John Teller watched as Gracie Learner, Opie Winston and his son Jackson Teller walked down the sidewalk to school. It was "uncool" to take the bus anymore. Jax laughed at something and Gracie pushed him off the sidewalk, he quickly jumped back up and slung his arm around her. John knew this was one of the last times he'd see them, if it wasn't the last time already. He had accepted that he would die at Clay's hands and they only thing that worried him was that Jax wouldn't know how much he meant to him, Gracie and Opie wouldn't know how much he loved them…
Gracie sat bored, her head propped up on her hand in math class. She doodled on her notebook, daydreaming. Everyone jumped when the secretary's voice screeched over the loudspeaker, "Grace Learner, please report to the principal's office."
Gracie eagerly packed up her things and walked leisurely to the office, she was going to make skipping math last as long as she could. When she turned the corner and saw Jax crying into his mom's shoulder, she wished she was in math class. A very young Tig walked up to her, his hair was shorn close to his head and his skin was smooth, "Hey kid," he said, taking the books and notebook from her hands, "John was in an accident today. He's in the hospital, not doing so great."
Gracie walked over to Jax and put her arms around both him and Gemma, "I'm so sorry, Jax," she said.
"We need to go to the hospital," Gemma said, her voice strong as ever.
Tig let Gracie ride with him; he knew she liked to do that. Her scrawny arms barely reached around him and he had had to build special foot pegs for the kids. Gracie hopped off the bike as Tig went to park and ran to Piney's side, who was waiting for them at the door of Saint Thomas. She took his hand and walked with everyone up to John's room.
She waited outside, sitting next to Piney as Jax and Gemma went inside the room. She rested her head on Piney's arm, his shoulder was too high for her to reach yet, "Is John going to die, Piney," she asked. Clay, Tig and Chibs looked at Gracie and then Piney.
Piney cleared his throat, "He's not doing so good, baby."
Gracie's stomach tied in knots sitting outside, waiting. More and more members of Sons of Anarchy filled the hallway. Gracie saw Otto coming around the corner and stood up to greet him, "Hey baby girl," Otto said, hugging her and lifting her off the ground. Otto was a huge guy and Gracie's flip flop clad feet dangled above his knees. Luann at Otto's side, rubbed Gracie's back, comforting her.
Gemma came out of the room with Jax and Otto set Gracie down, who was instantly attached to Jackson. She peeked in the room and saw John, his chest and arms wrapped in bandages; his face relatively unscathed. He lifted a hand and winced as he motioned for Gracie to come in. She looked at Gemma, who nodded. Gracie went in and shut the door, backing into it. John patted the bed and Gracie slowly climbed up next to him, tossing her shoes on the floor, she laid on her stomach, propped her chin up on her hands and elbows and stared at John. John stared back.
"I don't think I'm gonna make it," John said, his voice was scratchy.
"I think you'll be okay," Gracie said, making John smile. If anyone was optimistic, it was her.
"I need you to take care of Jax and Opie," John said, "Jax has a long road ahead of him, a tough life with tough decisions. You might not know what I'm talking about now but, remember that Clay can't ride forever. And when we're gone it's up to you three to make everything okay; to set SAMCRO on the right path," John began to cough and blood trickled down his chin, "Things aren't always what they seem, Gracie."
A nurse came in as John continued to cough up blood; Gracie jumped off the bed, grabbed her shoes and stood against the wall. John coughed violently and groaned before he went silent, "He's not breathing," the nurse yelled, "Get me some help in here!"
Gracie stood in the corner and watched the hysteria around her, wondering why no one was coming to get her. She watched a Doctor slice open John's throat and slide a breathing tube down his throat, deep red blood oozed around apparatus. His chest began to rise and fall again but, the time in between his inhales and his exhales scared Gracie the most.
John looked over to Gracie, winked at her and then closed his eyes, "John," Gracie said his name, "John?"
Otto and Piney came in the room, not realizing that the fifteen year old girl had been in there during the whole ordeal. Gracie stood in the corner, face white as a ghost, tears streaming down her face. Piney spoke quietly and hurriedly with the nurse, Otto picked Gracie up and hauled her out the door. He handed her off to Tig who sat down and held Gracie who sniffled against his shoulder, "Call everyone," Piney said, walking out of the hospital room, "Call everyone and get them here by dawn."
"Take her," Tig said, shifting Gracie to her own chair next to Luann.
Tig, Bobby, Piney, Clay and Otto stood down the hall discussing their next move, "We're weak," Clay said, "We need to go to lockdown."
"We need to vote you in," Tig said to Clay, folding his arms across his chest.
The group of men nodded their heads, "Lockdown and church, twenty four hours," Otto said, clapping a hand on Clay's shoulder.
The clubhouse was full of people. Gracie wandered with her backpack full of extra clothes. Gemma had convinced her parents to let her stay with them over the weekend. They obliged, knowing that Gracie would have snuck out anyway. She found Gemma and handed her bags off to a guy named Happy, he was prospecting but his time was near up Gracie figured. He was terrifying but, when he knelt down and hugged Gracie, she felt better, "You must be Gracie," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. She nodded, "I've heard a lot of good things about you, kid."
"Someone's here to see you," Gemma said, pointing across the room. Gracie followed her finger.
"Lenny," Gracie squeaked and ran across the room and jumped into Lenny the Pimp's arms, "Lenny, I missed you so much."
"Hey baby girl," Lenny said, his voice scratchy and a bit higher due to the tracheotomy hole in his neck, "I missed you, too. How you been?"
"I'm okay," Gracie said, Lennie sat her down, "You?"
"Better now that you're here."
Gracie stayed close to Lenny, Piney or Otto the rest of the night until they all went into the church room. Then she grabbed some dinner; food was always abundant, and sat next to Jax and Opie on the couches, "I think you're Dad is gonna be okay," she said.
Jax was silent, as was Opie. Neither one believed her but, they wanted to. John Teller died the next day.
Gracie rode in the procession, on the back of Lenny's bike. She buried her face in his cut as they slowly entered the graveyard; her ears pounded with the sound of hundreds of bikes followed them. The sound scared her a bit, the loud rumbling, the men she didn't know. Lenny parked the bike and Gracie hopped off, she stared around at the crowd of bikers. Otto walked over and knelt down, unbuckling the helmet and tossing it to Lenny. He tucked a curl behind her ear, "Don't be afraid of them, Gracie, they're your family. They will keep you safe, above everything at all costs," Otto said, "You're safe."
"C'mon baby," Luann said, taking Gracie's hand.
Gracie followed without question still looking around. Otto's voice rang loud and clear in her head: Keep you safe, above everything, at all costs.
Gracie straightened her shoulders, walked even with Luann and stood stoically amidst the crowds of SOA members and their old ladies. She stood between Opie and Luann, silently slid her hand into Opie's.
I'll be in this life forever, Gracie thought feeling Opie's hand tighten around hers, Shame on me if I ever leave, shame on me if I ever choose a man outside of this life, this town. Shame on me if I ever give up, ever turn away or ever betray them, Gracie vowed to herself, I will protect them, comfort them and love them. I'll house them, clothe them, feed them and support them.
From this day onward, Gracie gulped down fears of the future and remembered what John Teller's last words to her had been, they are my family, I will save them.