Jax's POV
I had searched everywhere for Kate, calling her multiple time, and still receiving no answer. I doubt she was inside the building when it exploded but I had no way of truly knowing. I had asked the guys to take the girls over to the parlor for a while so I could search for Kate. My first stop was the house since that's the most appropriate place she would have gone. I pulled my bike up behind her car and breathed a sigh of relief. I wish she would have told me that she was going home, so I wouldn't have to worry myself to death. I made my way through the door, "Kate?" I yelled out as I took my kutte off. "Baby?"
"Jax?" I hear her voice croak out from the kitchen. "Jackson!" It was a bit more panicked at that point. My heart leaped in my chest as I turned towards the kitchen and saw her laying on the floor. The front of her sweater was covered in blood and dirt. Blood was caked around the edges of her mouth, her teeth stained in the crimson color. I didn't know what to do at that point. It was as if I was paralyzed and I couldn't move any part of my body. Kate's eyes were filled with fear and distress as she laid there. I finally snapped out of my trance and rushed over to her. "What happened?" I asked as tears flooded my eyes. She was trying so hard to talk and breath at the same time but she wasn't able to do both. "Jax." She continued to cry out my name. I pulled her tighter into my body as I pulled up the blood soaked garment. My heart stopped when I saw a huge hole on the side of her stomach, blood pouring from the wound. I knew that it was too late to get her the help she needed and that my wife was minutes away from dying. "Kathryn, baby, what happened?" I repeated my question as tears ran down my face. "Who did this to you, baby." Tears welled in her eyes as she stared up at me.
"Girls." She sputtered out. "Babies." She was trying her hardest to ask about the girls. "They're fine, baby. The guys have them." She gave me a small smile before her face turned back to fear. "Love you, Jackson." She whispered seconds later. I was crying so much that my vision was becoming clouded. My wife was dying in my arms because of the life I had brought her in. She would have never been anywhere around the clubhouse if I didn't call her tonight. She would still be alive and well, not seconds away from dying. "I love you too, Kate." I whispered back with a smile. "I'm so sorry I brought you into this life. I'm so sorry for all the lies and heartache I placed on you-" I choked out. "I'm so sorry I never got you and the girls out of this life." She slowly moved her hand up to my face, gently touching my cheek. "It's okay." I placed my hand on top of her's, pulling it away from face to place a kiss on the back of her hand. "It's not okay, baby." I told her sadly. "It's not okay, but I'm gonna get our girls out. I'm not gonna let them see and feel the things you had to endure."
I could see her eyes growing dimmer by the minute. "It's okay, sweetheart." I wiped away a tear. "You can go, baby." She gave me one last smile before her face finally fell and she was gone. The love of my life for the past 17 years was gone. Her body was now limp and there was no life left. She was gone and it was all my fault. "Why!" I cried out as I cradled her body. "Why did this have to happen!" I couldn't help but rock her body in my arms as I broke down.
Gemma's POV
"You heard from Jax?" Tig asked as he took a seat next to me. I simply shook my head, exhaling a cloud of white smoke. "No." I looked around the shop and couldn't help but tear up as I saw Grace playing around with Happy. I knew that something bad had happened but I was terrified that the worst was yet to come. "Nana?" Grace spoke as she ran towards me. I set the cigarette aside and picked her up once she was in arms length. "Yes, pumpkin." She placed her little head in the crook of my neck, "Where did mommy and daddy go?" I let out a sigh. I told her that Jax had went to go find Kate and that they would be back in a couple of minutes. She accepted my answer and just continued to sit there.
Ten minutes later, Tig's phone started to ring. My eyes were glued to Tig as he looked at the caller-ID and then turned to look at me. My heart was beating a mile a minute as Tig answered the phone and started to speak to whoever was on the other end. I watched as his facial features went from worry to concern and then to sadness. He didn't even have to look at me to tell me that something had happened to Kate. "Okay brother." Tig softly spoke before he snapped the phone shut. Everyone in the room glared at him, waiting for the answer that they had already figured out. He finally looked up and tears pooled in his green eyes. Several of the guys muttered curses, while the others just stared at the ground. "Brooke-" I spoke as I stood up from the chair, Grace still clinging to my neck. She quickly came running over, "Take Grace and Caroline upstairs, please." I tried my best to hold back the tears but it was becoming difficult as I looked at my grandchildren. Brooke did as she was told and took the girls away from the situation.
