A/N: I apologize for the delay in updating- between Christmas shopping, Thanksgiving and other stuff I've been super busy! Plus I wasn't sure how to write this chapter and wanted to be happy with it. Playing with Fire is on the downfall, with only one chapter left.
I'm thinking of writing a prequel to the story- of how Jax & Missy met and obstacles they faced- who wants to read that?
Enjoy the new update!
"So that is what is going on," Missy sighed as she fell against the bed she was sitting on. "Am I being completely stupid?"
Juice smirked. "No you aren't. Before the clubhouse explosion, you knew about the violence and the things that "could" happen, but never knew if it did. Jax did a pretty good job at keeping it away from the home life. But after the explosion, you were in the hospital and then you were kidnapped, your mom told you the truth about our dad and then the whole thing at the Niner's bar went down. I think you're allowed to have some insecurity."
"I just…I just don't know if I'm strong enough. Am I strong enough to stay by Jax's side through all of this? Am I strong enough if he ends up in jail? How was I supposed to explain to Abel and Tristyn if something worse happened yesterday?"
"Unfortunately that is all part of being married in the club," Juice responded and then frowned. "You're not thinking of leaving Jax are you?"
"No, I don't want to. When you introduced us…I knew on our first date that I wanted to be with him and marry him. And when we got together, I knew this was his life. Even back then I had my doubts if I could handle all this and I am wondering the same thing now."
"I think you need to talk to Jax," he suggested. "He's not going to think your weak, or insecure or anything else your thinking of."
As Juice and Missy continued their heart to heart, neither realized the figure standing outside the door. Clearly disappointed, he stuffed his hands in his pockets- contemplating on what his next move was. After listening a few more seconds, he finally decided to knock on the door.
"Come in," Juice called.
"Hey, there you guys are," Jax exclaimed once in the room, playing like he doesn't know anything. "What's going on?"
Missy shrugged. "Just catching up," she replied. "Have you heard the final verdict if we can go home or not?"
"That is why I've been looking for you- let's get everything packed up," he smiled, sitting next to Missy. "I want to go home."
"Me too," she smiled, pressing her forehead to hers.
"That's awesome," Juice said, slapping his friend's shoulder. "I'll start spreading the word," he said, walking out of the room.
Both Jax and Missy watched him walk away, and then he turned back toward his wife. "Is everything ok? You were in here with the door closed."
"Of course everything is ok. Like I said, we were just catching up, and I found out something very interesting."
Jax frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"Come with me," Missy ordered, taking his hand.
She led him out of Juice's room, down the hall and toward a private room behind the bar. Missy placed her index finger to her lips, her gesture to be quiet and quietly opened that private door. There was Juice with someone against the wall, making out heavily. The couple turned slightly and Jax's jaw dropped when the female turned out to be Missy's employee, Lacy.
"How long has that been going on?" he asked, nodding toward the door before shutting it.
"I guess since after our wedding. So they've been sneaking around for over a month," she smiled.
"Good for them," Jax responded, wrapping Missy up in his arms. "I hope they are as happy as we are," he said. "You are happy with me, right?"
"Of course I am," she genuinely replied. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't have stayed with you, married you and had a kid with you," Missy winked. "Why are you asking?"
Jax shrugged. "I guess I'm just making sure," he said, before quickly kissing her.
Later on that morning, both Jax and Missy breathed a sigh of relief being home. Abel was also glad, as he ran straight to his room, looking for his favorite toys. Giggling, Missy put her daughter in a nearby bouncy seat and started to unpack.
Standing in the door, Jax simply watched. "Are you glad to be home?" he asked.
Missy looked up and nodded. "Yes definitely. And I think the kids are happy too. Did you see Abel run to his room?"
Jax smirked. "It isn't home without you here."
She then made eye contact with her husband. "What brought that up?"
He shrugged, sitting on the other side of the bed. "I have to confess something…at the clubhouse this morning; I heard you and Juice talking this morning."
Missy's eyes widened. "Shit. Jax, I'm not sure what you all heard, but I said a lot of those things out of being scared."
"So…when you said that you didn't feel like you could handle everything- you didn't mean that?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Jax, do you realize in the last year and a half that I've been in an explosion, been kidnapped, we got married and had Tristyn and then went through that shit with my real dad. What normal person goes through all that? I'm sorry, but I think I'm allowed to be allowed to be a little insecure."
"Why didn't you talk to me to being with? Why was it Juice?"
Saying nothing, Missy moved the now empty suitcase to the floor to also sit on the bed. "I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want you to get the wrong idea. When we were dating and up until the explosion, I had this idea of some of the things the club did but didn't have to be so close to it. I didn't want to know about the gory stuff. But now that I've seen plenty of the gory stuff first hand…I can't help but worry about everything else."
Jax frowned. "What other stuff?"
"While we've been together, you have been in jail once- with Opie," she said as he looked away. "And that nearly destroyed me. Abel is young enough to hopefully not remember these jail times that you've done and now Tristyn is in the picture. Or, how do I explain to the both of them that daddy isn't coming home for good? You could also put that in reverse- what if yesterday would have went far worse than what it did and I didn't make it? How would you explain that?"
"I don't know," he admitted.
Silence took over the room as Abel ran in. "Daddy, Missy, look at the picture I colored!"
"I love it buddy," Missy smiled.
"It's definitely refrigerator worthy," Jax agreed. "Why don't you go color another, and we'll make dinner soon. Missy and I are about done talking."
"Ok," he exclaimed, once again running out of the room.
"I hope you're not thinking I'm going to run because I'm not," she finally said after another few moments of silence. When her eyes met Jax's, he truly looked surprised. "It may sound like it, but I don't scare easily. It's just...it's not just us we have to worry about- there are two little people in this house that need their parents. I don't want to think if they lost one of us, or even both. It's not fair for them. That is what I am most afraid of," Missy concluded, grabbing Jax's hand. He gently squeezed it. "I love you, Jax."
"I love you too baby," he responded, kissing the hand he was holding. "And I'm going to do a better job in protecting my wife and family."
"No, you've done a great job. Unfortunately, we've had some bad deals handed to us- hopefully that will calm down a little bit."
Jax only nodded as he wrapped Missy in a hug. It was then the sound of cries from the other room broke the silence. "That would be our daughter," he whispered against her shoulder.
"Daddy, Missy, Tristyn is awake," the little boy said, announcing his return to the room. "She stinks too," Abel said, causing laughter.
"We're coming," Missy said as she turned toward Jax. "So…are we ok?"
He nodded. "Yea, we are ok," Jax said, quickly kissing her.
Within a half hour, Jax was feeding a freshly changed Tristyn while also coloring with his son. As Missy looked up from her dinner on the stove, she couldn't help but smile at the sight before her. Jax caught her stare, and simply winked. She was right where she was supposed to be.
