to block out her choked sobs.

As much as it pained him to leave her there crying, he knew he had to get to chapel.

All of Jessie's suffering would not be in vain.

Half an hour later, the entire SAMCRO chapter sat around the table, looking at Jax solemnly. The President looked like a statue, fire burning in his eyes. His voice was ice cold when he spoke.

"Gentlemen, there's one thing you should all know about me, and that thing is that no one messes with my family. Four days ago, Jessie was attacked in our house, and it's been brought to my attention that some crucial evidence was found that identifies her attacker."

Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a clear plastic bag containing the horseshoe necklace Happy had given him.

"This necklace belongs to Tara Knowles. She's the one who shot my girlfriend and endangered all four of my children. This meeting is not to play around. I'm putting a bounty on Tara's head. She deserves to have the same pain inflicted on her as she inflicted on Jessie. I don't care if you have to go to the ends of the earth to find the bitch, I don't want a stone left unturned."

Jax shifted in his chair, his face stony.

"I want Tara Knowles dead."

Everyone exchanged a look. This was a side of Jax they'd never seen before. He was practically shaking with rage, his knuckles white around the gavel.

"Jessie is more than just my Old Lady, boys. She's the backbone of this club and this family. Without her, a lot of us would be in deep shit by now. I promised her that I wouldn't let her get hurt, and now look what's happened. I want Tara dead, I want her head on a goddamn silver platter! That's the only thing that's going to make this right, boys."

No one objected, and so Jax brought the gavel down heavily, the banging sound echoing through the chapel.

Tara Knowles was a marked woman.