CHAPTER XXI

-Blurred Lines-

"So, tell me everything. How was dinner at casa de Teller-Morrow?"

Jesse turned to her friend with a beaming smile. It had been a couple of days since the dinner at Gemma's house and things with her and Jax had been great but she had been so busy at work that she hadn't been able to catch up with Janine until today. They had finally managed to meet up at the cafeteria for a quick coffee. " Believe it or not, it was actually nice. I'm the first one surprised."

"So what just the average Sunday dinner?"

She took a sip of the dark brew before answering "Actually, yes. It was. I know it sounds… weird but it was just a regular family dinner. With lots of leather. And tattoos And beer. Oh and an actual porn star. But you know there are genuinely nice people."

Janine played with the straw of her smoothie. "Who would have thought? Guessing things are working out with the matriarch then?"

Jesse thought about her answer for a moment. "We talked. I think we may even have found some common ground. I don't know. It's quite hard to get a read on the woman"

"I'm glad everything worked out."

"Well, I actually I wanted to thank you. You were right, you know. You told me I needed to let someone in and I'm glad you pushed me to give Jax another shot." She meant it. Not only was she completely in love with Jackson but ever since she had told him the truth, she felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulder. Her past had suddenly become a lot easier to carry, as if she was no longer alone with her burden. It was a wonderful feeling.

"I'm happy for you Jesse. You deserve it. Now you and your hot biker need to come to dinner with me and Mark sometime. And I'm not taking no for an answer. You might be some biker chick now but I'm still the first friend you made in this town."

"Biker chick really?"

"What?"

"I'll talk to Jax and we'll schedule something." She was pretty sure it would be a hard sell but she hoped she could convince him. She looked at her watch and realised it was time for her to get back to the surgical floor. "I have to get going, I have a bypass at 11 but I'll catch you later."

Wayne Unser made his way back to his office, begrudgingly holding a cup of herbal tea. It smell horridly but his wife had insisted he tried it for his health. As if some herbal tea was going to help with terminal cancer. But he hadn't been able to refuse her so now he drunk two cups a day of the mixture and he was slowly getting used to it. It was what he called an acquired taste. He crossed Officer Perkins's path. "Oh, Chief, Gemma Teller-Morrow is in your office?"

Wayne let out a long sigh. That couldn't be good. He nodded his thanks to the young officer and slowly made his way towards his office. He found her comfortably sitting in a chair, filing her already perfectly manicured nails "Hey Gemma?"

She spun around in her chair, flashing him one of those enigmatic smiles she was fond of. "Morning Wayne. How 's the health?"

He raised an non existent eyebrow but couldn't help the smile on his face. She just had this effect on him. "Health is fine sweetheart." He took his seat before continuing. "What are you doing here?"

She put away her nail filer, uncrossing her legs and straightened in her chair. "If I said I was in the neighborhood, would you believe me?"

He sniggered at her manipulation attempt.

"I need a favor."

"I kind of figured that one out already."

She took a beat before talking again. "Jax has been seeing this girl. A doctor?"

"Yeah, I know."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I bumped into him the other day. We…talked"

"Didn't realise you two were so much about the sharing." She mocked.

If only she knew. Wanting to steer clear of his recent dealings with Jax, he moved on. "What about this girl?"

"Something doesn't add up with her. I can't put my finger on it but something isn't right."

He scratched his bolding head in confusion. "You care to be more specific here sweetheart?"'

"If I had the details I wouldn't be here, would I? It's just a bad feeling I have. She's been in town what a minute and she's already on first name basis with your deputy and my son."

"Gemma, did you ever think that maybe she's just a nice girl who makes friend easily?

"Don't talk to me like I'm some idiot, Wayne. This isn't some overbearing mother bullshit. If that girl is going to be in my son's life Wayne, I want to be sure she's who she says she is."

"What do you want me to do Gemma, a background check?" He snorted with a smile. It had been meant as a joke of course but he saw straight away how seriously she was taking it.

"Actually, that is exactly what I want you to do."

"Are you insane? I can't go around running background checks just on anyone based on some ill placed hunch you have.

"I'm asking an old friend a favor, here Wayne."

"And I'm going to do you a favor Gemma, and give you some advice. Talk to your son. "

"You don't think I already tried that? So you're not going to help me?"

"I just did."

She pursed her lips in annoyance and stood up. "Well thank you Chief. You're a real peach." She spat before stomping out of his office.

Unser shook his head in disbelief and decided to warn Jax. Gemma was nothing if not persistent and she wouldn't give up. He picked up his phone and dialed the young VPs number. Jax picked up straight away.

"Hey son. Just thought you'd like to know Gemma came to see me this morning. She was asking questions about your girl."

"Jesus Christ."

"We both know your mother Jax. She's just going to keep digging until she finds something. You need to talk to her."

"That's not an option."

"Look, I told her I couldn't help her but if I don't, she's just going to go somewhere else to find the answers she wants. I understand that you don't want to tell her everything but you maybe you can give her some version of the truth here Son."

"I'll deal with her. Anything new on our ATF friends?"

"They went back to Lodi. I hate to say it though but I don't think it's the last we've seen of them."

Stahl slammed down her phone after a rather frustrating conversation with her bosses. As usual, the power that be who had no clue on how to effectively lead a case were getting antsy and hiding behind budget excuses. They were about to pull the plug on her investigation if she couldn't get anything on the Sons True IRA connections within the next few days. She knew the only way she could connect the guns to the Irish was by leaning on the MC but for that she needed leverage. It was like having all right the cards in her hands but having to wait for another player to play before she could lay them down. Throwing her pen back on her desk, she called out to her partner. "Morris, where are you on that background check?"

