The longer Father Ashby kept his eyes on the beautiful young woman that has approached him, the more familiar she looked to him.
The moment he was ready to internally ask himself how that was in any way possible, the answer hit him like a freight train.
John Teller.
"It's Melanie, yeah?"
My brown eyes widened with shock as I took a step back from the priest.
"Have we met before?," I asked, repeating the same question that left his lips only moments ago.
"No, but I know of you. John Teller and I grew very close while he was here in Belfast. He never failed to carry around recent pictures of Jackson, Thomas, and you in that beaten up leather wallet of his. On numerous occasions, he referred to you as his daughter."
"He did?"
"Aye. He said you would grow up to be the woman his son will marry and make his old lady. It looks like he was right," he grinned, his eyes shifting to my wedding and engagement band on my left hand.
A small smile formed on my face as memories of my late father-in-law flooded my brain.
"John was off the charts type of smart. With his intelligence came a gift. A gift of being able to read people and know what their next move is before they even knew it."
"Yes, I miss him dearly."
"I do too. Everyone does, believe me. I hate that I'll never see him again.. Father, I refuse to let that be the case with my son. Where is he?"
Kellan broke eye contact with me, looking around at our present surroundings.
"Melanie, we should continue this conversation in the rectory. I promise, all answers will be answered once we do so."
I turned my head, glancing over at the escalated fist fight between Jax and Liam.
"I'm gonna go break up the fight. Jax should and needs to be a part of this conversation."
As I was ready to walk away, Kellan's hand latched onto my wrist, preventing me from moving any further.
"Melanie, I believe I should talk to you both seperately."
"Why? So, you can feed the both of us different versions of the truth? I can tell you right now, your plan will indeed backfire."
"No, of course not. I figured Jackson could use the fight he's currently apart of. I'm sure he needs to blow off some steam."
A priest supporting acts of violence?
You don't see that everyday.
This "priest" seemed anything but trustworthy.
Even though this man radiated suspicion, I still wanted, hell needed, to hear what he was going to say.
"Okay. Lead the way to the rectory and I'll follow."
Kellan and I exited the alley side by side, heading to a black car parked in front of Maureen's grocery store.
A tall man with black wavy hair and a forest green colored cargo jacket stood outside of the car, giving Kellan a small nod as we made our way closer to him.
"After you, love," he stated, opening the back door for me.
I took a deep breath, sliding myself across the backseat until I was seated on the opposite side of the vehicle.
(Break)
Michael Casey, the driver and who I assumed was one of Kellan's bodyguards, pulled the car up in front of St. Matthews church.
Before I could exit the car myself, he opened the back door for me, taking my hand to assist me.
The moment I was fully out of the car, three motorcycles pulled up behind the car.
Not even wearing his helmet, Jax dismounted his bike first, making his way over to me, followed by Opie and one of Sambel's prospects.
"Jax, how'd you.."
"Op spotted you getting in a car with these two. Did you really think I wouldn't follow you knowing you're going god knows where with a couple of complete strangers?"
"Jax, they're not complete strangers. This is Kellan Ashby. He's the one we need to talk to about getting our son back."
He nodded, adverting his attention to Kellan.
"I'm sorry about that. It's just my son is already missing. I can't handle the idea of my wife going missing as well. I'm Jax," he stated, shaking the priest's hand.
"I understand, son. Come on, there's a restroom where you can get cleaned up. Once you do so, the three of us can talk."
He stepped aside, allowing us to enter the church first.
(Break)
With the faucet's water running in the men's restroom, Jax cupped his hands together, gathering a pool of water in his palms.
He moved his hands upwards, soaking his entire face.
He looked up in the mirror, examining his face for any more dried blood.
There was a knock on the door as he dried his face with the paper towels supplied in the bathroom.
"Yeah?"
"It's me."
Jax tossed the used paper towels and unlocked the door.
"Hey, Kellan gave me some bandages and rubbing alcohol just in case you needed them," I stated, closing the door behind me.
"I'm fine, darlin'," he replied, pulling his white shirt over his head.
"I'll be the judge of that."
I turned him around, putting my hand on his chest.
I gave him a light push, making him lean against the bathroom counter.
