I couldn't just sit in that room alone, I was going crazy. I slid off the table holding my stomach. God I wish she had given me morphine. Once I got on my feet, I found my clothes folded in a chair by the door.

I started with my skirt and underwear. Those were the easiest, but my ribs screamed when I bent down. Then my bra and shirt. I got it up my arms and over my head just fine, through gritted teeth. I sat down to start my boots when the door opened and in walked my broker. Damn it Tara.

"Hey darlin'." He said, he went to kiss my forehead and I flinched away. "You alright?"

"Yeah-Yeah, I'm alright." He bent down and grabbed my hand while I spoke. "Am I still hot?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Smokin', as always."

"Good. That's what I was going for."

"Listen, why don't I give you a ride home before I get back to the clubhouse?"

"No, no, that's alright. Tara still needs to run a few more tests. Nita can take me home. Can you do me a different favor though?"

"Name it."

"Take mom home. I don't want her to see me until I've cleaned up some. She doesn't need to see this." I said, motioning to my swollen cheek and busted lip.

"She's not gonna like that."

"I don't care. Send her home Jackson, please."

"Alright. Anything for my kid sister. I'll strap her ass to the bike if I have to." He joked, making us both laugh. "There's that smile."

"Don't make me laugh." I begged, holding my ribs. "Get outta here. I love you."

"Love you too. Bye sis." I waved after him and he kissed my hand.

Once the door closed I couldn't keep it in. I was so freaked out I just busted into tears. I was still crying ten minutes later when Tara came back.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?"

"Jax was here." I said rubbing my eyes.

"You told him?"

"No. Are you crazy? The only thing I told him was to take my mother home."

"Then why are you so upset?"
"He kissed my forehead and it freaked me out okay. Look, can we just get this blood drawn so I can go."

"Yeah, of course."

Tara took four vials of blood and gave me a soda. She also wrote me a prescription for a painkiller.

"That everything?"

"Yeah, you're free to go."

"Yeah, alright."

Tara helped me up out of the chair once I had zipped up my boots. Nita was in the waiting room with Abel. When she saw me she stood up and I held my arms out for the baby.

"Are you okay?" Nita asked, handing me Abel.

"I'm fine. Can you take me to Jax and Tara's place?"

"Yeah, of course."

"I'll be there later. I get off at 8." Tara said. "I can pick up your meds if you'd like."

"Yeah alright."

"Go home smartass."

"Bitch." I said with a smile, walking away.

"Biker whore." She called after me, she even gave me a little chuckle.

Nita was walking behind me leaving the hospital. When I turned my head past a corner I saw my godmother, Luann. I turned around and Nita backed up to avoid me running into her.

"Come in here." I said, walking into the Chapel.

"Why? Who's there?"

"Just someone I don't want to see right now." She gave me a questioning look. "Someone who will have a lot of questions."

She sat in the pew behind me and I just stared down at Abel, asleep in my arms. I could feel her boring her eyes into me.

"You want to pray with me?"

"I'm not much the praying type." I told her without looking up.

"Sure you are. You're prayin' right now. Every time you look at your mom or that baby right there. You are thankin' God for the both of them."

"Yeah, I am grateful for both of them, but God didn't have anything to do with that. It was pure will. Tellers don't die easy; and Morrows, well we go down swingin'."

"Alright… Listen, I'm not gonna do it today because I'm not a stupid sister, but you know one day I'm gonna have some questions."

I looked up at her then. "I know. Maybe the hallway is clear now."

"I'll go check."

I nodded after her and looked down at Abel. He had woken up while we were talking and was looking up at me. He placed his little hand on my swollen, busted cheek and started to get fuzzy.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay. Auntie Amelia is okay, just a little roughed up. I'm okay and you know what, your dad and grandparents and all of your uncles are lookin' out for us. And, believe it or not, I can hold my own pretty well. I know it doesn't look like it right now, but I'm pretty badass actually. We've got this, right little man?"

Nita cleared her throat behind me. I wonder how long she was standing there?

"The- uh, the hallway's clear." Guess that answers that question.

"Yeah, alright."

I held Abel close to my chest and grabbed the pew in front of me to pull myself up. When I tried, I couldn't raise up. Nita saw me and walked over to help.

