Breakfast
"Where is she?" Gemma snapped as she grabbed the muffins out of the oven.
"She'll be here." Sam responded.
"She better."
Sam just shook his head and walked away from his mother. It was bad enough that he would have to spend the day watching Jax be with Haley but the one thing that was going to get him through the day was seeing his daughter. Chrissie had agreed that he could have her for the weekend and take her to Fun Town but she said she would be here by 8 it was 9:30.
Sam dialled Chrissie's number again, she had ignored all of his previous calls but this time she finally answered.
"Hey Sam..."
"Where are you I've been calling..."
"I'm outside." Chrissie spoke cutting Sam off.
This wasn't unusual for Chrissie but today it was really pissed him off. As if he didn't have enough to deal with today.
Walking back down the hall he headed outside. He saw her black SUV parked at the end of the drive. As he walked closer he went to the passenger side window which she wound down.
"Everything you need for her is the trunk."
Sam nodded and made his way to the trunk. He grabbed Sophie's bags and placed them on the path before opening the back door where his Daughter sat.
"Dadda..."
"Hey princess." Sam reached out an unbuckled her from the seat but as he did he noticed another suitcase. That was strange. Taking his daughters in his arms, Sam closed the car door and moved back to the passenger window.
"Do I need to take the bag in the back?" Sam questioned.
"Umm...no...that um just there...from my Dads last trip." Sam nodded but something inside him didn't believe her.
"Grandma..." The call of their daughter caused both of their attention to divert from one another. Sam took this as an opportunity.
"Princess why don't you go to Grandma, be careful on the steps. okay" Sam looked at Gemma and cocked his head. The words were silent but as he put Sophie down he watched his mother start to walk down the steps. Once Sophie was out of ear shot he turned his attention back to Chrissie.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing." Chrissie answered shrugging off his question.
"CC..."
"DON'T" Sam hadn't called her that name in years and she knew what he was trying to do but she also knew that Sam didn't care about her she never had. "Don't call me that." She turned over the ignition just wanting to drive away but Sam spoke again.
"Remove your glasses."
"What?..."
"REMOVE YOUR GLASSES CHRISSIE" Sam demanded. It wasn't that sunny yet there wasn't the need for the glasses and something just felt off.
"Sam..." He heard the sob and it confirmed everything to him.
"Glasses." And if there had been any doubt left Chrissie removed her sunglasses. And there it was, two black bruises tainting her olive skin.
The anger in him was instant.
"Sam..."
"What happened?"
"It was an ac..."
"Don't tell me it was an accident. What's going on?"
"My Mom left." Chrissie finally admitted. "My Dad's lost everything."
"So he hit you." She never answered. "I'm going to kill him."
"No, he's my Dad."
"He hit that is not okay. Has he ever laid hands on Sophie?"
"What? NO of course not."
"She's not going back there."
"What?"
"My kid..." Sam stopped when Chrissie laughed.
"Your kid. She's only your kid when it suits you."
"What does that mean?"
"Exactly as it sounds. You only want her when it suits you Sam. So please don't start acting like you give a shit about us now."
Sam hated that she was right. He did love his daughter but he hadn't been there as much as he should have. It only took Jax seeing her once when he had gotten out to know something wasn't right. Sam remembered being pissed that Jax had confronted Chrissie's dad but turned out he was right and Sam had missed it but he wasn't going to do that now.
"Chrissie wait. I'm sorry. Look just come inside."
"No...I don't want your family to see me like this." And Chrissie really didn't. Everything was hard enough right now last thing she needed was the pity. "I'm staying at the Motel on the boarder. Just make sure she enjoys today okay. I'll pick her up tomorrow."
"Chrissie wait..."
"No Sam I need to go. Look just don't say anything okay" And with that Chrissie drove off.
"I can't believe we're doing this." Jax spoke taking the final drag of his cigarette.
"Well at least your family is making an effort." Jax looked to Haley.
After his night of confessing the next day Haley did the same but to her Dad and it had not gone to well. He didn't like it, didn't agree with her and Jax being together again. This didn't surprise Jax but he did hate how upset it made her.
Jax turned to stand in front her. "Look your Dad, he loves you Hales. He'll come around."
"Yeah." Haley hoped that he was right. But she didn't really want to think about that. She looked down at the Cinnamon rolls and she thought of her mother. She wished that she was here today with her, and recently Haley had been wondering what her Mom would think of this, think of her and Jax. She really wanted her here today. Haley was distracted from her thoughts when she felt his hand take hers. She met Jax's gaze.
"You know I love you."
"I love you too." Jax leant down and kissed her. She returned the kiss before pulling away. "Come on let's do this." Haley spoke with a forced smile.
Sam watched a Clay sat at the head of the table, Sophie on his knee. She was laughing away and Sam was glad to see it.
"You okay baby?" Sam looked over his shoulder at Gemma.
"Yeah."
