Jax's slight hesitation has Sydney holding her breath while her heart slams in her chest. She is surprised the room isn't spinning at this point, the entire situation making her nauseous.
Jax finds his voice. "Donna is in critical condition. They immediately began operating on her because they needed to get the bullets out. She hasn't woken up yet.. she's on oxygen, hooked up to an EEG and an EKG, and has IVs giving her fluids and medications. Only family is allowed to visit her right now so grandpa and I had to wait outside" Jax informs her.
Donna is family, but hospitals don't buy into that shit. The hardest part of this fucked up situation is seeing his best friend so nervous, worried, and downright devastated. Trying to comfort Opie while he finally broke down in the waiting room crushed Jax. It hurt like hell to see his best friend of thirty years, a huge, grown man, weep. Not that he hadn't seen him cry a handful of times before, but this was different. He didn't once leave his side even though he himself fought hard to hold in the tears. He knows that Opie would be by his side too no matter how ugly the situation.
Sydney lets out the breath she was holding in and feels a slight bit of relief, but the uneasy, heavy feeling in her chest remains. "Do you think she will be okay?"
Jax lovingly moves the hair out her face. "The doctors were optimistic. They told us that she's very lucky to still be alive because of the location of the bullets. Just an inch further to the right and she would have been dead instantly or a quadriplegic.. We need to hope for the best.. I know we aren't a religious family, but, just like with Abel, if there's ever a time to pray, it's now."
Sydney had already prayed. She didn't know what to say and almost felt silly speaking to God and begging for him to have mercy on innocent Donna. But she felt hopeless and didn't know what else to do.
"And Kenny and Ellie? Do they know yet?"
Jax shakes his head. "Opie went to check on them and they were still asleep. He doesn't want them to wake up and wonder why everyone is gathered here without their parents so he decided to stay here for the night. He will take them first thing in the morning to see her."
Sydney nods, but all the thoughts she had been trying to lock away of everyone being in danger flood her mind all at once and she is unable to mask the fearful look on her face.
"What is it?"
Sydney shifts her position so that she is sitting on her feet rather than criss-cross-applesauce and stares at the floor. It's littered with three pairs of shoes, a few t-shirts, an empty pack of cigarettes, and her purse. She takes in the rest of the room around her. The posters on the walls and the American Flag tacked above their heads, the stuff cluttering the top of his dresser, and the empty beer and water bottles on his nightstand. The closet door he had kicked a hole in a few years ago out of anger and never bothered to replace. Knowing he is staring at her, she finally looks up at him through her long, thick lashes. Tears burn the back of her eyes and threaten to fall but she swallows the lump in her throat and lets out a shaky breath.
"Why did this happen though? Chibs said it was meant for Uncle Opie.. why? Is he in trouble? Are you and Papa? The whole club? What about the rest of us? What's going to happen now?" Sydney is talking a mile a minute and Jax's eyes widen a bit as he stops her before it turns into a game of Twenty Questions.
"What? Slow down, take a deep breath. You know that the protection of our women, children, family, and friends is a club priority."
Those damn tears Sydney had barely managed to push back just a moment ago resurface. "But what about you, daddy?! And the club!" She panics, angry and scared because he failed to answer all her questions.
Jax wraps a comforting arm around his little girl. "Well, that's why we are on lockdown. We don't know exactly who did this but we have suspicions. We are going to be fine. We will handle it and I really don't want you worrying about the club. Just be there for Donna and her family, that's all I need from you."
Jax barely gave her an explanation but he is still afraid he may have said too much. Children are the last people who need to know anything about club business but he didn't want to straight up lie to her. She knows something is wrong and deserves some sort of answer, one that isn't complete bullshit, to calm her nerves.
Sydney nods and quickly wipes her tears before they even have a chance to roll down her face. Jax kisses her head just as there's a knock on the door. "Come in" Jax says loud enough to be heard.
Tara enters the room and closes the door behind her. She sits down on the other side of Sydney. "How are you, honey?"
Sydney sighs and shifts positions again, this time hugging her knees to her chest. She hadn't realized she was cold until just now and wishes she would have worn something other than jean shorts and a t-shirt. It was a really hot day though. She thinks back twelve hours prior to when she, Ellie, and Kenny were swimming and laughing in her grandparent's backyard, not a care in the world except that Christmas break is ending and they're supposed to go back to school on Monday. She thinks of how drastically a person's life can change in an instant and it makes her sad all over again.
