Jax has finished putting on his ankle strap, paranoia be damned, when Cheyenne comes in holding Thomas. Cheyenne is wearing a nice little sundress that Jax finds he appreciates greatly. He also realizes this would be his first outing with his family since his release. This was long overdue. "So I packed a lunch and I figured we could stop at that park outside Walnut Grove meet my mom there." Cheyenne suggests.
"Great," Jax says as he gets up from the bed. His hand grasps Cheyenne's waist as he leans and gives Thomas a kiss on the head. "I like that park."
Cheyenne rolls her eyes as he plants a kiss on her lips. "Abel up?"
"Yeah, he's in the living room with Isla and Lip." Jax smiles as he scoops Thomas out of his mother's arms and holds him up high in the air causing Thomas to laugh.
He walks down the hallway and into the kitchen where he finds Lip pouring a glass of juice for Abel.
"Hey," Lip greets.
Jax nods his head and his eyes find Isla, who seems to be pouting. Jax looks over at Lip questioningly.
"She's mad I'm not coming."
Jax winces.
"You staying up there the whole time?"
"At least a couple days. Spend some quality times with the kids."
"And my mother?"
Jax doesn't reply as his mom walks through the door.
Thomas smiles and waves at his grandmother and is eager to get into her arms.
"Hey, Mom. What are you doing here?"
"Well, you're taking my grandkids on a one-way trip to Oregon. You think I'm not going to stop and say good-bye?" Gemma points out.
Jax thinks his mom is being a tad overdramatic. "It's just four or five days." He clarifies.
"Is Neeta coming?" His mom asks as she makes a face at Thomas.
"I'm actually going to take up Cheyenne and the kids. Turn it into a little family vacation." Jax announces.
"Out of state? You're on release." She states. Her brown eyes narrow at Lip. "You going too?"
"Uh, no. But they are taking Isla."
"So all my grandchildren are just up and leaving." Gemma pouts. "Does Clay know?"
"He will after you tell him. We got stuff with the Irish. I'll be back day after tomorrow." Jax tells her.
"What about the Mexicans?"
"Nothing for us to do. It's an internal beef. We've been told to stay out of it." Jax informs his mother.
. . .
Lip looks down at his daughter. He hopes she isn't going to be this moody for her aunt and uncle, but he has a feeling this moodiness is reserved just for him.
"Look, I know you want me to come…"
"Uncle Jax is coming. Why can't you?" Isla asks.
"I just can't, right now." He tells his daughter.
"But we haven't even gone on our trip and school starts in a couple weeks!"
"Our trip will just be delayed for a bit."
He can see the tears building in her eyes. "I don't like this."
"I know."
"No you don't! I want things to go back to the way they were before. I miss…I miss…"
"You miss what?"
"I miss Fawn. I miss you being home." Isla says before she storms away and into Cheyenne's car.
Lip looks up at the sky to ignore Gemma's, Jax's, and Cheyenne's gaze. "You drive safe up there," He tells Jax.
"Bro –"
"Just call me when you get up there." Lip says as he heads to his bike and watches them pull out.
"Lip," Gemma calls out softly.
"Yeah, Gem?"
"How come you didn't say anything about Isla?"
He shrugs his shoulders. "What is there to say? Besides, I think she's just pissed about what's going on with Opie and Lyla."
"Still you should've come to me." Gemma tells him. Family is her thing and despite not being her blood, Isla was her first grandbaby.
Lip doesn't say anything as he pulls out of the driveway.
. . .
Cheyenne is standing next to her niece as they look at the shelves of snacks in the convenience store. Isla has been quiet since last night and that was highly unusual for her niece. Cheyenne brings an arm around her shoulder.
"You going to tell me what's going on?" Cheyenne asks softly.
Isla grabs a pack of chips. "I'm not a little kid."
"I know."
"And I can read." Isla adds. "We watched the Godfather the other day. Me, Ellie, and Kenny. It made me wonder what dad, Uncle Jax and Opie do."
"What do you think they do?"
Isla doesn't answer her. "It's scary." Isla admits. "Scary to think I grew up in this and only realized that my dad may do bad things."
Isla doesn't sound like a 12 year old. In her niece's eyes, she just sees a little girl tainted by the outlaw world. Cheyenne hugs her niece. She's been so worried about her boys that she's neglected to think of what leaving may do to her niece.
