Synopsis: Lena Daniels has been in love with Jax Teller for half of her life. As she finally gains his heart, an old love comes back to Charming and threatens their future. Will Lena be able to handle Tara, and Jax's steady rise into the President's chair with SAMCRO?

Pairings: Jax Teller x Lena Daniels (OC), Jax Teller x Tara Knowles (past, mentioned), Jax Teller x Wendy Case (past)

Time Setting: Seasons 1-7

Warnings: fluff, angst, unprotected sex (wrap it, before you tap it, folks), pregnancy, insecurities, infidelity, canon SOA violence & gore, STRONG language, drug & alcohol use, rape, lots of taking the LORD's name in vain, mentions of racism, and character deaths

Author's Note: So, this is my first Sons of Anarchy story for those of you who are fans of the show. This fic is a Dark Fic. It is set during the timeline of the entire series, but I'm not going full canon. There will be things that are actually what happened in the show, but with my own twist, and things that are not show canon. The narrative is set to fit the story itself. If you are a Tara Knowles fan, be warned, as this story may not be for you. Also please HEED the warnings. They are there for those get triggered by certain topics. I will post another warning before each chapter to give a final warning.

Lena and Jax cuddled together on Lena's old, ratty couch basking in the afterglow of their love making. Lena's head was laid gently across Jax's bicep, as he delicately dragged his fingers up and down her arms.

"Jax," Lena whispered softly, kissing his bicep, "there's something I need to tell you."

"Okay." Jax leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her shoulder.

After a few seconds, Lena turned in his arms to face him. Looking up into his perfect blue eyes, the fear of telling him her secret sat bubbling in her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Concern in those baby blues, Jax cupped her face in his hand, using his thumb to gently stroke her cheekbone.

Lena drew in a deep breath, melting into his touch, trying to flush away the fear. "So, I need you to know that this wasn't done on purpose, and I'm not using it to trap you or anything."

Jax's brows furrowed in confusion. "What's going on, Lee?"

Lena swallowed the lump in the back of her throat, leaning forward to kiss his chest. She just decided it was best to just rip the bandaid. "I'm pregnant."

Jax pulled back, and Lena immediately felt the sting of rejection she knew was coming.

"Jax," she began, as he still hadn't spoken, "I know that this is not the best time for any of this. Especially with Abel and the club and Wendy. I promise—"

Jax cut her off, pressing his lips to hers. Lena was surprised by the kiss, but just melted into it. When he pulled back, he placed his forehead against hers, and whispered softly, "you're really having my kid?"

Lena nodded, her forehead still connected with his. He smiled and kissed her again. "You're not pissed?"

Jax shook his head and kissed her nose. "I have no reason to be. But that does explain your reaction to the joke I made about giving Abel a little brother. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Lena sighed heavily. "I just felt like it was never the right time. With Abel, and now Tara being back in town."

Taken aback, Jax looked down at Lena in confusion. "Tara? What does this have to do with Tara?"

"Never mind." Lena shook her head, trying to turn away from him. Talking about Tara was and will always be a touchy subject for the both of them.

"Hey," he stopped her from turning, "don't do that. Don't shut down on me now."

Lena swallowed, not looking Jax in the eye. "Okay, not to sound like a total girl, but I know the past that you and Tara have had. I know what it did to you when she left. It took us a long time to get where we are, and I don't want to lose that."

Jax was quiet for a moment, letting Lena's words sink in. He sighed heavily, again, cupping Lena's jaw, forcing her to look at him. He then leaned forward and placed a gentle, yet passionate kiss to her lips. "I love you, Lee. You're not gonna lose what we have. Tara is my past. You, Abel, and now this baby are my future."

Lena smiled softly, feeling all of the stress, she had been carrying of this, just melt away. "I love you too, Jax."

Jax then placed his hand on her lower belly, his thumb gently caressing back and forth, as he placed a kiss on her temple.

Lena's eyes fluttered open, as she realized that she was still on her couch, with a sheet covering her modesty. She looked over and watched Jax, as he was sitting on the edge of the couch, shoving his right foot into his shoe. He was fully dressed and ready to go, and Lena was feeling a bit disappointed.

"Where you going?" She asked him, and he turned his attention to her.

Jax stood up and threw on his kutte. "I've got some shit I need to handle." He then leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Go back to sleep, you need all the rest you can get." He smiled, and Lena could see the twinkle in his eyes.

"Hey," she sat up, grabbing his hand to stop him, "can we just keep this between us for right now?"

Jax swallowed and looked down at her confused. "The baby?"