"I'm okay" she forces a small smile. "How are you?"
Tara smiles sadly. "The same, babe."
Jax stands, "I'm gonna go out there and hang out a while and see what's going on with Opie." He kisses both of them on his way out.
Both Tara and Sydney are silent for a minute, each deep in their own thoughts. Sydney is the first one to speak.
"How long have you known Donna? Were you friends with her before you and my dad got together?"
Sydney's random questions of the past always make Tara smile. "Well, we've known each basically our entire lives because we went to Charming Elementary School together. We had classes together and talked here and there but we didn't actually hang out on a regular basis until Jax and I hit it off."
Tara and Donna were hanging out in Opie's basement while the guys were out buying weed, beer, and Taco Bell. Donna was currently painting Tara's toenails a shade of red so dark that it almost appears to be black.
"Not to be fuckin' weird or anything, but I wish my feet were as cute as yours.. I hate my feet."
Tara snorts. "My feet are cute? Yeah right! Thanks, but I think you're just high." They both giggle uncontrollably.
"So, you and Jax have been getting pretty serious lately, huh?" Donna asks while concentrating on getting all the polish on Tara's nails and none on her skin. She looks up just in time to catch Tara blush. Donna grins from ear to ear.
"I guess you could say that" Tara admits.
"I am so happy Jax is with you. I have never seen him like this before.. and by that I mean I have never actually seen him care about a girl before. Sometimes he gets this far away, gushy look in his eyes and Ope and I just know he's thinking of you."
Tara giggles and shoves Donna which makes her smear some polish over the top of her own foot. "Look what you made me do!"
Tara throws her head back and laughs. "My bad."
"But seriously, Tare" Donna begins with the nickname she's given one of her closest friends. "He's gone soft.. but only for you. Opie likes to pick on him about it, even though he has no room to fuckin' talk, but he's actually really happy for him. Not too sure if he's ever really admitted that to Jax though. Y'know they aren't all that sentimental and shit and always wanna act 'tough.'" Donna rolls her eyes. "Jax has been through a lot though and so have you. I'm just glad you two found each other" Donna shrugs with a shy grin. Rather than shoving her this time, Tara leans forward and hugs her best friend. "'Not to be fuckin' weird or anything,'" Tara mocks what Donna said a few minutes earlier, "but I love you."
Donna laughs while returning the hug. "I love you too."
Just then Jax and Opie noisily make their way down the stairs. "Oh, what's going on down here?" Opie raises his eyebrows curiously, having walked in on the girls pulling away from the hug they shared. "Yeah, can you guys do that again but this time, oh, I don't know, naked?" Jax asks nonchalantly while packing his cigarettes before getting one out and lighting it. Opie smirks and nods, "hell yeah." Tara and Donna gasp in amusement and Donna throws a pillow at them. "Pigs! Now give us our Taco Bell!"
Both Tara and Sydney laugh at the memory while wiping away their tears. "It sounds like you guys all had a lot of fun together. I wish I had a group of really close friends like that. But, people are always asking me questions about the club, probably influenced by their parents, and grandma is always saying 'you can't trust anybody!' and blah blah blah. But you know I have Ellie, she's been my best friend for as long as I can remember. More like a sister actually - we're very close. I'm only six months older than her and we are in the same grade. And I have Kenny too. At least they understand how I feel."
Tara smiles sympathetically at her. "I have noticed that you go to your school friend's houses much more than they come to ours.. but, if you ever want them over let me know. Because I don't mind hosting a sleepover."
Sydney smiles gratefully and hugs the woman she has come to love so much these past few months. "Thanks, Tara."
"You're welcome. Want me to leave so you can sleep?"
Sydney shakes her head. "No, that's okay. I'll go out there with you."
The girls walk out to the front of the club house and see Bobby and Juice playing a game of pool while Happy and Tig standby and watch. There is no loud music like there usually is and, for the most part, it's pretty quiet. They have a seat on one of the couches. Gemma strokes Sydney's hair. "I love you, baby."
Sydney leans into her and smiles, feeling comfortable and a little more at ease. There is just something about her grandma that always makes her feel better. "I love you more."
Sydney looks over at Opie and Jax on the other couch and wants to hug him and tell him how sorry she is. He looks so broken and it breaks her own heart. Gemma nudges her and she lifts her head from her shoulder to look at her. She leans in close to Sydney's ear, "don't be afraid, honey."
