I can only apologize for the lateness again, but I've had some exciting/terrifying news that I've been trying to wrap my head around. Thank you for your never ending patience. Only a few chapters left, and I hope that they've been worth the wait.

He doesn't move an inch from his seat. Tara's heart is pounding in her chest and all she can think about is protecting the baby by any means necessary. But she's just about ready to pop. She can't run and her chances of overpowering a man in her condition is almost non-existent at best. She's alone, and all she can do is pray that Jax comes home early or he sends someone to come and check on her.

She's suddenly very thankful for Jax's overbearing protectiveness and vows never to argue about it ever again.

"Do you have any idea how hard it's been to get you alone?" Juice says after a long moment, cocking his head to the side as he studies her. "Did you know that he's had prospects watching the house since Wendy took Thomas?" The news shocks her, but she doesn't let Juice know that. "I guess he's learned his lesson when it comes to his family's safety." Juice grimaces. "Or perhaps he still doesn't quite trust you not to take off with his kids."

Swallowing back her irritation at the insult, Tara cooly replies, "You can ask him yourself when he gets here. He must know by now that you're here-"

Juice shakes his head and looks away from her. "I took care of the prospect."

Tara shivers as a chill goes through her. Her fingers inch closer to the knife but she freezes as Juices eyes flick back to her. "Who was it?" she demands coldly, surprised at her the rush of protectiveness that flows through her over men that she barely knows.

There's a flicker of something in his gaze as he stares her down. Guilt? "Oliver," Juice replies, and damn him, a wave of sickness overcomes her as she thinks of that sweet boy who followed her around the store all those months ago and played games with Abel. "I didn't kill him," Juice rushes to console her at her stricken face. "I knocked him out, he won't have more than a concussion."

Tara remains silent as she stares Juice down, the relief that Oliver is alive and the knowledge that nobody is coming to save her this time warring within herself. Panic bubbles in the pit of her stomach at the realisation that there's no way out of this confrontation.

"I've always respected you," Juice says, his voice void of any emotion. He links his fingers together and rests them on the table. "When you came back to Charming, you were the first person to make me feel like I wasn't worthless, that I had something to contribute to the Sons. Thank you for that."

Tara stares at him incredulously. "Do you expect me to say you're welcome?" Tara snarks back, her fear momentarily forgotten.

"I don't particularly like you," he carries on as though she hasn't spoken. Rubbing a hand across his newly shaved head, Juice looks at her long and hard. The defeated man that had sat with the world on his shoulders at her kitchen table only moments before is gone. The man that stares at her now is a man that has quietly made his choice and is resolved to carry it through by any means necessary despite the consequences.

"But you're a good person," Juice says calmly, those big brown eyes looking at her as though she's a puzzle that he can't quite solve. "Too good for this life. Too good for Jax. He's a monster. Do you know that half of the fucked up shit I've done has been on his orders?"

"I know what kind of man he is," Tara says softly when Juice doesn't continue.

"Yet you love him anyway."

There's no hesitation in her voice as Tara replies, "Yes I do. He may not be a good man, but he's trying to be-"

"He doesn't deserve any of this!" Juice snarls, his careful composure snapping as he slams his fist down on the table making Tara jump in surprise. "This house, his kids, and he really doesn't deserve you. I'm like this because of him!"

"Is this what this is about?" Tara snaps, her fingers resting on the handle of the knife as her patience curbs. "You want revenge on Jax? Your choices are your own Juice," she says bluntly. "Whatever he's ordered you to do, you didn't have to obey him!" Juice flinches at her words, but damn him she speaks the truth and he knows it.

"I am warning you, if you go through with this, your brother's won't rest until they find you," she continues, her voice trembling in fear and rage. "Jax would kill you for even laying a finger on me. What do you think he would do to you if you took his daughter from him before she even takes her first breath? Because you won't just be killing me, you will kill my baby too," Tara says desperately in a last attempt to change his mind.

Juice sucks in a sharp breath, but he remains deathly still as those brown eyes stare at her. After a long pause, Juice quietly says, "I'm not here to kill you Tara. I'm here to warn you."

Inhaling shakily, Tara narrows her eyes and bluntly demands, "About what?"

Juice swallows tightly. "Gemma - I owe her so much. She was the one who picked me up when I was at rock bottom. I would do anything for her. But this isn't right. You're having a baby-"

"Just stop - shut up!" Reeling, Tara pushes away from the counter, the knife foolishly forgotten as she steps closer to Juice, her hands curling into fists as it all finally clicks. "Gemma asked you to kill me?"

There is no pity in his eyes as Juice stoically replies, "Yes."

Her throat is on fire as Tara swallows against the sudden tightness, her eyes pricking with unshed tears. "Despite being pregnant with her granddaughter?" she asks, horrified.

Hesitating, Juice carefully replies, "She said that it's an unfortunate sacrifice, but she needs you gone."

Oh God. She's furious. The audacity of that psychotic woman-

But fuck it all to hell more than anything she's hurt. She has loved Gemma and hated her. The woman has never been her biggest fan, but there have been times over the years that Gemma Teller was the closest thing she had to a mother, and now she had arranged to have her killed, and by extension her own granddaughter?

Oh God Jax-

She planned to wipe out half of her son's family despite her claim that family always comes first. How can she betray her own son like that?