I waited until there were out of earshot to speak. "Kate's gone isn't she?" Tig nodded his hung head. I glanced over at Chibs, seeing tears pouring down his face. My lips quivered as the floodgates finally opened. I couldn't control my emotions no longer. I collapsed on the floor and just started to cry. Even though Kate and I had a rocky relationship, I still loved her as if she was my daughter. She provided my son with more than he needed sometimes and she gave me two beautiful granddaughters. She was a light that this family needed during the dark times. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my body, bringing me into their own. "It's okay." Tig whispered in my hair as his hand rubbed up and down my back. "It's going to be okay, Gem." I just shook my head because I knew that it was not going to be okay. Besides his daughters, Kate was Jax's world. He would do anything and everything for her and now she was gone. Jax was the type of kid to where his heart on his sleeve and now his heart was broken and bloody. His heart was forever gone and I doubt it would ever return. "I have to get to Jax." I errubtly spoke as I pushed Tig away from me. "I have to get to my son." I started searching the place for my car keys. "Jax needs me." I was rambling as I spoke. All the guys were trying to get me to calm down but I was like a bull in a China shop; there was no stopping me now.
I practically raced to Jax's home, quickly removing myself from the car before I could even put it in park. "Jackson!" I yelled once I was in the house. The living room was empty which caused me to go into the kitchen next. My stomach turned as I looked at the sight in front of me. Kate's dead body was cradled in Jax's arms as he just stared at her. Jax and Kate's clothing were both stained with blood as well as the kitchen tile below them. "Jackson?" I cried as I slowly walked towards him. He was stoic, not even bothering to look up. I kneeled down next to him and tried to touch his hand but he jerked away before I could even lay a finger on him. "Jax." I softly cried out. "Honey, I am so sorry." Tears fell from his eyes as they stayed focused on Kate's face.
The room fell into a silence but it was broken once Jax spoke. "What am I supposed to tell my girls?" He whispered. "How am I supposed to tell them that their mom is gone. How am I supposed to explain to a four year old, who mirrored her mother, that she isn't coming back?" I hated to see my son like this. It was breaking my heart even more. "How am I supposed to take care of two little girls by myself?" I finally got a grip on his hand without him pulling away. Jackson, look at me." I demanded through tears. He hesitated before looking my way. "You are a amazing father. You don't have to do this alone; you have over a dozen or more people here to help you and those little girls. You're not alone, sweetheart." He turned silent once again.
"Have you called anyone about this yet?" I questioned as I looked around the kitchen. He simply shook his head. "I'm not ready to let go of her." He whispered. "I don't want to let go of her." I was about to speak but the door opening stopped me from doing so. "Jax?" Unser's voice sounded through the house. I could feel my eyes widen in horror as Wayne rounded the corner and caught sight of the chaos in front of him. "Wh-" He stuttered. "Kate- Kathryn?" He stood there in disbelief. "What- what happened?" He yelled. "Is-is she okay?" I could only shake my head no. His sobs started to fill the air. "Why didn't you call someone, Jax!" He was screaming at this point. I removed myself from the floor and walked towards him. Maybe if I comforted him, he would in some way calm down.
I had known the man for most of my adult life and he's never put his hands on me but that all changed tonight. He pushed me out of the way and crouched down to move Kate away from Jax. He lifted her in his arms and dragged her away from Jax. "What the fuck are you doing?" Jax yelled as he jumped up. I watched as my son and best friend basically fought over Kate's dead body. I knew that I needed to break them up fast before either one of them ended up hurt. The closest thing I saw was a vase of roses that were sitting on the table. I picked up the heavy object and threw it to the floor. Glass shards, flower petals, and water mixed in with the blood that stained the floor. Both men stopped in their tracks, staring at me as if I was insane. "Look what you're doing!" I exclaimed. "Fighting over a poor woman's body like she's some kind of toy. The two of you should be ashamed of yourselves."
Jax ran his hand down his face, while Unser just stood there. "Wayne, you need to call someone so they can pick Kathryn up. I don't want her laying on the floor any longer like she's some dishrag. Jackson, you need to get yourself together and be strong for your club and your girls. They'll need you even more now, especially Gracelynn." I knew this wasn't the time to be a bitch to either one of them but this is what Kate would have wanted. She would have been the same way if it was me laying there. "Jax, you also need to call Kate's parents and tell them what had happened." Jax's face instantly turned even more pale at the thought of calling the Thompson's. I knew how they treated him but they deserved to know that their daughter was gone. "I'm gonna pick up the girls and bring them to my house." Jax slowly nodded his head, his eyes still glued to Kate's body. I gave Jax a kiss goodbye before turning around and making my way out the door. I was strong during the walk to my car but once I planted myself behind the wheel, the damn burst apart once again.