"Here, let me help you. Do you want me to take him or pull you up?"

"Just grab my hand and elbow and pull me up."

When she touched me, I flinched away and gasped.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes." I said trying to catch my breath. "I just need a second… Okay. I'm ready."

She grabbed my arm again and pulled me to my feet. My ribs burned when they suddenly had pressure put on them again. I winced and hissed once I was upright.

"Do you need me to take him?"

"Yes, please."

Once she had Abel I was able to hold my ribs and the wall while we walked to the car. She drove us all back to Jax and Tara's place. We got inside and suddenly I was starving. Well, it was apparently three in the afternoon. Even Abel was hungry, he started to cry the minute we walked into the house.

"I'll make him a bottle and us some lunch. Have a seat." She said as she put Abel's car seat on the table. "What would you like?"

"Something simple. My stomach's not feeling too well. Toast and butter?"

"You got it." She said, handing me Abel's bottle.

I fed it to him and danced my fingers across his stomach. I couldn't stop my mind from drifting to what they said. 'We will find you and do this again.' What if they did come back? What if I had Abel with me? What if mom was with me? What if she found out? Would she hate me? What is Tig going to think? Will he ever want me again? Where is he anyway?

My brain was running around and around with all of these questions and more. My head was pounding and my stomach was doing flip flops. I was sweating and trying to take deep breaths. Nita put the toast in front of me and that was all it took. I was moving as fast as my battered body would take me to the bathroom, holding my stomach and grabbing my hair.

"Let me help you."

"No!" I shouted, falling to the floor in front of the toilet.

I could not stop throwing up. I had nothing left in me by the time I slumped against the wall. I had to get up soon so she wouldn't come asking questions that I couldn't answer. I used the wall to help me stand up and leaned against the sink. I washed my hands and my face and walked back into the kitchen, holding the wall and my stomach.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine." I said sitting back down.

Abel was looking at me with the biggest grin he could manage. He always made me smile with how excited he was to see me. It's like he could look past all the shit that I've done and that's happened. Childlike innocence I guess. God, I wish I still had that, but open eyes have their upsides in this life.

Once Abel was done with his bottle, I took him into the bedroom to burp and rock him. He was staring up at me and kept reaching up and touching my cheek. Eventually he fell asleep and I just kept looking at him. How could he be so perfect when everything else is such shit.

"You want me to put him in the crib?"

"Yeah."

"Are you really okay?" She asked, putting Abel down and covering him up.

"I'm fine. I'm always fine."

"If you ever wanted to talk, I'm a good listener."

"Yeah. I'm not much of a talker."

"I know, but if you change your mind."

"Yeah."

Nita went back out. I could feel my lip trembling. God, I've cried so much today. Such a fucking pussy, my mom would hate it. My phone started ringing then. Speak of the devil, it read Gemma Teller Morrow.

"Hey Ma."

"Hey baby. You alright?"

"Yeah Ma, I'm fine. Just a few bumps and bruises."

"Yeah. You comin' home or to the garage?"

"Neither. I'm with Abel at Jax's place."

"Isn't Nita there?"

"Yeah, but I'm still hurtin' so I'm gonna stay here for a bit."

"How bad are you hurtin'?"

"Relax. I'm fine. Tara's gonna bring home some meds for me. I'll come home after that."

"Alright. Be safe. No more accidents, you hear me?"

"Yes ma'am. No more accidents."

"Good girl. I'll see you tonight okay. I love you."

"Love you too. Bye Mom."

"Bye baby."

This was the first time I have ever lied to my mother. We tell each other everything. I hate this, but I can't tell her. No matter how much lying to her hurt me, telling her would only hurt her. I'd do anything not to hurt her.

I blinked my eyes quickly to keep from crying. I hated to cry. Crying showed weakness and I was not weak. Hell, maybe I was. I couldn't stop them. I couldn't do anything but cry.

How did this happen? I am Amelia Harley Morrow. This shit does not happen to me. The guys will never even look at me again, and Tig. God Tiggy will never want me again. If they find out… No one is ever going to want anything to do with me again.

Goddamn. I couldn't stop yawning. I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes I saw them again with those damn masks. They were white… latex...Those… goddamn… masks.