A/N: Sorry that it took so long to get the last chapter out but hopefully I'm back now. Here's Chapter 31. It's Season 3 Episode 2.

Chapter 31: Oiled

Bella POV

Everyone was having a hard time right now. Hale had been murdered and his brother Jacob was blaming the club. We still weren't any closer to finding Abel and Dad had called telling us that Gemma was at Grandpa's house. Apparently Grandma Rose died and he was all alone. Jax was still trying to push Tara away but I'd convinced him that it was because he was scared and he agreed with me.

Jax POV

"I didn't know you were out." Tara said.

"I don't know what happens now Tara. It's gonna get a lot worse before it gets better." I said. I was still hoping that she'd leave.

"I know." She said. It seemed like she was trying to take a page out of Bella's handbook.

"Do you? What happened last night's just the tip of the iceberg." I said.

"You trying to scare me?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah I am."

Tig POV

"Look away." I said as Gemma walked into the kitchen.

"Let me guess." She said.

"They were freaking me out." I said.

"You talk to Clay?" She asked me.

"Yeah. Yeah, he knows we're here." I said. He hadn't been happy.

"Was he pissed?" She asked.

"Gem, he had other things on his mind." I told her. "Bad night."

"Shit. What?" She said.

"Drive by. Sack's wake." I said.

"Jesus Christ."

"We're whole, but some kid was shot and uh Hale…was killed." I told her. Bells had called me in tears. Even though she was tough, this had scared her.

"My god."

"Yeah. Man, I hate being away."

"How's Bells handling everything. A lot has fallen to her with me being gone." Gemma said.

"She's…okay. I think. Clay said that she's been a real trouper stepping up." I told her.

Tara POV

"I need you to, um, put this through." I said to Margaret.

"Leave of absence?" She asked.

"All the paperwork is there." I said.

"For how long?" She asked me.

"Six months."

"I saw what happened in surgery yesterday. Panic attack?" She said.

"I'm not sure, it's … never happened before." I said.

"Well, I'm guessing you … never watched a man get stabbed to death before either." She said and I nodded. "You should never have been back in the O.R. that soon." Margaret said.

"Well now you get your way, I'll be gone." I said.

"Dropping out for six months will hurt your career. Maybe you should take a few personal days, think about this." She said.

What did she care about my career? "What do you care about my career?" I asked.

"Unlike your very heated response, my actions against you were not personal. I was protecting this hospital." She said. "Same reason I'm telling you to rethink the leave. St Thomas needs good surgeons."

Clay POV

"Love you baby." I said hanging up with Gemma.

"How's she doing?" Jax asked.

"Safe." I said. "Guess the old man's not so hot."

"Sorry to hear about your grandma." Opie said to Jax.

"Uh, I didn't really know her that well. Neither did Bells." Jax said.

"Sheriff's guarding the shooter, just like Unser said." I said.

"All right I'll see if Tara can help." Jax said.

Victoria POV

"Why haven't you snatched her yet?" Jimmy asked me.

"It's easier said than done. She's never alone." I said.

"Are you still following her?"

"Of course. I'm just waiting for the right moment. I'll be in touch." I said and hung up.

Bella POV

The guys were out tracking another lead on Abel. I decided to take this time and give Gemma a call. "Hey baby." She said when she answered.

"Hey. How's grandpa?" I asked her.

"He's hanging in there. How are you doing?" She asked me.

"I'm hanging in there. Things are just crazy right now." I told her.

"I'm proud of you." Gem said. "Clay says that you've really stepped up since I've been gone."

"Nothing that you wouldn't have done." I said.

"Either way I'm still proud of you."

"Thanks." I said.

After I hung up with Gemma I finished up the rest of my day. That night Jax showed up at the house looking for Ope. He said that Dad had been shot and that Tara had gone up there to patch him up. I decided to call Dad.

"What the hell happened?" I asked when he answered the phone.

"You're crazy ass grandfather shot me in the shoulder." He said.

"What'd you do?" I asked.

"Nothing." He said quietly.

"Dad…"

"I might have been banging the caretaker and he thought she was your grandma." He said.

I slapped my forehead. "Damn it Dad." I said.

I heard a noise in the background. "Pumpkin, gotta call you back."

I wasn't sure what was going on but I had a bad feeling.