Jax's POV
After my mother had left, Unser called his people and left soon after. I couldn't believe I tried to wrestle my wife away from her Uncle, who happened to love her just as much as I do. My mother was right. Kate would not have wanted any of this. She wouldn't have wanted Unser and I fighting over her like some barbarians. Kate deserved to be somewhere safe and warm, not laying on a cold, dirty tile floor.
20 minutes after Unser had called, the coroner showed up, along with the sheriff. I was questioned like I figured I would have been but they knew I didn't murder my own wife. I couldn't even tell them who did because I honestly didn't know. I had no idea who blew the clubhouse up or made Kate's injuries fatal. A person just doesn't get a hole in their stomach for no apparent reason. By the looks of her, she didn't even look like she was anywhere near the building. She may have been dirty but it was more dirt than smoke. I didn't even know what to do at the moment. I had no emotions left and it was scaring me. If I knew who did all of this, there was nothing holding me back from killing them right here and now.
Once Kate's body was gone, I travelled up the stairs and went to the bathroom. I tore off my clothes and went in the shower. I must have broke down at least four times before I finally washed my hair and body. All these memories of Kate and I came flooding back to me in a hurry. Our first date, the many fights we had, the birth of our daughters, and the day I watched her walk down the aisle. At one point, I didn't even think I could make it out of the shower without collapsing. Kate was my whole world and now my world was forever gone. The possessions that reminded me of Kate were at Gemma's house, not realizing that their mother is gone.
I finally removed myself from the shower and walked into the bedroom. I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 2:30 in the morning. I knew that I needed to call Kate's parents but I just couldn't do that right now. I couldn't even speak to my own mother, how was I going to tell Victoria and Bradley that they were now childless. I had gotten both of their daughter's killed at the hands of my club and myself. They warned Kathryn for years that this would happen but she never listened. She would always say that it was just a scare tactic to get her to leave me. She knew that there was a risk but she stayed by my side even when I tried to push her away. She was the rock that held the crumbling mountain that my life was together. I just wish that she would have listened to her parents instead of ignoring their warning.
I dropped the towel to the floor and slid under the covers and just laid there in silence. Usually Kate had the radio going since she couldn't sleep without some sort of noise. I would always complain since I needed total silence but she always managed to win the battle. I looked over to the pillow that she always had to lay on or else she wouldn't be able to sleep the right way. The tears immediately pooled in my eyes once my hand made contact with the soft material. I used to always tease her and tell her that I was going to throw the damn thing away since it was so warped and no longer resembled a pillow. She must've have the thing for over 20 years but it was her favorite. She even included it in both Grace and Caroline's baby pictures. The girls laid on it while the camera snapped various photos of them in their sleeping or in the case of Caroline, a fussy state. We shared so many memories in this bed but now it felt cold and empty. Everything in this house felt cold and empty, including myself...
A/N: Hey guys!
Oh my gosh, I am so so so sorry that this is so late! I got supper busy with school and the chaos that goes with being a college student and I didn't have time to right like I thought. I'm not entirely happy with the outcome of this chapter and I was going to make it much longer and have it correspond with the Tumblr post, but obviously that didn't happen. I know a couple of you didn't want the story to have this type of upset but it needed to happen in order for everything to turn out right. I promise that it will end on a better note! The final chapter will be Chapter 34 and then a Epilogue. I just want to thank you all for the support and dedication for this story. I didn't know what to expect when I first posted the chapter but I am so glad you all enjoyed something I wrote. You guys are the best readers on the planet! I would love to hear what you all thought of this chapter :) I'm not going to post a exact date of when i'll have the next chapter out because it never seems to happen but it should be sometime in the near future. I am also working on Love at the moment as well and I have a few more pages to write and it will be out. I hope (crossed fingers and all) to have it out by tomorrow afternoon! For those interested in Heartbeat, I may be changing it up again but not by a lot. I won't probably update that until April at the latest. It will be my summer story :) For those of you that enjoy the 80s and Motley Crue, I have a new story about Nikki Sixx, called Lovin Lately, and it's like my baby right now; well besides Love lol. If you want, you can check that out as well!
I hope you all have a great night and enjoy the rest of your weekend!