Sydney nods before moving to sit down next to the large man. Their eyes meet and he tries to smile but a look of desperation spreads over his face instead. She wraps her arms around him and he returns the hug, her arms just barely unable to reach all the way around him while his engulf her petite frame. "I'm so sorry, Uncle Opie. I love you."
She swallows the lump in her throat for what feels like the hundredth time tonight.
Opie takes a deep breath in an attempt to compose himself, "thanks, kiddo. I love you too."
She squeezes him tight before letting go and looking up just in time to see Ellie emerge from the darkened hallway. She's pretty tall for her age and "for a girl" in general, obviously taking after her father. He likes to tease her by saying she's going to be taller than him someday. She has dark hair and her mother's piercing blue eyes and she's just recently started growing into her figure. Donna believes she will be the perfect hour glass in no time.
She squints her eyes into the light and Jax nudges Opie. "Ellie's awake."
Ellie's eyes connect with Sydney's and just by the look on her best friend's face she can immediately tell that something is wrong.
Opie closes his eyes and exhales nervously.
"Why are you all so quiet? What's going on?" Ellie asks apprehensively while looking around the large room at everyone.
Opie nods his head back as if to say "come over here."
She approaches the couch with a concerned look on her face. Sydney stands so Ellie can take her spot next to Opie, but Ellie grabs her hand before she can move out of the way. "Hey, have you been crying?" she asks her best friend with worry in her voice.
Everyone in the room holds their breath as Sydney hugs Ellie tightly before stepping aside so Opie can explain.
Ellie finally takes a seat between her father and Jax. "Where's mom?" She asks while looking around the room.
Opie wraps an arm around her and she leans into his side, "Mom's in the hospital because there was an.."
Opie struggles with his words, not wanting to say it was an accident because gunning someone down isn't an "accident," even if it wasn't meant for her.
"Someone mistook your mother for someone else and she was hurt. We are going to see her in the morning." He strokes her hair lovingly.
"She was hurt? How? Is she okay?!" Ellie asks, raising her voice in panic and whipping her head up to meet his eyes.
Opie stutters over what to say. Ellie is going on thirteen and is mature for her age. She, like Sydney, listens in on conversations not meant for her ears more than her parents are aware of. She spent nearly half of her life thus far visiting her father in prison for God's sake. She knows the club does bad things but she never would have guessed something like this would happen. He decides to tell her the truth because she will be hearing all about it at the hospital when they speak with the doctors.
"Your mom was shot.. the doctors believe she will be okay. She loves you and Kenny more than anything."
Ellie's face crumbles with grief and is instantly soaked with tears. She leans back into him. "I love you, daddy" she sobs.
Opie wraps both arms around his daughter as a few of his own tears manage to slip out. "I love you too, baby. So much."
A deafening silence has fallen over the room except for the gut-wrenching sound of Ellie's sobs and gasps of breath. There are no sounds of the cue ball hitting the other balls in play. No music. No laughs or dirty, demeaning jokes. No clinking of beer bottles and shot glasses. Sydney looks around the large, bar-like area. Tig and Clay are standing next to the pool tables, white as ghosts, staring at Opie and Ellie. Chibs has tears welled up in his eyes and has to look away in order to compose himself. Juice and Happy are staring at the ground, trying not to look at their brother and his heartbroken child. Bobby has made his way over to sit at the bar along with Half Sack, tears glistening in both their eyes. Gemma and Tara are right next to each other on the other couch wiping their own continuous flow of tears.
Lastly, Sydney looks over at her father, the one person she is most afraid to see cry. He is looking straight ahead as tears prick his eyes. Sydney forces herself to look away. Standing up, he presses the heels of his palms into his eyes. Seeing her father cry is rare to say the least; she could probably count on one hand how many times she has. It never gets easier seeing the strongest person you know finally break.
Opie stands up with Ellie in his arms, her legs and arms wrapped around him. Jax rubs Ellie's back before clapping Opie on his, both of them nodding at each other.
"I love you, Ell" Jax tells the girl he's considered his niece since before she was even born.
Jax still remembers sitting in the waiting room with Gemma, Clay, the club, Opie's mom, Donna's family, and six-month-old Sydney of course. Opie had been a nervous wreck the weeks prior but Jax will never forget how happy and full of pride his best friend was when he pushed through those swinging doors and announced the arrival of his own baby girl Ellie.
"I love you too, Uncle Jax" Ellie chokes out into her father's neck. Opie makes his way back down the hallway and they all hear his door close.