"Your dad is a good man." She tells her niece. "He's one of the best."
"But a good man can do bad things." Isla says.
Cheyenne bends down so she is eye level with her niece. "I'm sorry."
"Not your fault."
. . .
Walnut Grove is almost an hour and half from the border to Oregon. It's a big fast park with large swing sets and playground sets and about 20 pavilions. There's a baseball field, tennis and basketball court, and even a fountain big enough for the adults to run through on a hot sunny day.
Cheyenne isn't sure how they even come across this park. She knows when they were younger as kids their parents would take them up here. She remembers Lip falling off the tallest slide breaking his arm. When they became older as teens, they would drive out here to escape the troubles of Charming. It was like the streams, but a far greater escape as it even had a motel down the road.
She even remembers coming here with her first boyfriend, Mason. Her first time had been in room 9 of that motel.
They pull into the parking lot and they find Cheryl already there waiting.
"Grandma's here?" Isla asks in shock of not having to expect her.
Isla hops out the car first and makes her way to Cheryl. Jax watches as Isla gives the woman a tight hug. He looks back over at Cheyenne. "You know you never talk about how you felt with her being around."
Cheyenne shrugs her shoulders. "She's their grandmother. And she's been clean for a long time."
"But you're okay with her being back?"
"I can't hold onto any grudges. Time to let go. Move on."
"Huh," Jax says as he takes the keys out of the car.
Cheyenne leans over and places a kiss on his jaw. "Can't fault her for trying."
. . .
Jax can't help, but be uncomfortable in Cheryl's presence. After all, he killed her husband and since then it had been radio silence. And he can tell the grief of losing her husband has taken a toll on her. Her hair, which is usually pinned back or pin straight, is set loose in wild curls that Cheyenne had inherited. Her face is painted with makeup, but devoid of it. Despite that, Cheryl is still a striking beauty in her age. And as Jax does his perusal, he realizes that Cheryl still wears both sets of her wedding rings.
Soon, Jax and Cheryl are left alone as the boys drag Cheyenne and Isla to the playground.
"A lot has happened since we last spoke," Cheryl says.
Jax nods his head. "Look –"
Cheryl brings her hands up. "If it wasn't you guys. It would have been someone else. Not the first time I've lost a husband."
Jax winces. "Do you regret it?"
"I have a lot of regrets in my life." Cheryl replies. "There are some things I wish I could change for sure, but Cheyenne seems happy. She has the boys and you. Lip has Isla. I can't regret some of my choices if these are the outcomes."
Jax chews on his bottom lip. "I want to get Cheyenne and the boys out of this Life." He tells her. He's not sure why he even is. Maybe it's because Cheryl did get out of Charming. She did change.
Cheryl nods her head. She has it in her to mention how his father wanted the same thing, but she can't. Jax is his own person and she fears that if she looks hard enough Jax will share the same fate as his father.
"Does Cheyenne want to leave?"
"I think so now." Jax tells Cheryl. With getting into bed with a Cartel, He suspects all she has thought about is getting the boys out of the violence. He pushed her to make that decision.
"By the way, congratulations on the engagement."
Jax brows furrowed before a sheepish smile comes across his face. Sometimes, it seems to slip his mind that he had asked Cheyenne to marry him. They were going to get married.
"Thanks."
"I take it there haven't been any plans made yet."
"Been too busy." Jax admits.
"I bet."
"Daddy, look at how high I go!" Abel shouts.
Jax smiles as he goes to stand and join his family, but Cheryl grabs his hand. "Don't put the club before them, Jax. Your dad died trying to save that club…don't have your sons follow that same fate."
. . .
Cheyenne and Jax are spread out on the blanket in the grass. Cheryl has taken the kids to the ice cream truck. It's been a peaceful day. It almost seems too perfect.
Cheyenne is playing with Jax's fingers when she breaks the silence. "What if they offer me a job?"
"You should take it." Jax tells her.
Cheyenne drops his hand as she leans up and looks at him uncertain. "Are you sure you mean that?"
"Chey, take the job. You got to give what, two, three weeks' notice?"
"Yeah, probably," Cheyenne says nodding her head.
"I got one more deal to lock down, and I'm good. I'm gonna be ready to go before you," Jax tells her giving her a wide smile.
