Vanessa was rushing around the house trying to get all of their bags together for the lockdown. She had never been on a lockdown before, but Gemma had warned her about it. Telling her that they would be confined to the lot and the clubhouse until the threat was handled.
Vanessa cringed internally, not looking forward to spending who knows how long trapped on the lot. But like a good old lady, she refused to complain. She didn't want to complain to Jax, especially after all of the shit that had been piled up on him lately. So she continued to pack, throwing a bunch of the baby's toys and clothing into a duffel bag, as well as ensuring that the diaper bag was fully stocked with everything that they would need. She threw the diaper bag over her shoulder when she heard her cell phone going off in the kitchen.
"Hello?" Vanessa answered, looking at the medical kit in front of her on the kitchen table, making sure that all of the things she needed were in it. She nodded and zipped it up when the voice spoke.
"Ms. Hale, this is Mrs. Valdez, Human Resources Administrator for St. Thomas." The voice spoke with a soft yet short tone. Vanessa was completely focused on the phone call now. "I wanted to inform you that the board meeting for your suspension has been moved up due to unforeseen circumstances. We'll be conducting it today at 11 am. Is that convenient for you?"
"Okay, yes, uh- great. I'll be there. Thank you." Vanessa said her goodbyes and hung up the phone, sitting on the couch with her head in her hands. Her brain was scattered, while she was mentally preparing for her hearing, she was focused on the threat that was present. The threat of the League, the threat of her old man being put in danger, the threat of prison time, the threat of potentially losing everything she worked so hard for.
"You alright?" Jax walked over to her, the baby in his arms was reaching for her. She took Abel and bounced him in her lap, giving him a little smile.
"Yeah, the board meeting was pushed up to today. I have to be there by eleven."
"Shit." He sighed, looking at the clock and noted that 11 was only a few hours away. "We'll get to TM, drop off our shit and settle down for a bit, then I'll get one of the guys to tail you."
"I have to get ready." She nodded before handing Abel off to his father. She walked into their bedroom and quickly pulled out the black pencil skirt and white button down blouse. She quickly got dressed, tucking in the blouse and proceeding to zip up the pencil skirt when Jax walked into the room. "How do I look?"
"Like a naughty school teacher." Jax smirked and she rolled her eyes but still gave him a flirty smile.
"Great." She joked, wrapping her hair into a low bun and buttoning another button so the blouse wasn't as revealing.
"You look beautiful." He kissed her softly and she smiled into the kiss. "Don't worry, babe. Everything's gonna be alright."
Vanessa walked into the clubhouse, feeling completely out of place. All she saw around her was leather and cleavage and skin, while she was looking like the complete opposite. Regardless of how she felt, she still greeted the few people that she knew as she made her way through the clubhouse. She looked around and swore that she had never seen the clubhouse so packed, even on big party nights it never looked this way. She saw the children running around while a few of the guys were playing pool and drinking already. She took everything in, biting her lip and sighing before walking towards Jax's dorm room. She placed Abel's car seat on the ground, before throwing the diaper bag and medical bag onto the bed, she sat down softly on the bed and sighed as Jax walked in with the other two duffel bags.
"We just gotta make introductions and shit. Maybe get some food in you and the kid before you head out. I'll make sure that someone is with you the whole time."
"Is that really necessary?"
"Yeah, it is, babe. Just a precaution, but I don't want anything happening to you. I like you too much." Jax pulled her up from the bed and kissed her. "Let's get back out there."
Vanessa nodded, picking up their son out of the car seat before taking Jax's hand and walking out into the clubhouse together. They stood there together for a moment before Jax gestured to Tig to cut the music. Tig nodded, whistling to get everyone's attention.
"Everybody!" He yelled. "Listen up!" The music faded and the crowd quieted just seconds after Tig yelled. Everyone looked over to Clay who had just stood up in front near Gemma, Jax, and Vanessa before clearing his throat. Vanessa looked out over the sea of people, seeing everyone's attention solely on the President and Vice President of SAMCRO.
"I want to welcome you all to Club Reaper. I'm glad you made your reservations early, 'cause as you can see, we are booked to capacity." A few people chuckled before Clay continued. "You're here because you're family. And because SAMCRO takes care of its own. Next couple of days, this club's got some business to handle that could put our members and the people connected to us in unfriendly situations." Clay spoke with confidence as he looked over the sea of people. "Now, chances are, nothing's gonna happen, but… people have already been hurt on my watch. And that ain't ever going to happen again. Nobody gets in. Nobody leaves without an escort. You got a safety concern you talk to Piney. You got a comfort concern you talk to my queen. Under this roof, you'll all be safe. Want you to make yourself at home. I love all of you."