Lena nodded, wrapping the sheet further around her body. "Yeah, I just want to keep this between you and me. You know with Abel and such. I just don't want to take away from that. And Gemma already has so much on her plate."

Jax sighed, wiping at his face, before taking a seat on the coffee table in front of her. "This is the good news that we need right now, Lee." He told her, but he noticed the look on his face, and he nodded. "Okay, we'll do whatever you want darlin'." He grabbed her chin and kissed her lips. He then stood to his feet. "We can't keep this secret for too much longer, because you ain't gonna be gettin' any smaller, sweetheart."

"Ass." She playfully glared at him and swatted at his butt.

He just laughed and kissed her once more. "Get some rest." As he made his way to the front door, he turned back to Lena. "Oh by the way mom is gonna need your help finish setting up for that fundraiser she's having tonight." Was the last thing he told her, before walking out of the door.

Lena just groaned, shoving her face back into the cushion. She thought if she suffocated herself, then maybe she could get out of helping Gemma. Because that was absolutely the last thing she wanted to do.

Lena arrived at the park later that day to help Gemma with the giving back fundraiser she threw every year to raise money for the schools. She would have been there a little earlier, but when Lena had called and Gemma to let her know that she was on her way, Gemma asked her in a very Gemma like way to stop by the grocery store to pick up some things. And by some things, Lena now had a back seat full of groceries.

She grabbed as many bags as she could carry, before clicking the alarm on her car and taking the stuff over to the awning which she spotted Gemma standing under.

"Well, it's about time you got here." Gemma spat in a chastising way when she saw Lena walking up.

"Gemma, you literally told me to pick up this stuff after I was already on my way. I have a shit ton more crap in my backseat. I'm not Supergirl, I can't fly." Lena spat sarcastically, sitting the bags on an empty table.

"Fine," Gemma huffed, placing her hands on her hips, "I actually need your help with something else." She then turned her attention to the two girls, that Lena knew to be SAMCRO croweaters, that were also helping out. She then snatched Lena's keys from her hands, tossing it to the first girl she laid her eyes on. "It's the black Mustang, grab the rest of the bags."

The girls nodded and quickly did as told. Lena hated the idea of a croweater. Waiting hand and foot on MC member's Old Ladies, sleeping with any MC members who showed any kind interest, all while waiting to finally be called someone's Old Lady. It disgusted Lena to her core.

Gemma then turned to look at Lena, who didn't look too pleased. "What?"

"They're not our slaves, Gemma." Lena angrily pointed out.

Gemma sighed heavily annoyed. "You got a long ways to go being an Old Lady with an attitude like that, sweetheart."

"I know firsthand what being a croweater entails." Lena bit, flashing back to all those years she watched her mother deteriorate from the person she used to be.

Gemma's attitude immediately seems to soften a bit, as she knew exactly what Lena had been through with her mom. She was the one that had to pull Lena from cradling her mother's dead body that fateful night. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Can you just take the stuff out of the bags and stack them over there?" She pointed over to another table that was littered with other things. "Please."

Lena nodded and took the stuff to the table. As she was preoccupying herself with the task that Gemma had given her, she was casually overhearing a conversation that Gemma had engaged herself in. It was April Hobart, a former MC Old Lady. She was asking, or more like begging, Gemma to ask Clay if her husband, Kyle, can come see their son and his band play at the fundraiser that night.

Lena could hear that Gemma was being hesitant about it at first, but told April that she would talk to Clay.

The moment April gratefully walked away, Lena stood next to Gemma. "Kyle Hobart? Wasn't he voted out of SAMCRO, like, five years ago?"

Gemma casually nodded, watching April walk away. "This is not gonna go over well with the club." She muttered, pulling out her cell phone to call her husband.

Lena didn't know much about the club business, as again, Jax tried to keep her protected from it as he could. But she knew that their brotherhood meant everything to them, and it took a betrayal of the highest to get voted out of the club. So, Kyle making a reappearance, even if it was for his kids, was gonna raise some serious problems with SAMCRO.

After most of the stuff was finally set up for the evening, Lena spotted Jax, as he finally arrived. He gave her a big smile the moment their eyes connected, and he rushed up to her.

"Hey, you." Lena wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hey." Jax leaned down and kissed her gently.

"I missed you today."

"Did you now?" He retorted, kissing her again. "How are you doing? Mom didn't push you too much?"

Lena playfully scoffed, turning to look at Gemma over her shoulder, who was now scolding Bobby dressed as Elvis for running just a little bit behind. "She was alright." She quickly turned back to Jax.

"How are you feeling?" Jax's hands immediately went to rest on her lower belly.

