Sitting at the dinner table that night Christine felt like she was about to burst. Jax was holding her hand underneath the table and looking over at him she could tell that his feelings mirrored her own. They had planned on telling everybody at dinner, minus Jimmy and his family. They weren't joining them for dinner tonight. Christine hadn't wanted to invite them in case when she told them Jimmy blew up again. Christine knew that she would have to tell them after dinner though. If they heard it from someone else it wouldn't be good. The outburst Jimmy had at dinner wouldn't be anything compared to what would happen. Looking around the table in order starting with Happy who was to her left eating his dinner and laughing at something Opie was saying, Opie who was sitting beside him animatedly waving his arms around, Chibs who was having a discussion with Gemma, Gemma listening to him with the posture of a woman who was in control, then Tyler who was staring at Christine. When their eyes locked he didn't look away he just stared at her like he knew exactly what she was thinking. Christine broke eye contact first looking down at her plate which she had hardly touched. Picking up her fork with her free hand she pushed things around and took tiny bites. Jax squeezed her hand a little harder which was the signal that it was time to tell everybody. Second thoughts were coming to her mind. There was no way she could tell them. Her breathing started to increase and Jax spoke up.

"Everybody," he said loudly.

Silence fell around the table and everybody turned from what they were doing to look him.

"Christine and I have some news."

Gemma's eyes fell on Christine and there was an all knowing look in her eye. Oh gosh, she knows and she's going to kill me. Jax is her son and she's going to hate me. Christine looked down again. She wasn't sure what it was about Gemma that always made her feel weak.

"Christine's pregnant. She found out at the hospital today."

Congratulations came pouring in from everyone and she found the strength to look up at them and thank them. Everyone started to get up. The guys gave Jax claps on the back and they laughed. Gemma walked around the table with a smirk and hugged her.

"Congrats baby," she whispered in her ear.

"You're not mad?" Christine asked looking confused.

Gemma rubbed Christine's back and then pulled away with a laugh.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. You remind me so much of his father and me when we were your age. I got pregnant at an early age too. With my first boy, Thomas," Gemma's eyes seemed to glaze over as she got lost in thought.

Chibs walked over and gave Christine a one arm hug around the shoulders and congratulated her.

"You're gonna make an honest man out of Jackie Boy are you?" he yelled over at Jax while nudging Christine.

Christine laughed at the thought. The guys headed for the kitchen getting beers out of the fridge and Christine looked around and saw that Tyler had gotten up from the table and was nowhere in sight. She hoped that he hadn't gone to talk to Jimmy. While she was thinking about it she realized that she better go get that over with now. Walking unnoticed towards the front door she grabbed one of her grandpa's old coats off the rack. It was a riding coat from when he went on long cattle drives. Throwing it over her arm she headed out the front door and up towards Jimmy's. It was drizzling lightly but there wasn't any use driving her car up there. The doctor had told her to stay warm and to rest but she had to go tell them. Pulling the coat on as she kept moving she looked around at everything. It was dark outside and the wind was blowing. Some of the leaves were starting to fall off the trees which was a sure sign of the middle of autumn. Christine started shivering as the cold and the wetness seeped in through her clothes. Looking up ahead she told herself that she was almost there. There was only about the distance of a football field left. She got that strange feeling in the pit of her stomach that someone was watching her. Looking around she didn't see anyone, but of course she couldn't see very far. Increasing her pace she hurried up the driveway until she finally reached the front porch. Walking up the steps and past the two wooden rocking chairs she knocked on the big wooden door with the wreath hanging on it. It wasn't a Christmas wreath; Mary just liked to keep wreaths on the door all year round. She made them herself and put things on them to match the season. This one had little pumpkins and red and yellow leaves on it. Christine could hear the twins inside running around and Mary telling them to calm down as her voice got closer and closer to the door before it was pulled open. Mary's face lit up in a big smile as she ushered Christine inside. Breathing in the scent of potpourri she pulled off her jacket and hung it on the peg in the entry way. The house always looked beautiful. It had a more feminine touch too it unlike Christine's. Where Christine's house had deer heads Mary's had pretty pictures and flowers. No one else she knew had a home like this. Not even Gemma, whose house was more modern and guy friendly. Pushing her hair back out of her face she sat down in the lazy boy chair in their living room. Jimmy was sitting on the couch flipping through the channels not paying any attention to her and Mary was getting the kids down the hall and into bed. Taking a steadying breath she prepared herself for how she was going to break this news to them. Mary came back into the living room sitting down beside Jimmy.

