JT sat watching Gemma for the next few hours while she slept. She didn't want to wake her after what had happened, remembering how she just wanted to sleep after it happened to her for the first time. She heard someone starting to bang on the door, startling Gemma awake,
"Gem, it's ok. It's fine" JT calmed
"Gemma? Gemma?" they heard Unser call out
"Way-Wayne!" Gemma shouted
"Unser!" JT shouted after her
They heard gunshots and then the door was opened, the chief rushing inside and seeing the two women busted up on the ground.
"JT! Gemma! Jesus Christ!" he exclaimed
"Get...get us out of here" Gemma panted
They helped her stand up and kept the blanket wrapped around her. Gemma got into the front of Unser's car while JT got into the back.
"How'd you know we were in there?" Gemma asked as they drove
"I heard it over the radio, recognized the description of the car," he told them
"Let me guess. Anonymous tip?" JT questioned
"Yeah. One of you two needs to tell me something here"
"Where are you going?" Gemma asked
"St. Thomas"
"No"
"Got to get you and JT to the hospital"
"No hospital," said JT
Gemma groaned in pain
"So, uh, what am I supposed to do here, Gemma?"
"Give me your cell"
He handed her his cell and she made a call. When she finished she hung up and told Unser to go to Tara's dad's house.
"We're going to Tara?" JT asked
"Yes"
JT huffed and sat back in the seat "We can't trust her. She'll tell Jax"
"She's not going to tell Jax. I'll make sure of it"
Unser made the turn and drove the car to Tara's dad's house and they waited out there for her to show up. When she finally did show up, she took one look at Gemma and JT and let out an 'Oh my God' before rushing to open the door and get them inside. She cleaned up JT first, then went to clean up Gemma.
"Jax see you leave?" JT asked
"I told him it was the hospital. You two need to tell me what happened so that I can help you"
"Use your imagination"
"Maybe we should let them rest a while," said Unser
"We need to get them to a hospital"
"No!" exclaimed Gemma
"I can't treat you in my living room"
"We'd have to check-in. The insurance and shit. Everyone's gonna know"
"And if Jax and Clay find out this happened it will destroy them," said JT
Tara took a breath "We'll go home, get you some clothes, then...then pick up Abel. We'll sign him in, we'll say we're running more tests"
"You could get fired for that"
"I'll figure it out"
"You won't be able to lie for both of us," JT told them
"I can try"
"Don't. If you promise me right here, right now that Jax never finds out. I'll let you check me in, getting a rape kit done as a follow up from the last one"
"JT, I swear to you that I'm not going to say anything to your father"
"Then check me in however you have to. He just better not find out"
Tara got up and went to Unser "They're going to see their faces"
"I know. Just stay with 'em, all right?"
JT moved closer to Gemma and grabbed her hand in a gentle and reassuring way.
A few hours later they drove back over to Jax's house to get Abel. They pulled in the driveway and Gemma swore,
"Shit. Neeta started today"
They walked into the house, Neeta greeting them,
"Good morning" she smiled
"Morning" Gemma whispered, walking down the hall to Abel's room with JT following. She lifted the baby and they turned around to leave. Neeta got a look of she and JT's face and gasped
"My God, what happened?" she asked
"We're fine. I need to get him to St. Thomas" Gemma replied
"Why?"
"I'll have him back before lunch"
"Thought he just had all his tests"
"He needs more"
"Is something wrong?"
"No. I'm Dr. Knowles. I'm his doctor" said Tara
Gemma and JT went out the door and back to the car, JT climbing in the back with Abel.
They got to the hospital fairly quickly, Neeta going along with them and Tara examined JT, performing a rape kit and stitching up a cut in her cheek.
"You're going to be ok" Tara reassured
"It ain't the first time I've been raped or beaten, doc. I can take it. I'm more worried about Gemma" JT replied
"Gemma's tough, I think she'll make it through"
"You don't know what something like this can do to somebody. It breaks them, inside and out. I don't want that to happen to her"
"Well I'm going to see her now if you want to come"
JT nodded.