"I'm feeling pretty good."

"That's good." Jax kissed her temple, before his eyes zeroed on something that turned his attitude. "Give me a minute, darlin'." He told her, before walking off.

Lena's eyesight followed Jax, as he walked over to the parking lot where Kyle Hobart just pulled up with his new, much younger girlfriend. She watched, shielding her face from the sun, as Jax had a "conversation" with Kyle. Even from far away, she could see that Jax didn't like that Kyle was here, but apparently a club vote decided that it was okay for him to be. It didn't mean that he wasn't going to make it known that Kyle wasn't welcome. When he was finished, he made his way back over to Lena.

"What was that about?" Lena questioned her boyfriend, when he approached her.

"Just some club business." Jax retorted, brushing it under the rug like he always did. "Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about." He kissed her.

Lena playfully glared his way. "Do not patronize me, Jackson Nathaniel Teller. I'm a big girl, I can handle a lot of things."

"Ooh, the full government name." Jax winced, knowing that Lena was being serious. "I know you are a big girl, darlin'. And as someone who can handle my mother, of all people, I know you can handle some real tough shit. But there are some things that you don't need to handle. I thought you understood this."

"I understand it just fine, Jax. I have since I was 15 years old."

"Then you know that we do it to—"

Lena quickly cut him off, knowing exactly what he was going to say. "—protect me. I know." She was tired of being protected.

"Just know that I don't want anything to happen to you, okay? C'mere." Jax pulled her into his arms for a hug. It took her a few seconds, but Lena found herself wrapping her arms around his waist, just feeling his comfort.

When Jax pulled back, he kissed her forehead softly. "Let's try and enjoy this little shindig, huh? For my mother's sake."

Lena just giggled and nodded, as Jax threw his arm around her shoulder, and she kept her arm securely around his waist.

The fundraiser was in full swing, where literally everyone in the small town of Charming was in attendance.

Lena had found herself sitting at open picnic table talking with Donna Winston, Opie's wife, while Opie and Jax went off to have a conversation of their own.

"So, how's Ope adjusting?"

Donna took a quick glance over at Opie, who was sitting next to Jax, smoking a cigarette. "I know it's been hard for him. Especially with the kids." She then eyed her daughter, who was off playing with friends, before looking down desolately. "He's slowly being pulled back into the club, and I don't know what to do about it. It's been a little hard for all of us."

Lena sympathetically reached over to give Donna's hand a gentle, comforting squeeze. "Just give it some time, Dee. It will all work out the way it's supposed to. Opie's home, that's what matters the most."

Donna smiled, placing her other hand on top of Lena's, accepting the gesture. "Thank you. So, how are you and Jax doing? You look happy. Both of you."

Now it was Lena's turn to smile, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. "We're doing pretty good. It's been a bit crazy with, you know, Abel, and now Tara is back in town."

Donna winced softly. "Yeah, I heard about that. How're you feeling about it?"

Lena shrugged nonchalantly, a piece of splinter poking from the wooden table now getting her attention, as she began to pick at it. Tara would always be a touchy subject for her. "It's been a whirlwind few days, and I'm still trying to catch my breath. I believe Jax when he tells me that he only wants me. So, I have to trust that."

Donna nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. Speaking of little baby Abel, how's he doing?"

"He's improving everyday." Lena spoke proudly of the newborn. "He's still has a long ways to go, but it's looking really good."

"That's amazing. And what about Wendy? I'm sorry." Donna quickly apologized, feeling as if she was being a bit on the hounding side. "I feel like I've been completely out of the loop for so long."

Lena just waved her off. "Oh, you're fine. After Wendy o'd, again, at the hospital, Jax shipped her butt off to rehab."

"Jesus," Donna exclaimed, really realizing just how out of the loop she had been. "So, you're already, like, a mother figure to Abel. That's a big step for you and Jax."

It was Lena's turn to nod in agreement. "Wendy will always be Abel's mother. I never want to take that from her, but I'm gonna be there for both him and Jax. They are my boys."

As if his ears were ringing, Jax and Opie decided to make their way back over to Donna and Lena. Opie immediately went straight to Donna, leaning down to kiss her lips. Jax followed behind, taking a seat on the bench next to Lena.

"So, what did you lovely ladies talk about?" Jax questioned, looking back and forth between the women.

"Ladies' business, you know, something you don't need to handle." Lena retorted, giving him a taste of his own medicine, since he was being so secretive all the time. That answer caused Donna to snort out a laugh.

Jax raised his brows in mock surprise. "Is that how it is?"