I opened the half empty bottle of rubbing alcohol, soaking one of the bandages with the antibacteral liquid.
Once I felt it was moist enough, I gently pressed the bandage to a cut on his eybrow that reopened from the fight with O'Neill.
"When Opie told me you got into a car with a couple of guys, my fucking heart dropped to my stomach. You have no idea what kind of thoughts went through my head."
A small grin played in the corner of my mouth.
"What?"
"You're really starting to sound like a husband."
Jax couldn't help but smile as her reply sounded incredibly similar to one of his a couple of weeks ago.
"I'm serious though, Mel. You can't just go off with anyone without some protection. You know that."
"I know. I'm just so desperate to find answers, I'm guess I'm not thinking shit through."
"You guess?"
"Okay, I'm not thinking shit through. I'm really sorry, baby. I bet being married to me is probably going to make you age twice as fast," I pointed out, placing a butterfly bandage over his eybrow.
"No, it'll be just the opposite."
(Break)
Jax and I exited the men's restroom, entering the main part of the church.
Father Ashby was already sitting in one of the pews, patiently waiting for the both of us.
We walked up the long aisle, taking a seat behind him.
"Where's my son?", Jax asked, kicking off the conversation.
"He's safe."
"He's safe.. That's not the answer I was exactly looking for, father. We want to know his exact location, " I chimed in, crossing my right leg over my left one.
"I can't give you that information at the moment, Melanie. Though your son is safe,he's still in great danger."
"Danger from what? You can lay everything out right here. Mel knows everything about the club and our business."
"It's because of Jimmy, Jackson. He plans to end the gun running with your club and turn to another buyer who will better line his pockets. The army council has come to the conclusion he no longer has interest for what's best for the IRA."
"Since he no longer has interest, you're looking for someone to kill him, someone like my husband?"
"If the council killed one of their own, it would be chaos. If he dies at the hand of another man, they would understand and we would be able to move forward after his death instead of being at a standstill. Once he is gone, Abel can go home and be back in the arms of his loving family."
Jax handed me his helmet that was still dangling from the left handlebar of his motorcycle.
"What do you think?", he asked as I moved the helmet onto my head.
"You shouldn't get your gun ready just yet. You need to find Jimmy and talk to him first. Hear both sides before you make your decision. What do you think?"
"You took the words right out of my mouth. "
(Break)
The next day:
I woke up with Jax no longer beside me.
I sat up slowly, raking a hand through my long kotted locks.
My stomach began to violently ache.
The only way the pain would subside is if I kept my knees tight to my chest.
When the pain was tolerable, I got up from the bed and got dressed, sliding on one of Jax's sweathshirts.
I opened the door, heading down the hall of Maureen and Trinity's home.
"Mornin' sweetheart."
"Good morning. Where's everyone?"
"Jax told me not to wake you. He and the club went on a gun run with Sambel. Jimmy is also going to be there for the exchange."
" Good. Him being there brings Abel that much closer to where he belongs. With us."
"Absolutely. Would you like a cup?", Gemma asked, lifting up her cup of java.
"Yes please."
Gemma grabbed another mug from the cabinet, filling the cup to the top.
She carefully handed me the cup, taking a seat at the kitchen table.
With the cup in one hand, I used the other to pull out the kitchen chair next to her.
I set the cup down on the table, taking a seat to join my mother-in-law.
She reached across the table for the sugar shaker, placing it in front of me.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. Are you hungry? Do you want me to fix you something?"
"No thanks, I'm not hungry."
"You should eat somethin', baby. You need to keep your strength up."
"Believe it or not Gem, but since we landed here in Ireland, I feel stronger than ever, regardless of what my body is telling me."
"That's the adreneline talkin'. Don't let it trick you into thinking that's all you need to keep going."
I picked up the sugar shaker, pouring most of the sugar into my coffee.
"I'm gonna go get some fresh air."
I stood up from the chair, pursing my lips, blowing out small gusts of air to cool my beverage.
"Okay. Stay close. If you plan on leaving, make sure you have an escort."
"Will do."
I took a seat on one of the picnic tables that didn't have empty beer bottles and garbage scattered across the top.