Cheyenne returns his smile as she leans back down and gives him a kiss. "I love you."
Jax holds her tightly.
. . .
Jax is taking the trash to the garbage bin and he never felt so at ease as he had been outside of Charming and away from the club. He could taste the freedom and peace away from the club that he didn't even think could be possible. He could see himself living this average life no longer dodging bullets and having to lay low because of the threat of Feds. He could image himself free from this world. It could be his reality.
A smile is still on his lips as he eyes the scenery. He's not stupid to think he won't struggle with the transition in the beginning. However, he can do it. He will do it.
Although he feels detonations happen in his body – his soul.
He can feel the blood pumping in his ears blocking out every sound besides Cheyenne screaming out for help – for him. That moment of peace – of freedom – shatters. He knows why this was happening. He can hear the Spanish being exclaimed. Now his dream for his family was diluted knowing he won't be able to escape the mess of the Cartel that they brought in Charming.
He has to ignore the boys and Isla crying. He is thankful that at least Cheryl is there to watch the kids as he runs faster than he ever has before. He can smell the burning rubber as the car speeds away. His gun is out as he shoots. The car swerves and he can hear the struggle. He can hear Cheyenne screaming before the car slows. He gets one moment of relief when Cheyenne jumps out of the car. She hits the pavement hard and a man with a mask reaches out immediately but Jax pistol whips him.
And the fear magnifies as the gun pulls out a gun and points it at them that has Jax pushes Cheyenne behind him before the men drive away.
Cheyenne is trembling in his arms, but she's not crying. He knows she is in shock. He pulls back and realizes that she has a serious case of road rash on her arms. She has a scrap on her chin that is bleeding. But she's favoring her left arm.
Her eyes are wide and despite looking at him, he thinks she isn't seeing him. "Chey –"
"I think I broke my wrist." She tells him as he can hear the sound of sirens approaching.
. . .
Cheryl has a lot of questions. A lot of them and as she holds her grandchildren, she wonders if what Cheyenne had given her is the cause of her abduction.
"Mom?"
Cheryl looks up to find Lip looking completely devastated. She watches as a big man and a skinny one flank him.
She eyes them with mistrust. "They'll watch the kids."
Cheryl nods her head as the boys come forward. Isla and Abel are huddled on the bench in the St. Thomas chapel. Thomas clings to her. They all had cried themselves to sleep. She stands and follows her son to a deserted waiting room.
"You need to tell me the truth right now." She demands. Her daughter was almost abducted in front of her children. Who knows what those men were going to do.
Lip sighs. "We got involved with a Cartel –"
"Are you fucking serious!" Cheryl roars. "What were you thinking?"
"I thought we would just be selling them guys. That's what Clay –"
Cheryl scoffs. "Like you should believe anything that comes out of that man's mouth after what he did to your father."
"You know what? I actually didn't know because you left and let me be raised by him." Lip snaps. "But this isn't the issue. Chey's hurt…we're going to need you here."
"You don't even need me to ask to stay." Cheryl tells her son.
. . .
Lip goes to wait for news on Cheyenne with Jax as Cheryl goes back to the chapel. With the extra hands, she decides it would be best to take the kids back home.
However, as she enters, she stops at that sight of Gemma. The two patches hastily leave the room as they see trouble brewing.
"All this suffering landing on Cheyenne, it's because of you." Cheryl spits.
Gemma rears back. "Excuse me?"
"I'm only trying to figure out how you manipulate her, is it the boys you use as strings." Cheryl presumes.
"You better watch what you say next." Gemma warns.
"Or what? You going to attack me with a speedball? I'm not afraid of you."
Gemma looks away as she runs her hands through her hair. "You think I would ever want this to happen?"
"If it meant keeping those boys – Jax – in Charming, I'm sure you would." Cheryl replies. She knows at the end of the day, Cheyenne is expendable to Gemma. Her concern is to Jax and the boys.
"I can't believe –"
"Can't believe what, Gemma?" Cheryl interrupts. "Don't forget I know the lengths you would go for this stupid club!"
"Grandma?" Abel's sleepy voice questions as he looks between the two women drawing their conversation to a close.
. . .