"That's exactly how it is, babe." Lena leaned over and popped a quick kiss onto Jax's unsuspecting lips.

Jax chuckled, pulling a fresh cigarette from his pocket and quickly lit it up. "You hear that, Ope?" He inhaled the sweet taste of nicotine, before blowing it away from Lena's direction.

Opie smiled, giving Donna's shoulder a small squeeze. "Oh, I heard it."

"You think you're so smart, huh?" Jax turned to his Old Lady, blowing out another cloud of smoke. Lena just playfully glared his way, and he smiled softly at her childish antics. "So, Ope and I got to head out for a bit."

"You two gonna be okay?" Opie's blue eyes gestured between Donna and Lena.

The look on Donna's face dropped into a look of disappointment. "Where are you going?"

Opie casually glanced over a Jax, before looking back at his wife. "Just gotta take care of some stuff. I promise I'll be back before the fireworks, since you know it's my job, and Gemma would have my nuts if I didn't come back." He chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood.

Donna was quiet for a moment, before she reached over and cupped Opie's bearded face in her small hands. "You promise me, wherever you're going, you'll be safe?"

Opie nodded, kissing her lips once more. "Yes, ma'am."

Jax stood to his feet, stubbing out the cigarette underneath his white sneaker. Lena immediately grabbed the hem of his sweatshirt, forcing his attention on her. "That goes the same for you too. You've got responsibilities now."

"Yes, darlin'." Jax smirked, bending to press his mouth against Lena's in a comforting kiss. He gave her a wink, before he and Opie disappeared from the girls' sight.

Lena looked over at Donna, who looked like she was having a hard time trying to handle all of this. Again, Lena reached over to place a comforting hand on Donna's. Donna smiled softly at the gesture, as both women looked toward the parking lot where their men had disappeared to.

A few hours had passed, and Jax still hadn't returned. It was now dark outside, and Lena was getting a little more worried than usual. By now he would have at least texted her, letting her know that he was okay. She was tempted to ask Gemma if she had heard anything, but didn't want to open up that can of worms.

Donna was now hanging with her kids, so Lena just decided to lean herself against a tree, while sipping on a can of warm ginger-ale. Between the chili she practically inhaled from Unser's booth and the so called "morning" sickness, that seemed to happen anytime but morning, she had been desperately trying to settle her aggravated stomach.

To get her mind off Jax and her stomach, Lena turned her attention to the stage since April and Kyle's son, Charlie, was set to play any minute now. But Kyle was nowhere to be seen. His truck was still there, and so was his barely legal side piece. Lena immediately knew it had something to do with SAMCRO and why they weren't there.

When Charlie's band finished their set, Lena sighed heavily, looking down at her phone that was as dry as the Sahara desert.

A few moments later, the first of the fireworks went without a hitch. So, that immediately meant that Opie was back, but where the hell was Jax?

"Hey,"

Lena nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt someone grab her by her hips. She quickly turned around prepared to knee whoever it was, that touched her, in the family jewels. When she saw that it was Jax who had given her the mild heart attack, she could have killed him then and there.

"You asshole," she playfully shoved him, "you scared the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry darlin'." Jax apologized, amusement written on his perfect features. He then reached out to remove a curly tendril, that fallen from her bun, behind her ear, before settling his hands back on her hips.

"You better be." She replied cheekily, standing on her tiptoes and kissing his lips. "I was worried about you."

"Well, as you can see I'm in one piece, sweetheart." He made a show of opening his kutte wider, letting Lena see for herself that he was indeed whole.

"Good." She grabbed him by his kutte and pulling him to her.

Jax smiled, cupping his calloused fingers beneath her jaw and crashing his mouth against hers, in a heated kiss.

The sound of the second round of fireworks set off, breaking the pair apart. Lena kissed Jax one last time, turning around in his arms to watch the fireworks together. She then leaned her back against his front, his arms securing themselves around her middle.

Jax's lips then found their way to Lena's temple, while his hand splayed against her belly, his thumb gently caressing the place where their child laid nestled away from this world.

When the fireworks finally ended, Lena turned back around in Jax's arms.

"Hey, whattaya say let's get out of here and go visit the kid?" Jax asked Lena, tightening his arms around her waist.

"I say that's perfect." Lena stood on her tiptoes, pressing her mouth against Jax's one last time.

Jax and Lena arrived at St. Thomas and walked inside hand in hand They both headed straight to the NICU where Abel's room was located. On the way there, they ran into Tara, who was standing at the nurses' station reading over some charts.

The moment Tara made eye contact with the couple, the tension immediately began to manifest.

