It was dark by the time Chibs pulled his bike up infront of the cabin. A lonely light shone from the front window, indicating that someone was up waiting. The front door opened and Piney watched us as Chibs handed me my bag and followed me up the steps.
"Char you ok?" Piney asked moving aside to let us through.
"Peachy" I replied quietly. I headed into the other bedroom and slammed the door. Dropping my bag I lay down on the bed and pulled out the prepay phone Jax had given me. I looked up the contacts, and just as he had said, only found 2 numbers in it. One I recognised as Jax. I shut the phone and put it on the night stand.
"Charlie Girl" Chibbs said as he knocked, then entered. "Im taking off now"
I turned my back to him. "See ya" I muttered, not moving till well after he had left and the last of his bike could be heard off down the road. Piney knocked then poked his head in the door.
"You hungry?" he asked.
I looked at him. "You don't need to play dad" came my reply.
Piney sighed. "Well Im gonna cook me something, if you get hungry later, I'll leave ya some" he left closing the door.
I picked up my new phone Jax gave me and sent him a text.
"help he's playing dad"
Jax replied a few minutes later. "Maybe its time you healed old wounds"
"was this your plan all along? "
Jax didn't reply. I threw the phone down and lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling.
Every day for the next week I tried to call or text Jax but got no reply. I was slightly scared, slightly worried but mostly I was just angry. Piney didn't know much more about what was happening then me, or if he did he wasn't letting on. I spent my days wandering around the bush that surrounded the cabin, and my nights getting to know my father over numerous games of poker and bourban. I was seeing a whole new side my dad that I hadn't seen before and slowly as each night passed, I was liking it more and more.
It was nearly three weeks before I finally heard from Jax. I was down by the river, reading when my phone buzzed causing me to almost drop my book in the water.
"Jax?" I answered.
"Char where are you?" was his greeting.
"Where do you think I am, since you stranded me here?" my anger rose.
"We've lost Clay" came his reply. "I think he's headed to you"
My next retort froze in my throat.
"Char? Are you inside?" Jax demanded.
"No, I.. Im by the river" I stood up and looked back in the direction of the house, just as a sound of a gun went off. "Oh god"
"What was that?" Asked Jax " Char?"
"Dad" I dropped my book and phone and started to run towards the house. As I got there I saw Clay taking off down the dirt road on his bike.
"Dad?" I called as I entered the cabin. "Daddy" my eyes fell on him, laying flat on his back, his eyes open staring into nothing. I fell to my knees beside him. Blood pooled out of the hole in his chest, right over his heart. "Hold on Daddy, please hold on" I took my sweater off and used that to cover the wound, hoping to stop the blood. "Don't leave me" I begged. The bleeding eventually stopped, but not from my attempt at first aid. His heart had stopped beating, my father was gone. I rested my head on his stomach as the tears rolled down my face. I don't know how long I stayed there, but as the sun began to get lower in the sky I heard the sound of Harleys coming along the dirt road.
"Jesus Christ" Jax exclaimed as he came in the door followed by Chibs, Bobby and Tigg. I looked up from where I sat, covered in my fathers blood.
"I tried to stop the bleeding, but.."I trailed off looking down at my hands.
Jax knelt beside me. His hands and eyes, searching my body.
"I tried Jax I really did" I kept saying.
"Are you hurt?" He asked concerned.
I shook my head. "I didn't get here in time. Im so sorry Jax. I wasn't here"
Jax pulled me into his arms. "its ok, shhh its ok" he crooned.
"I'll call Uncer" Chibs said, moving back outside.
"Ah shit Piney" Tigg said, covering my fathers body with a sheet.
"What are you doing?" I asked furious, pushing Jax away and yanking the sheet back.. "Don't touch him, Don't anyone touch him"
Jax took my face in his hands. "Char he's gone, we have to do this" he said softly, helping me to my feet. "Lets get you cleaned up" he took my hand and led me to the bathroom. I sat down on the side of the Tub while he rinsed a face cloth under the tap. When he put it to my head, the coldness soothed me. I watched him as he cleaned my face arms and hands of Pineys blood. When he was done he led me through to the back room where I had been sleeping and helped me change into a new pair of jeans and a clean tshirt.
Tigg appeared in the door way with a mug. "Coffee" he announced placing it on the bedside table.
I caught the look he gave Jax and the slight movement to get him to follow him.