"Alright." A few of the guys cheered, while the entirety of the crowd clapped their hands for the speech that Clay just made. Clay hugged both Gemma and Jax, but barely acknowledged Vanessa before walking off into the chapel, the rest of the SAMCRO guys following behind him. She just watched as everyone continued to cheer for them.
Vanessa looked at her phone, noticing that she only had about a half an hour before she had to leave for her meeting. With a twinge of anxiety, she sat down at the bar, her knee bouncing up and down while rocking the baby. She stayed there for a few minutes before Gemma came to sit next to her.
"Hey." Gemma said, sitting next to her and running her fingers through Abel's blonde tufts. "You okay?"
"Yeah… my hearing about my suspension is today."
"That why you're all dressed up?"
"Yeah, I look a little out of place, don't I?" Vanessa smiled, causing Gemma to just nod and laugh.
"You want some coffee, doll?" A woman asked her, a coffee pot in her hand. Vanessa just looked at her, confused as to why she was asking her.
"Uh, it's fine. I can get it." Vanessa tried to be polite.
"I got it." The woman insisted. "Cream and sugar?"
"Uh, sure. Black, two sugars." The woman nodded and she smiled at her. "Thank you."
"They need to do that. To show respect." Vanessa just shook her head and scoffed. "Don't just toss that off. You've earned that, sweetheart. You're not just some croweater. You're Jax Teller's old lady. And that means something. In this clubhouse, and in this town. People need to show you respect. And you don't take shit from anyone."
"Don't you find it a little condescending that people only respect us because of the men we're with?"
"Don't start with that feminist bullshit in here, sweetheart." Gemma smirked, looking around the clubhouse. "And that's not the only reason why we're respected in this clubhouse and in this town. Yeah, maybe who we're with influences some of the respect we get. But we're respected because of who we are. Because the town relies on the club, but we're the ones that the club relies on. Because of our service to the club and to Charming. Your service, your path is nursing. Healing. You're a healer. Nothing should ever stop you from doing that. You helped heal my son and his family. All of your patients. Even me."
"And for you, it's family?" The woman placed the coffee cup in front of Vanessa, who just nodded her thanks.
"Yeah." Gemma nodded, looking down at Abel. "I get it now. God wants me to be a fierce mother. That's my path."
"You seem better, Gemma. More at peace."
"I guess." Gemma shrugged it off. Vanessa didn't get a chance to respond when Jax came up to her, placing a hand on the small of her back and kissing her on the cheek.
"The prospect's with you, babe." He kissed his son on the head. "I gotta go. Walk me out?"
"You'll watch the baby, Gem?"
"Of course, sweetheart." Vanessa kissed Abel on the cheek before passing him to his grandmother. She took a hold of Jax's hand as they walked out of the clubhouse together. Jax accompanied her to her SUV, looking at Half Sack who was on his bike and waiting for her to go.
"You keep her safe, prospect." He pointed to Half Sack who nodded and saluted him. Jax just rolled his eyes and looked at his old lady.
"And you? You're gonna be careful, right?"
"Always, darlin'. Let me know how the meeting goes." Vanessa nodded. "Love you."
"I love you, too." They kissed deeply, hearing a few of the guys, mainly Chibs, wolf-whistle at them, causing them both to smile. "See you later."
Vanessa walked out of the board hearing feeling confident. She had a feeling that everything with her job would be alright. They had no real evidence that Vanessa had done anything wrong, including in threatening her superior. They also had her statement saying that she was not responsible for what other people had said to Margaret, even if she was associated with them in some form. She continued walking out to her car where Half Sack was parked and had a small smile on her face, hoping that for once everything could go right for her.
"Hey, you done?" He asked her.
"Yeah." She nodded. "How you feeling, Kip? Your uh-" She looked down towards his pants.
"My body rejected the implant." He said sadly.
"I'm sorry." She sighed. "What about the infect-" She couldn't finish when she heard someone call her name. She turned to see that it was Margaret Murphy had followed her outside. Margaret was walking right towards her with a smug look on her face. Kip just looked between both women and moved over towards his bike and sat down on it, giving them privacy as he waited for them to finish.
"Vanessa, that went fairly well for you in there."
"I'm sure to your dismay." She scoffed.
"I told you that this wasn't at all personal."
"It's so not personal that you were attacking my relationship and practically giving me an ultimatum to choose between my career and my family." She said sarcastically. "I get that you don't like the club, okay? I really do and I don't want or need to change your opinion about them. But to use the club against me when I have done absolutely nothing wrong makes me feel that this is personal."
"Nothing wrong?" Margaret nearly laughed. "What about the supplies that you have been stealing from the hospital? Or the ruse you played with Filip Telford?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Ms. Hale. Faking symptoms to extend critical status. It was unethical, dangerous, and frankly, a breach of insurance law."
"I had nothing to do with Mr. Telford's case. I was already suspended at that time, remember?"