Lena and Jax, much to Lena's chagrin, stopped in front of Jax's doctor ex.

"You mind if I talk to Tara for a bit?" Jax asked Lena, with a bit of hesitation.

Lena looked between both Jax and Tara, feeling the uneasiness boiling in the pit of her stomach. When Jax squeezed her hand in reassurance, Lena finally gave in.

"Sure."

"Thank you." Jax let Lena's hand go, but before securing a kiss to her lips.

Lena hadn't missed the slight grimace on Tara's face when she and Jax pulled away. But she just let it go, heading toward Abel's room. She tried to fight all the insecurities eating at her all at once, the moment she walked into the room. She trusted Jax. Jax loved her. That's what she knew for sure.

Tara was a non factor in her relationship with Jax.

Or at least that's what Lena kept telling herself.

"Hey, baby boy." Lena whispered, approaching Abel's incubator, looking down at the tiny baby. She decided to focus on what was important.

Abel was getting stronger and stronger everyday. It would be that he'd finally be coming home sooner than expected.

Lena smiled softly reaching into the hole on the side of the incubator to caress the newborn's tiny closed fist. The moment she made contact, Abel's fingers twitched and his palm immediately flattened. Lena then placed her index finger underneath his open hand, and just as quickly, he latched on. Like he always did. This time Abel's fist nearly fit completely around Lena's finger. He was definitely growing.

Lena turned her head when the door to the room opened, and Jax strolled his way in. She watched, as he made his way to the opposite side of the incubator from her.

"I can't believe how much bigger he's gotten." Jax looked down at his son, with pride in eyes. This was a complete 180 from the man, who just over a week ago didn't believe that his son would even be alive now.

"Yeah, me either." Lena said softly, still using her thumb to stroke the back of Abel's tiny hand.

Jax watched Lena intently, his smile growing. "He's already getting attached to you."

Lena giggled, still looking at Abel. "Yeah, you've got some competition, buddy."

"I don't mind that." Jax retorted, honestly. "Just as long as it's with our son."

Lena immediately look at Jax, not sure she heard what she thought she heard. "Our son?"

Jax nodded, laying a hand on top of Abel's incubator. "Until Wendy can get her shit together, you're his mother, Lee. And even then. You've been here every step of the way."

Lena smiled brightly at Jax's declaration, before looking back down at Abel.

At that time, Jax looked out the window and that Tara was standing right outside. He gave her a warm smile, and she returned the gesture.

As Tara stood outside of Abel's room, she looked inside at her ex and the new love of his life. She realized how Jax looked so happy in there with his son and Lena.

When Tara first arrived back in Charming, she had no intention of ever getting back in with Jax Teller. She had convinced herself that he was poison and that reconciling with him would one of the worst decisions she could make. Especially after the hell she went through with her current ex-boyfriend and federal agent, Kohn, who was now intent on stalking her every move. But when Jax Teller smiled at her, the way he used to all those years ago, all those suppressed feelings came rushing back to her. Being around him, she was like that 16 year old rebellious teenage girl falling head over heels for the biker bad boy with a heart of gold and a smile that could knock anyone off their feet.

Tara sighed heavily trying to keep those feelings pushed back. She wasn't going to interfere in Jax's life again.

She couldn't.

In her hands, Tara held onto a brown envelope that one of the nurses had handed her just as Jax and Lena had made their grand entrance. The only thing on the cover was that it was addressed to her. It didn't say where it was from.

Tearing the seal open, Tara reached inside and pulled out an 8x10. As she turned it over, her heart clenched in her chest, and her stomach dropped.

Tara's beautiful green eyes burned with fresh tears, as she looked back into the room at Jax and Lena bonding together as a family for baby Abel. Then she looked back down at the 8x10 burning a hole through her hands.

The 8x10 was a photo. A photo of said pair, currently occupying Abel's room, in a moment that she knew was meant to be private. The photograph had exposed the two of them in the most compromising and intimate of positions. It made her sick to her stomach at the thought of Jax and Lena being intimate, but seeing actual, physical proof, made her want to throw up all over the place.

2:23 AM, LAST NIGHT were the only things written on the photo.

Tara stared at it, and the couple, who was completely oblivious that she was holding such a damaging photo, a few more times, before she had had enough. She just swallowed thickly, shoving the photo back into the envelope and disappeared from their sight.

When Jax looked up out of the window one last time, he was disappointed to not see Tara standing there anymore. His eyes wandered around, trying to find out where she had disappeared too. But she was no longer in his vision, so he turned his attention back to Abel and Lena, not realizing that Lena had been cautiously watching him as well.