"I will be back" Jax said to me gently kissing my forehead. I sat down on the bed as he left shutting the door behind him. Picking up the coffee I took a sip before throwing it across the room, as anger blinded me. I wanted to kill Clay. I wanted him to pay for what he did. For everything he had done. Jax came back in the room at the sound of me smashing anything I could get my hands on. He grabbed my arms and pinned them to my sides. "stop it Char" he said.
"Three weeks Jax, You left me here for three weeks" tears poured down my cheeks. "I finally got to know him, got to see him as my father, and now he's… " I shook my head. "I want to go home." I pulled away from him and grabbed my bag. "I have to get out of here" I muttered as I shoved clothes in. "I have to get back to work, god if I still have a job"
Jax placed a gentle hand on mine. "Charlotte just stop" he said so quietly. He touched my cheek, turning my face to look at him. "One step at a time" he brushed his lips on mine.
Uncer arrived with the calvary shorty after midnight. I had eventually fallen asleep curled up with Jax, but the voices had woken me. I came out into the lounge just as the coronor was zipping Piney up in a body bag. A sob escaped me causing everyone to turn and look at me.
"Hey Charlie girl, thought you were sleeping" Chibs came over to me.
"I heard voices" I replied wrapping my cardigan around me. I watched the body bag being wheeled out of the cabin. "Where's Jax?" I asked searching the room.
"He's just outside talking to Hal" Chibs replied. "They may want to ask you some questions."
I nodded.
Jax came back in the door looking concerned. He came over to me and placed his arm around my shoulders drawing me to him.
"Clays dissapeared." was all he said.
"Christ he could be anywhere" Chibs exclaimed.
I stiffened as I realised how dangerous that could be. Jax touched my face turning it to him.
"I aint gonna let anything happen to you I swear" he promised.
"oh do you have a plan?" I asked him. "Just like your plan for me to come here to be safe? That didn't work out too well did it?" I moved away from him and headed into the kitchen.
"Char" He followed me into the kitchen. "I didn't know he would come here"
"Three weeks Jax! Not a word from you!" I set about getting myself a drink. I found my friendly bottle of bourban and poured myself a glass. "Its like you got me outta the way because I was the problem" I skulled the drink back and poured me another.
"That's not true and you know it?" he argued.
"I don't know shit anymore" I finished my drink and reached for the bourban. Jax hand stopped me.
"It got complicated." He said putting the lid on the bottle. "The club, and.."
"Fuck the club" I screamed at him throwing my glass across the room. It hit the opposite wall sending shards of glass everywhere. "I have been waiting here scared that you were never coming back. Did you even fucking care?"
I went to push him away but he grabbed my arms. "I had to focus on what I was doing, and to do that, I needed to not be near you, or talk to you. You are half of me, so yeah I hated that you were gone, but you are my weakness, if I had of even just heard your voice, I would have been on my bike headed here, and I couldn't show my weakness. Not when I was taking over the club"
"You took over the club?" My eyes fell to his cut where VIP had gone and President was in its place. I ran my finger over the patch. "How?"
"It doesn't matter, but its done. Clay now is a threat, until we can find him." He replied.
"Please don't leave me here again Jax."
"No, you will be safer now with us" He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me.
"Take me home" I begged. "please"
"Soon baby, I promise" He kissed me again, this time gently flicking his tongue between my lips. I kissed him back, letting him take charge of my mouth. He pushed me up against the bench, his hands in my hair. "God I've missed you" he sighed, letting out a moan as my hands ran up under the back of his shirt, grazing his skin with my nails. His kisses became stronger, and more urgent. I allowed him to fill every part of my senses.
"Ahem" Unser appeared in the doorway. "Sorry to break up the sweet reunion but I need to ask Char some questions."
Jax smiled as he pulled back. "Sure thing" he replied to Unser as he watched me. "That ok with you?"
I slipped past Jax and say with Chief Unser at the table. Jax lent against the counter listening. Once all the questions had been answered, The Chief stood and saying his farewells left Jax and I alone again in the kitchen.
"This is real isn't it" I muttered.
Jax took my hand in his. "Lets get some sleep" he suggested. "Then tomorrow we will head home"
I started to protest but was silenced by another kiss.
"I can't wait till we go home to get you in bed" he whispered slyly. "The bedroom is as far as I can manage" he squeezed my hand then led me through the cabin, bidding tonight to those as we passed, before entering my bedroom. He slammed the door with his foot, then pulled me to him.