He covered his phone with his hand interrupting his conversation. "Still working on it but so far she checks out."

"What's the hold up?"

He shrugged in response. "Some sealed records in Colorado. We're trying to see if we can get them unsealed. "

"We still got the tail on her? "

"Goes to work and back mostly. And spends all her free time with Jackson Teller."

"There's a shocker." She ranted "Keep on her. I want to know everything Dr Granger does and who she does it with."

"You really think she knows anything about the guns?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm pretty sure she has no idea. She's an outsider and MCs don't make it a habit to share details of their business with outsiders. But if I can't get to the sons directly I'm thinking that maybe we can get somehow get to them by using Jesse Granger to my advantage."

"How?"

She opened her drawer taking out her gun and badge. "That's what I need to figure out. But first, I need that background check."

"Are we telling Charming about this? "

She stood up, holstering her weapon before she answered. "No. Deputy Chief Hale seems to have developed a soft spot for our little ingénue. I don't want him anywhere near this.

"And where are you going?"

"I think now is the time for me to pay a new visit to the good doctor. "

Jax couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was about to go very wrong. Ever since, Jesse had told him the truth about who she was, he had been paralyzed by some irrational fear that something bad was about to happen. That feeling had kept him up the last couple of days but he couldn't see a way out. He had tried to keep it all together, to ensure that he could protect his club and his girl at the same time but now he was starting to wonder if he had been a fool to believe he could pull it off. And now he was stuck and there was no end in sight in this particular tunnel. He had lied to his club, lied to the woman he loved, lied to everyone really. The walls were now closing in and he knew it was only a matter of time before someone or everyone found out about his web of lies.

"How about you pull your head out of your ass and help me here kid?" he heard Piney mumble behind him.

Jax had gone on a break ten minutes prior and had lost track of time. He puffed on his cigarette one last time before he threw his butt onto the parking lot and made his way towards the old man with a smile.

"What do you need?"

"Take that blow torch would ya?"

"You sure it's a good idea to handle a fucking blow torch so close to you oxygen tank?"

"Who said I was going to handle it?" Piney sniggered.

Jax put on his protection goggles and lit the blow torch and started working on the bike as Piney looked on.

"So Everything alright with you kid?

"Yeah. Why?"

"This girl you brought to your mums the other day…"

"Jesse."

"Yeah, Jesse. She seems like a nice gal. A doctor too."

Piney had barely acknowledged Jesse's presence at the diner. He had only been there because Gemma had insisted so Jax couldn't help but chuckle at he comment. "Surprised you were awake!"

Piney gave him a pointed look . "I'm guessing she ain't just some pussy you're parading around, uh?"

"No she's not. Wish Gemma would get that though."

Ever since JT had die, Piney had been watching over Jax, dispensing some degree of fatherly advice and tough love. Jax had always been able to seek his counsel in ways he hadn't felt comfortable doing with his step father.

"Your mum. She's set in her ways, like the rest of us old fools. You won't change her."

"So you got some brilliant advice as to what am I supposed to do here old man?"

"Be a man and handle your shit, Jackson. That's what you do! That's what he would have done."

Jesse walked out of her patient's room and made her way to the nurse's station to hand over the patient chart.

"Those are Mr. Tomlinson's post ops, can you upload them and please make sure Dr. Andrews reviews them before he leaves."

The nurse took the file with a smile. "No problem."

"Doctor Granger?"

Jesse didn't need to turn around to know exactly who was standing behind her. She turn to face the woman not even bothering to hide her annoyance at the drop in. "Agent Stahl. What are you doing here?

"I had some follow up questions. I was hoping we could have a quick chat."

"Now is not really a good time. I'm working."

"I won't be long I promise."

Jesse let out a breath, there wasn't a good way to say no without creating a scene and that was really the last thing she wanted. Sensing an in, Stahl pushed. "Is there anywhere we can talk?

"We can talk in my office. Miranda, if anyone looks for me, I'll be in my office."

The nurse nodded as Jesse reluctantly led Stahl to her office.

Gemma walked out of the elevators and made her way towards the nurse's station.

"Can I help you?"

Gemma spun on her stilettos and found herself face to face with a sour looking petite woman looking at her, eyes filled with judgmental and superiority. Gemma gave her a once over, not even bothering to be discreet about it. She noticed the badge on her jacket designated her as Chief Administrator. Great. An overzealous paper pusher, that was all she needed. "I'm here to see Doctor Granger."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"It's a family matter."

Her eyes never leaving Gemma, the woman spoke to the young nurse behind the desk who was observing the two older woman bemused. "Miranda, do you know where Doctor Granger is?"

"She just stepped into her office with a visitor."

The administrator threw Gemma a self satisfied look.

"It's okay. I can wait." Gemma replied smugly before walking over to a row of seats.

Margaret pursed her lips and turned to the nurse. "When you see Doctor Granger, please ask her to see me."

"Sure."The nurse nodded affirmatively as she watched her superior walk away.

Thanks so much for your reviews/favs./follows. This story has been struggling with the review love but there are a few reviewers that have been there for chapter after chapter letting me know where I got it right or not. I want to really thank them for helping me and for keeping me going! You know who you are! Also to the guest reviewers that I don't get to thank personally, thanks so much for the support, it is greatly appreciated by this writer!

Also, as we enter the last act of this story, I am conflicted about the ending I originally had in mind so I'm asking for opinions. Sequel or no Sequel?

Finally, I already have the next chapter ready just reviewing it at the moment, so will post either tomorrow or during the week end! As always, please R&R!