"The biker is not that clever." Margaret scoffed. "He was coached by you. Maybe I'll just have to share my theories with the board."
"I pity you." Vanessa spat. "I have worked my ass off to get to where I am. Through blood, sweat, and tears. I am still working to heal others while you walk around here with your little two year administrative degree from some shitty community college pretending like you know medicine. Like you know healing. You're too stupid and too lazy to do what me and the other healers of this hospital do, so now you compensate by making us jump through hoop after fucking hoop."
"Well… someone's true colors have finally bled through."
"I have worked too goddamn hard to let some ignorant, uptight cheap suit ruin my career."
"I guess you and that biker whore you travel with…" Margaret didn't have a chance to finish when Vanessa grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into her car door.
"You stupid bitch. How dare you?" Vanessa tightened her grip on her throat as Kip ran over towards her, looking around to make sure no one else was around. "You don't know her. You don't know any of them. And you do not know me." Vanessa pulled her hand off her throat, but not before slamming her into the car door again.
"Uh-" Kip tried to calm Vanessa down but had no idea how to. He was afraid of what was about to happen, considering the story he heard about her at Cara Cara a few months ago when she broke one of the porn star's noses.
"Oh, my God!" Margaret yelled, taken aback. "You hit me. You are finished. I'm calling security. You can kiss your job and any future career you wanted goodbye. This is assault."
"No." Vanessa pushed her into the car again, pinning her down with one arm. Before Vanessa even had a chance to think about what she was doing, she slammed her fist into Margaret's face. Margaret shrieked in pain and fell to the ground against the car. "That was assault!"
"Vanessa!" Kip yelled at her. She looked back at him and realized what she had just done, but she felt no guilt. Vanessa panted for a second before she quickly smoothed over her skirt and looked around.
"Get up." She whispered angrily. "Get up!"
Margaret slowly got up, using the car to help her get off of the cement of the parking lot. There were tears falling down her face and blood trailing out of her nose.
"Look at me." Vanessa demanded. "I know where you live, where your kids go to school. SAMCRO knows everything about this town. They have the cops on their payroll and the entire town in their pocket. And Jax… he would do anything to protect me, our family. So if you say a word about this to anyone, it will be the biggest mistake of your sad, pitiful life. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Y-yes." Margaret nodded, fear radiating off of her.
"Good. There are a lot of people who need my help, so I expect to be back to working in this hospital within the next week. And I suggest you forget about your bogus insurance fraud claim. Okay?" Margaret nodded again. Margaret flinched when Vanessa moved closer and took a gentle hold of the woman's chin, tilting her head as she inspected the red head's nose. "You know that this wasn't personal, right?"
Margaret didn't answer, just stared at the woman in front of her. Vanessa knew that she was afraid, but she didn't care. This woman was trying to ruin her career, her education, and her future.
"You should ice that. Luckily, it's not broken." Vanessa spoke almost threateningly before looking at Kip and nodding. She opened the door to her SUV and sat in the driver's seat, putting her seatbelt on before driving off like nothing had ever even happened.
"You tell Jax about any of that and I'll kick your ass." Vanessa whispered to Kip as they were walking over to all of the guys and their significant others. They were all standing out there getting ready to leave again when Vanessa and Kip got back from the hospital and then from running a few errands for Gemma.
"Got it." He nodded. "You're like... kind of a badass, you know that?" Vanessa just smirked, walking quickly to her old man who was walking towards her too.
"How'd it go, babe?"
"As well as it could have gone." She whispered.
"Good." His grip tightened on her hips. She looked around to everyone else with a worried look on her face, and like he could sense her worry he explained what was going on. "We're going after them."
"Right now?" He nodded, pulling her in a deeper hug. "Shit."
"I love you. I gotta go." She kissed him deeply, not wanting to think about the real possibility of this being the last time she would get to hold him. When she pulled away, he saw her lip tremble as he heard her whisper the faintest 'I love you too'.
"Be safe, baby."
"Always, darlin'."
Everyone watched as the guys jumped onto their bikes and sped out of the lot. Vanessa watched as her old man led the pack of the guys right behind Clay and her heart began racing. She thought she was going to cry, but she held it together. She held it together for the other women and children surrounding her. And for herself.
She walked over to Gemma who grabbed her and pulled her into her side, Lyla on the other side of her as she tried to comfort the two of them.
"It's gonna be okay." She said, placing a kiss on Vanessa's cheek first and then Lyla's. "It'll be alright."
AN: I'm trying to pre-write a bunch of chapters, so is there anything you guys do or do not want to see within this story? I have a basic sense of where the story is going for now, but I also want to know if there's anything I can do to make the story more enjoyable for you. So let me know, please! And as always, thank you to all who have favorited and followed. Special thanks to my reviewers (MaddyeTrager, hateme101, BlueBloodsSVUOrder, and peaches2010).