I looked in the direction of Maureen's store, seeing Fiona, Chibs' wife staring back at me.
I gave her a smile and a friendly wave, causing her to return the friendly gesture.
That surprised even me, because she never came off as a friendly person.
This new side of her must be because the man she really loved was back here with her and their daughter.
Before I could take a sip of my coffee, an unfamiliar off black car skidded into the alley parking lot.
Two men in overly expensive suits emerged from the vehicle, making their way over to me.
"Jax Teller's old lady.. You're more beautiful in person than on my computer screen."
"You know who I am. May I ask who you are?"
"Sorry, I'm Jimmy. I'm a friend of the club."
So this is Jimmy.
"What brings you here, Jimmy?"
"I'm looking for Fiona and Kerrianne."
"You can keep looking because they're not here."
"Really?"
"Really."
He and his male companion pulled out a gun with a silencer attached to the nozzle.
"You may want to rethink your answer. I know they're here. I'd hate to start blowing holes in that perfect figure of yours."
"Did I stutter? I said it once and I'll say it again, they're not here."
Jimmy grimaced, firing his weapon, causing the bullet to enter my right shoulder.
I automatically called out, pressing my hand to my bleeding wound.
He grabbed me by the back of my hair, pulling me off of the table.
"You got balls, sweetheart. I'll give you that. I thought you were only good for spreading your legs for a camera."
I spit at his feet, only making him angrier.
He wound his hand tighter in my hair, pushing me forward to Maureen's home.
Gemma was talking to Fiona who was now upstairs washing dishes.
The front door flew open, causing the two women to nearly jump out of their skin.
"Shit!," Gemma hissed, her eyes falling onto me.
Jimmy shoved me onto the kitchen chair, making it shift backwards.
"Get your shite together and let's go, Fi before I put a bullet through her skull," he threatened, pushing the gun against the side of my head.
I quickly got up, elbowing Jimmy in the groin as hard as I could, making him drop the gun onto the kitchen floor.
Gemma acted quickly, picking up the gun.
"Drop the gun!," she yelled at Jimmy's companion Donnie.
He did what he was told and dropped his gun on the floor.
"Gemma, what are you doing?", Fiona asked.
"My family needs to work a few things out with Jinmy."
Gemma's finger traced the curve of the trigger, eager to fire the weapon.
"I need to kill this son of a bitch."
(Break)
I twisted off the top of the Jack Daniels bottle, pouring the liquid into a medium sized cup.
Once it was filled less than halfway, I set the bottle down, putting the top back on the bottle.
"Here, this will take care of the pain."
Maureen set two large white pills in the palm of my hand.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Did Riley patch you up okay?"
"Yeah, he did great," I replied, downing the pills with the glass of J.D.
"Let me know if I can get you anything."
"Okay, I will. Thanks Maureen."
The both of us heard the sound of multiple motorcycles pull into the alley.
"They're back early."
I put Jax's sweatshirt back on to cover my patched up wound.
We all headed outside, seeing the look of devestation on each of their faces.
I reached Jax, touching the side of his face.
"Hey, what happened?"
"There was a bomb in the transport truck. The bomb killed five members."
I mouth went agape as I wrapped my arms around my husband, flinching from the pain in my shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, baby. Was this bomb because of Jimmy?"
"Yeah. He was a no show. That blast was meant for Samcro."
"Jesus Christ."
"How was everything here?"
"Well.."
Jax saw a bandage underneath the sweatshirt I was wearing when I lowered my arms from his shoulders.
He pulled the sweatshirt away from my skin, looking at me with worried eyes.
"It's nothing."
"This nothing sure looks like a bullet wound that was just patched up. Is that was it is?"
"Mel?"
I really wanted to lie to him. He was in a fucking blast for christ sake! The last thing I was worried about was me.
"Yes."
"What? Who the fuck did this to you? "
"Jimmy was probably a no show because he was here. He wanted me to give up Fiona and Kerrianne and I wasn't going to do that. They're on the run because of that asshole. I pissed him off and he fired a warning shot. Gemma was ready to put a bullet in between his eyes, but Fiona stopped her. If she did, a war would begin."