Abel was asleep before Jax had even put him down in his crib. He smiled down at his son before joining Julie in his bedroom, where she was waiting for him, reading a book. He came around to her side of the bed and sat down next to her, putting a hand on top of her book.

"The zoo really tired him out today. He was out before his head hit the pillow," said Jax with a smile.

"Yeah, he seemed to have a good time. Did you?"

"Of course I did. Anywhere with you is a good time."

"You know that's a completely cheesy line, right?" teased Julie.

"I know."

She looked down at his hand and noticed the bruises. "When did that happen?"

Jax looked caught for a minute. "At the zoo."

"At the zoo, Jax, seriously? But how? When....you were with us the whole time."

Jax looked at her but didn't say anything.

"Lunch...your trip the men's room. What the hell happened?"

"Darby was there. I had a few words with him about his kid, because of Lyla. Which is what I thought you wanted me to do."

Julie sighed. "Yeah, I did. But my family was there."

"They didn't see a thing. I promise."

Julie looked at him skeptically but he just continued to look her in the eye, convinced of the truth of his statement until finally, little by little he saw her accept his truth. Then he pulled the book out of her lap and dropped it on the nightstand, leaning in to distract her completely from this whole awkward conversation.

A few days later, Tim was sitting at the picnic table outside the shop when Chibs sat down.

"Here to ask me to stay?" Tim asked

"What is it about Miss Julie that would make it worth giving up the brotherhood you found here Timmy?"

"It's not about Jules." He stopped and thought for a moment "Well it is but it's not. It's about the fact that you don't just steal another man's woman especially if you're that guy's friend."

"Didn't you tell me you did the same thing to your friend?"

"And I still feel guilty about it. Jax doesn't feel guilty or think there's anything wrong with what he's done."

"So, what is it about Julie?"

"Julie is more than just some girl to me. I love her. She's as close as I've ever gotten to someone who doesn't want to change me in order to love me… she's home, my friend…a lotta things…and Jax won't ever understand it."

"Ah, so you aren't over her?"

Tim smiled sadly. "Not even close."

"And Emily Duncan?"

"Is just a warm body," Tim sighed and ran his hand through his hair. When he looked up, Chibs was looking at him expectantly. "Don't worry, Chibs. I'm staying."

Jax wanted one more chance to prove to Julie's parents that he was normal and worthy of dating their daughter. The zoo trip had gone well and Jax knew that there was no way her parents could've known anything that happened with Darby.

He decided that having her parents meet his parents might be just the thing to seal the deal. If her parents could see where he came from, see that it really wasn't that different from any other family, maybe he'd be home and free. Or at least they wouldn't hassle Julie about him.

Jax found Gemma in the office, frowning over a stack of papers. She pulled off her reading glasses. "Can I help you with something?"

"Julie's trying really hard to make everything work here, Mom. Do you think maybe you could help her out? Maybe invite the Taylors over for dinner and show them that we're normal?"

"Jax, baby, I hate to break it to you, but there's no way we're going to appear even a little bit normal to that family."

"So maybe we're a little dysfunctional. I just need them to see that I'm not the second coming of the devil himself here to corrupt their daughter and lead her down a path of debauchery." Jax placed his hands on the desk and leaned forward. "Please, Mom?"

"I hate when I feel I have to prove myself to people."

"I know that but I also know you respect people when they show that they're worth their salt and that's exactly what Julie's done. She's never once apologized to anyone for being with me and she won't either."

Gemma crossed her arms over her chest and looked him over.

"For me?" he added.

"You really care about her? It's not a phase? Not just a rebound after Tara?"

"No, Ma its not a phase…I'm not the guy who grabs the nearest warm body for a roll in the hay anymore."

She nodded. "Fine. Tomorrow night. Tell them to be at the house at seven."

"Thanks, Mama…"

"I live to serve baby…now get the hell out of my office."

"Love you too Ma…" Jax smirked.

"Love you baby now seriously go fix that Dodge before I fire you."

Tim walked into the clubhouse, expecting to find Jax. Instead, he found Julie leaning against the wall. Her eyes were closed, her arms folded across her chest and her feet crossed one over the other.

"Headache?" he asked barely above a whisper.

"Um, hmmm how can you tell?" She didn't bother opening her eyes or moving.

"You're making the face… the migraine face." He walked over and took her hand, pressing on the pressure point between her thumb and index finger.

"Better?"

"A little…still hate me?"

"No, Jules. I love you. We'll get past this. Be friends, eventually."

Jax cleared his throat and Tim looked up to find him standing in the doorway.

"Just came to tell you that I'm in." He dropped Julie's hand. "Excedrin Migraine usually helps," he told Jax and left.

"What's going on?" asked Jax, looking at Julie suspiciously. She hadn't even bothered to open her eyes yet.

"Nothing. I just have a headache."

Jax nodded, his jaw clenched tight. He wasn't sure how big a deal he should make out of finding Tim standing there, holding Julie's hand. Part of him wanted to make a huge fucking deal out of it, but the other part of him thought that was a bad idea. In the end, it was the miserable expression on Julie's face that persuaded him to keep his mouth shut about it.

Instead, he walked over and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "Gemma's invited your family over to dinner tomorrow, seven o'clock. I can call your dad and tell him. Right now, let's get you home and do something about this headache, okay?"

Julie opened her eyes slowly and looked up at him gratefully. He breathed a sigh of relief that he'd taken the right path, then put his arm around her to gently lead her out to her car.