Tara lead her into the exam room where Gemma was,
"What're you doing here?" Gemma asked
"Not letting you be alone" JT answered
She took Gemma's hand and held it throughout the exam, Gemma squeezing it as needed.
"There's a number of small tears," Tara said "It's nothing that won't heal on its own. We'll start you on antibiotics right away. It's standard procedure to treat for chlamydia and gonorrhea, even before the test results are back"
Gemma sat up and Tara took a look at the cut on her face, rubbing some ointment on it
"We should have a plastic surgeon look at this"
"I've been hit before"
She put a bandage on the cut as a knock came from the door. Tara opened it to Unser on the other side
"Sorry to interrupt doc. I need a word with the girls" he said
"Let him in," Gemma told her
He came in and pushed aside the curtain "Oh, sorry."
"What is it?"
"Clay is here"
"You son of a bitch"
"I told him, you two were in a car accident"
"What?"
"I ran your Caddy into a concrete barrier out by the utility shed. Take my head off if you want, I just didn't see another way to sell this. He don't know about nothing else"
"I'll go and talk to him" Tara offered
"Or I can go," said JT
"I don't want to see him yet...don't want to be alone" Gemma answered
"Actually, they're all here," said Unser
"Jesus Christ. Is there anyone you didn't tell?"
"I'll-I'll handle it," Tara told them, leaving the room
"Maybe I should help her" Unser decided, turning to go
Gemma grabbed his arm and JT moved to stand in front of him
"This wasn't about us," JT told him
"What do you mean?" he asked
"What those animals did, was to hurt Clay and Jax" Gemma explained "Anyone finds out, they win"
"Knowing the truth would crush them. This needs to stay with us" emphasized JT
"Who's they, honey?" Unser asked
"It don't matter"
He then turned and left the room, leaving Gemma and JT alone.
Jax came rushing through the hospital, finding Tara,
"Hey, how are they?" he asked
"They're fine. Just a few cuts and bruises. JT got a few stitches in her face, but she'll be ok"
"Ok, good." he looked at her "And you?"
Tara just stared at him
"Look I'm glad you asked for the truth. It means a lot to me you want to figure out how to make this work"
"Yeah. I have to let Clay know"
"Yeah"
They walked over to where Clay and the other guys were waiting, Clay standing up and moving closer to Tara,
"What's going on? They ok?" he asked
"Yeah. Um, when she hit the barrier they both took a pretty good shot to the face. There's some swelling and JT needed some stitches. I have to run a few more tests but she's going to be fine"
"But, uh, it's nothing serious?"
"No. no"
"Can I see her?"
"It's going to be a little while"
"What about JT?" Jax asked
"She's sticking to Gemma pretty close, so when we're done I'll send her out"
"You sure she's ok?"
"I think she's just a bit shaken. They both are"
"Well, uh, I appreciate you taking care of them doc"
"Oh, of course"
She then nodded at them then left, going back to work.
A little while later, Gemma was finishing getting dressed when Clay came into the room
"Oh, baby," he said when he took a look at her "I'm so sorry" he went to kiss her and she jumped backward "I'm sorry"
"Oh, no, It's ok, I'm just...I'm just kind of jumpy," she told him
"Now, you got to lay off them midnight joyrides"
"Yeah"
"You ok?"
"Oh, I'm fine"
He finally noticed JT "You ok kid?"
"I've had worse" she replied
"Ahh, you're a tough kid. You'll be alright"
"I know it"
"You girls ready to go home?"
"You know, they have to, uh, they gotta do some more x-rays. Neeta can give us a lift"
"I can wait"
"No honey, it's ok. Yeah, it's going to be awhile"
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm-I'm I'm fine"
"Ok"
He went to kiss her again but stopped himself, kissing her hands instead "I love you"
"I love you too"
He left and Gemma looked at JT before finishing getting dressed.