"Chrissie left in a hurry?" Gemma placed a comforting hand on his shoulder but Sam wasn't stupid. He knew his mothers questioning when he saw it.
"She had some things she needed to do." Sam responded. Seeing her today, knowing that Jax was right all a long Sam felt like an idiot. He had ignored it all and now he didn't know what to do.
Before anymore words could be exchanged the front door opened and Sam and Gemma watched as Haley and Jax walked into the house hand in hand. Gemma felt Sam tense under her hand.
But before either of them could say anything Clay made his way to them.
"Haley...good to see you."
With Sophie on his hip Clay walked over to the couple. Clay knew he needed Jax right now and as he told Gemma what Jax needed was Haley so Clay was more than happy to take her in and get her on side.
Haley returned his hug before Clay moved over to Jax. After a brief hug with Jax, Jax took Sophie out of Clay's arms before throwing her in the air causing her to giggle with laughter.
"I'm just going to put these in the kitchen."
"Okay babe."
Haley smiled as she watched Clay and Jax with Sophie. Haley could see she already had both of them wrapped around her little finger. It was cute to see.
Turning her attention away from them Haley went towards the kitchen but as she turned around she was met with the gaze of Sam and Gemma.
Shifting awkwardly on her feet Haley spoke. "Where should I put these?" Haley asked holding out the tray of Cinnamon roles.
"I'll take those Darlin." Gemma approached and accepted the tray from Haley but before she returned to the kitchen she kissed Haley on the cheek which took Haley by surprise but before she could properly react Sam was there.
"Parker."
"Sammy." They embraced one another in a hug before Sam whispered in her ear.
"Can I talk to you?"
Haley pulled back so she could see his face and as she looked into his eyes she knew that he needed her. But before she agreed she looked back to Jax but he was fussing over Sophie so she looked back to Sam
"Sure."
Sam nodded and took her hand in her's which surprised Haley but she followed behind him as he dragged her along. This time Jax's eyes met hers.
"Look Sam..." Haley spoke as she took the offered seat to her on the bed. She tried to ignore the awkwardness she felt as Sam took a seat next to her.
"I need to tell you something."
"Okay."
"I need you to promise not to tell Jax."
"Sam, I'm not su..."
"Please." Sam pleaded cutting her off.
Haley could see the desperation in Sam's eye, her best friend, so she nodded.
"She turned up here today covered in bruises." Before Haley could ask the question he answered. "Chrissie. Her Dad he's lost control, he's lost everything. Her Mom's left. I just don't know what to do Hales."
Haley was surprised. She didn't expect to hear that. Chrissie and Haley had never had the best of relationships in fact Chrissie and her friends had made her life hell in high school. But hearing what Sam had to say today it saddened Haley, and all previous feelings and actions were pushed aside.
"What does Chrisse want?"
"She doesn't want me to say anything." Sam ran his hands over his face and over his shaved head. "I Don't know if I can do that."
"You need to think of Sophie and Chrissie." Sam looked at Haley. "I get the anger from your side, I do but this is her Dad and if he has hurt her that is going to be hard. What she needs from you is just be there, be supportive. Don't do anything stupid okay?" Haley rationed grabbing his hand and giving it a tight squeeze.
After Jax opened up to her about the club the one thing that she had trouble with was the violence. Weirdly she understood that there was good intention there they protected their own but violence wasn't the answer to everything and in this situation Haley really believed that.
"Now Parker what makes you think I would do anything stupid?" Sam nudged his shoulder into her's and mirrored the smile that appeared on her face from the use of a familiar name.
"Years of tutoring." Haley joked. "Seriously though please just speak to Chrissie before you do anything... What?" Haley questioned noticing the change in his face.
"Haley Parker if no one has told you recently you really are amazing."
"Sam..." Haley spoke suddenly feeling embarrassed.
"No seriously I know the history you have with Chrissie, I know I caused it. But you really do care about everyone. Normal people would just see it as Karma."
"This isn't about the past." Sam nodded as always Haley was right.
"Can you at least give your best friend a hug?"
With a smile a smile Haley answered. "Of course."
They embraced in a hug and they both enjoyed the familiarity until a voice interrupted them.
"Think she wants her Dad."
Both of them pulled away from one another and looked to Jax who was now standing in the hallway, Sophie on his hip.
Sam nodded and got to his feet. He gave Haley a kiss on the cheek before taking his daughter from Jax. He gave him a sly smile before heading down the hall.
"Everything al'right?"
Haley got to her feet and wrapped her arms around Jax's waist she could feel how tense he was. "Girl trouble." Jax just nodded. "It was an innocent hug. Just friends."
"Yeah." And Jax did know that but he just hadn't expected to find his girlfriend and his brother on a bed hugging.
"Jax..."
Before she could continue they heard Gemma call them for breakfast and with that Jax pulled out of her embrace and took her hand leading her down the hall.