At first, Lip was devastated. His little sister had gotten hurt once again because of the club. But devastation and grief soon morphed into anger. Angry that had his leg bouncing and his fingers tapping endlessly against the arms of the hospital chair.
He leans his head back as he waits for some sort of news. Jax was dealing with the Niners for a contact for Lobos. He had wanted to go, but he felt if he went he would kill anyone in their path. So for now, he is stuck in the waiting room. His sister was hurt. His nephews could've been hurt. His daughter could've been hurt.
He closes his eyes as he tries to count backwards from 100. He makes it to 80 when he can hear a group of footsteps approaching. He hears Clay before he sees him and he only sees black when he lunges.
He knows it must be some weird form of delayed anger. He knows he plays a role in the shit that has landed in all of their doorsteps. But to him, everything always leads back to Clay. Everything lands on this man.
"Christ, Lip, enough!" Someone shouts. It might be Opie, but he isn't sure as he feels arms trying to snake around him. He pops back up to shake their hold on him and he manages to get a couple more punches in on Clay before Opie and Jax charge at him and manage to pull him off Clay.
It's then he realizes that does not only the club is in the waiting room, but Roosevelt and his cops surround them now.
Tig helps Clay up, whose lip is bloody and busted like his nose. Lip sneers in disgust as Opie and Jax work to push him push of the room.
"Christ, Lip, man you need to calm the fuck down." Jax snaps.
"I am fucking calm."
"Bro –"
Lip pushes their hands off his frame as he moves away from him.
"Bro, I know –"
"What the fuck happened!" Lip roars. "How did this happen?" Lip is not talking about the attempted abduction itself. He's talking about everything. He doesn't understand how they got so far from who they originally were.
. . .
Cheyenne thinks she's lucky she's not a surgeon. Outside of the burning road rash on her arms and chin, she had broken her wrist when she jumped out of the moving van. She knows that things could've been a lot worse. She's lucky to have only come out needing a few screws in her wrist.
She picks at the threads of the blanket covering her as the doctor lists their plans of operation and recovery to her. She is going to need surgery after all.
"So we are going wait to tomorrow to see how bad your swelling is before we go in and fix your wrist," Dr. Ballion ends with bringing Cheyenne back into the present.
"Yeah, okay thank you," Cheyenne mutters with a tired smile. She feels relieved when the doctor finally leaves. Although it leaves her with Jax. She hasn't really seen him since she had been brought in. She doesn't have to think very hard of what he was doing.
Cheyenne lays her head back on the pillow. Maybe this is all just a bad dream or just numb or high on morphine.
"Tell me what I can do for you," Jax says breaking the silence that had overtaken the room.
"Nothing," Cheyenne states blandly. What could he do? She looks at him and wonders if this is going to be the thing that pulls them apart in the long run. "Was this the enemy of the cartel?"
Jax looks at her with a pained expression.
She hums. "Maybe we should've taken that note more seriously."
"Babe –"
Hot tears spill down her cheeks. "Our kids were there Jax. Our kids."
Cheyenne can't bear to think what could've happen to her babies if he wasn't there or if those people decided to takes her babies. All she could feel was that fear of Abel being ripped from her arms again.
"I know this is all my fault."
Cheyenne tears her gaze away from him as she shakes her head. "No. It's not, Jax." She whispers. It was her fault for staying and accepting all this as her life. She has no one to blame but herself. She knew the risks and she went ahead and created a family. She stayed and accepted the burdens. She came back and stayed. These were the consequences of her actions.
"Chey –"
"We're supposed to be together, right? But you can't leave here."
Jax steps close to her bed. "I am leaving here - with you."
"No," Cheyenne disagrees. "The club won't let you. Gemma won't let you. Charming won't let you."
"Come on. Babe, that's just the drugs talking. You should get some sleep."
This wasn't the drugs talking. This was the truth he needed to hear. "You can't leave, Jax. Look what happened. Either I go without you or I stay or somehow lose my way out. Maybe I should stop practicing, just be a mom, raise babies."
"Hey, come on. Don't do this."
"It's okay… Cause now we can be together… you, me, Gemma here in beautiful Charming, California."
Jax sits on the edge of the bed. "Cheyenne –"
Cheyenne turns her head away from him. "I can't, Jax."
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
"I love you," Jax tells her.
Cheyenne closes her eyes. "I know."