They waited about 20 minutes before going outside, meeting up with Neeta and starting to leave. They rounded the corner to the waiting room and spotted Luann dabbing at some girl's bloody nose.
"Shit," said Gemma
"What?" asked Neeta
They turned around and went back the way they came,
"Oh, that's just someone I don't want to see. She's gonna have a million questions"
"We can wait in here," Neeta said, bringing them into the chapel
They sat down Gemma holding Abel and JT in the front and Neeta in the back
"I'm not gonna do it today" Neeta began "'Cause I ain't a stupid sister, but you know at some point, I'm gonna have some questions"
"I know" Gemma answered
"While we're here you two want to say a prayer with me?"
JT chuckled "I'll pass. God and I ain't on the best of terms right now"
"I'm not big on praying," said Gemma
"Sure you are. Look at the way you're holding him. I can see it in your face, you're thanking God. You too little missy. I see the way you looking at him"
"I'm not looking at him any different than I usually do"
"No, you're looking at him like your thanking God he's here. Thanking God that you have him"
JT looked at her. She was kind of right, JT was thanking God. Thanking God that it wasn't Abel getting hurt last night and that it was her instead. She sat back and watched the cross, replaying Neeta's words.
Later on that night, JT and Gemma were back at Jax's house, JT stretched out and half-asleep on the day bed in Abel's room while Gemma was sleeping in the rocking chair. JT jumped awake when she heard footsteps enter the room. She looked over and saw that it was just Tara and relaxed. Tara went to Gemma and shook her, waking her up,
"Sorry I'm so late," she said
"What time is it?" Gemma questioned
"It's 10. How are you?"
"I'm fine"
She got up and began to walk out the door, Tara moving quickly to catch up to her
"Gemma...you need to talk to somebody about what happened. Doesn't mean your weak"
"That why I've got you two"
She left the room and JT followed since Tara's phone began to ring. They went into the kitchen and found Neeta at the table reading a bible
"Oh, shit. I'm sorry. I-I fell asleep. You didn't have to stay" Gemma apologized
"It's ok. I hope you both feel better" Neeta replied, grabbing her belongings
Gemma stepped forward and grabbed her arm gently
Tara came into the room, "Excuse me, Gemma"
"What?"
"I have to go to the clubhouse. Medical emergency"
"Oh, shit"
"You guys should stay here"
"No," said JT
"Go ahead, I'll watch him"
The three women rushed out of the house and over to the clubhouse. The emergency turned out to be that Bobby had gotten shot in the shoulder during a drop. Tara worked to clean up the wound,
"Some homecoming, huh?" teased JT
Bobby groaned "Is it all right?"
"You're lucky it went straight through" answered Tara
"Oh, Jesus Christ" exclaimed Jax as he walked in
"The Mayans, they crashed our little Niner delivery, man" explained Tig
"You ok, bro?"
"I'm in good hands"
"They got away with two cases of the AK's," Half-Sac told Jax
Jax then turned and saw his mother and daughter standing there. He put his hand on Gemma's shoulder
"Oh, man"
"I'm fine," she said
He squeezed her hand and turned to JT lifting her face to get a better look at the stitched up cut on her face
"Good shot to the face, that's probably gonna scar"
"It'll make me look more badass"
Jax chuckled and brought her into a hug, kissing her head
"Jax, in here" Clay called
Jax left them to join Clay in the chapel and Gemma turned and disappeared down the hallway, JT following a distance behind, watching as she stopped in front of the original JT's bike. Tara walking up next to her and watching the matriarch as well before both women continued on. JT was concerned for Gemma, worried that the incident was going to break her. She wanted to help but she just didn't know how. She was deep in thought, staring at the bike when Chib's voice broke into her head,
"JT" he called out
"Sorry, what?"
"I asked if you wanted a beer"
"Oh, yeah, sure"
"You alright darling?"
"Fine Chibby. Just thinking"
"Care to share?"
He handed her a bottle and she took a long pull
"Not today, bro. Not today"
Not ever, she thought.