"How are you feeling Christine?"

"I'm feeling better now, probably shouldn't have walked up here but I have something important I need to tell y'all."

Mary reached over patting Jimmy on the knee.

"Turn that off Jimmy."

He grumbled but cut it off turning his full stare on Christine.

"Well… What is it honey?" Mary encouraged after Christine made no move to speak.

"At the hospital today I found out some news. Don't look so worried," she told Mary as she noticed her head start to crease with concern. "It's just that… well… I'm pregnant."

Jimmy was gripping the remote control so hard his knuckles were turning white and his face was growing redder by the minute. Mary smiled faintly but didn't make a move to say anything. Both women were waiting, ready for Jimmy's reaction, sensing that it was going to be loud and abrupt. To Christine's surprise his hand relaxed after a few minutes which had seemed to go on forever.

"Is it that boy's?" he finally asked.

"Do you mean Jax?"

"Yeah I guess. I don't know that boys name," he grumbled.

"Yes it's his."

Christine felt like a child that was telling her parents that she was pregnant. The tension in the room was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Looking out the window she wished that she was back in California not having to deal with this.

"Well, what are you two gonna do about it?" he asked sitting up straight to look at her.

"Now Uncle Jimmy I hope you're not talking about what I think you are!"

"No," he said interrupting her with a wave of his hand. "Is that boy gonna help you take care of it? Are you gonna get married? Does he have a job? You ought to not even be in this predicament, y'all ain't married. You know damn well how I feel about that. You sure as hell ain't dropping out of school either if you're thinking that missy. You're granddaddy made me promise to take care of you like you was my own and I won't allow it. Jack would turn over in his grave. You've had your heart set on being a vet for as long as I can remember, and you're damn well gonna do it," he said flustered. Christine had to interrupt him before he had a stroke.

"Uncle Jimmy calm down. I don't know about the marriage thing we haven't discussed it. He does have a job at his family's body shop though and he's still in school too," she said not mentioning his truancy behavior. "Do you actually think I'm stupid enough to drop out of school? I've worked too hard not to go to college. Don't worry so much."

"DON'T WORRY SO MUCH?" he let out a wry laugh. "Are you kidding me girl? You seem to have a natural talent at finding yourself in trouble. Been that way since you was knee high," he stood up throwing his hands in the air. "You wasn't out there in California but a week and now look at you, knocked up. You ain't knowed that boy long enough to sleep with him!"

Sighing Christine pinched the bridge of her nose. Jimmy always got himself worked up about things and she had learned over the years to just let him get it all out so he could calm down. Mary reached over and grabbed Christine's free hand and Christine opened her eyes and turned towards her.

"Honey, what I think he means is that he wants you to be prepared and to have someone who's gonna take care of you. You and that baby deserve that."

"Well I know that, and everything's gonna be okay," standing up out of the chair she stretched her back and then looked back at them. "I just wanted to let you guys know though, but I better get back to the house and get some rest."

"I'll give you a ride back down there; you don't need to be walking in the rain. Hell you were just in the hospital earlier today," Jimmy said.

After giving Mary a hug Christine put her coat back on and headed out to Jimmy's truck with him. They rode the short distance in silence but Jimmy gave her a hug and a kiss on top of the head before she got out.

"I don't mean to give you a hard time Christine but I love you kiddo and I'm just looking out for you. You tell that boy though that I'll kick his ass if he doesn't take care of things you hear?"

Christine laughed, "Yes Uncle Jimmy."

"Oh by the way, you need to get started on planning for the Halloween charity event."

"Alright. See you tomorrow."

Standing in the driveway she watched as his truck headed back up the hill; the red tail lights shining bright in the darkness.