She's his mom, and she planned to kill his wife and daughter.

This will break him.

"When did she ask you?" Tara demands.

"Two months ago."

"So you're not too far gone to kill an unborn child?" Tara hisses, a twisted part of her enjoying the way Juice flinches at her words. He deserves the pain for even considering doing the bidding of that poisonous bitch.

"Not quite yet," Juice mutters bitterly.

"Tell me. If I wasn't pregnant, would you have gone through with it?" His silence is answer enough. "So much for having your respect," Tara spits.

"You have to understand!" Juice pleads, his eyes begging her to understand. "This club has broken me! I know it's my fault - I started all of this, but the things I've done because Jax ordered me to - I would have done anything to get revenge since he froze me out. You're the one thing he can't live without. And you will always be a target because of it."

The words sting with their truth, but she refuses to think about it now. "Why not just wait? You could have waited a few weeks and Gemma would have had her boys and a new baby to boot. Why are you here now?"

The question throws him for a minute, and Tara's pretty sure Juice himself doesn't know why he's pouring out Gemma's secrets to her. "I've seen you two together," he says after a moment. "You're Jax's one redeeming quality, and if someone like you can love a man like him, then there has to be something good in him. I don't want another death on my conscience, especially yours."

Tara clenches her jaw shut to prevent the sob building in her throat. She turns away from Juice's sad eyes and and quickly swipes her eyes. "Why is she doing this?" she whispers.

"She's desperate Tara. In her eyes, you've taken her family from her, and that's unforgivable. She's coming for you Tara." Juice stares at her with something akin to pity, and it takes all of her self control not to shake the look out of him.

"Get out," Tara says quietly, her hands shaking in rage. She turns back to him and hisses, "Get out of my house, get out of my town," she hisses, because she is finally ready to admit that this damn town is hers. She's ready to own it and be what it needs her to be.

Ironic that it's taken her mother-in-law plotting her murder for her to finally step up.

Juice looks up at her, tears swimming in those big brown eyes that had once endeared him to her. "I'm sorry," he whispers pathetically.

"I don't need an apology," Tara snaps, ignoring at the way he flinches. She realises then what he's come to her house for. Forgiveness. This shell of a man wants her forgiveness for not doing the bidding of Gemma Teller. It's almost enough to make her laugh. "I want nothing from you. If you don't get out of this town within the hour then Jax will kill you for even contemplating laying a hand on me."

Juice goes deathly still and murmurs, "You're not going to tell him?"

Tara scoffs. "Of course I am. I'm giving you a head start so I don't have another bloodstain on my new kitchen floor. There won't be any bloodshed within these walls, no matter how much I'm considering it right now."

"Thank you," Juice says woodenly as he stands up, and she suspects that it's not the outcome that he was hoping for, and in fact he almost wants the sweet release of death that he was sure was bound to come at Jax's hands.

"I'm not doing this for you. I don't want another death on Jax's conscience. The only mercy you will receive from me is that you have my word that Jax won't come after you if you leave right now and never step foot in Charming again." She steps closer to Juice, eyeing him carefully. "But I don't think that was what you were hoping for was it?"

She moves away but his strong grip on her wrist stops her. "It wasn't just my conscience that stopped me. You're a good person Tara," he insists, his eyes wild with desperation for her to just understand. "You don't deserve any of this."

"You think that I should be thankful that you wouldn't kill a pregnant woman?" Tara looks at him in silence for a long moment and allows herself to pity him for a moment despite the disgust she feels for him. She looks down pointedly at his hand until Juice reluctantly lets go. "Goodbye Juice."

Juice looks at her for a long moment before turning around and walking out of her house and out of their lives for good. She's frozen in place, her thoughts all over the place as she vaguely registers the sound of a motorcycle tearing off down the street. The baby gives a gentle nudge, and it snaps Tara out of her stupor as she wipes away the tears on her cheeks.

She pushes away the urge to call Jax. She gave Juice an hour, and she will honor her word. Instead she rushes for the door - she's got a prospect with a concussion to find.

Much to her relief, she finds Oliver rather quickly across the street lying behind a bush. His pulse is steady, and after a few minutes of gentle coercion, he wakes up more embarrassed than hurt only needing a couple of stitches. "Some fucker - Oh erm, excuse me Dr. Knowles. Somebody hit me from behind," he says once he's sitting up and she's certain that he has nothing more than a mild concussion, flushing as he realises his predicament. "Are you alright? Did something happen? I should call Jax-"

"I'm fine," Tara soothes, planting a smile on her face. "It was probably just kids thinking that they can get one over on a biker. Besides, I'm sure that you don't want Jax knowing that somebody got the better of you."

His blush deepens, and damn she feels shitty for playing on his pride but she needs time to plan and she most certainly doesn't want Jax coming home now. "I'll call Bobby and get him to pick you up. You shouldn't be driving after a hit to the head."

"Sure," Oliver says after a moment of hesitation. He gets to his feet and helps her up once he's gained his footing. "But - Dr. Knowles, how did you find me? You're not supposed to know that we're here."

"I saw your bike when I was going out to the garage," she lies smoothly. "Now come inside and we can sort you out." He follows her without argument, and for the hundredth time she thinks that Oliver will make a terrible Son.

She waits two hours before she shoots Jax a text asking when he's coming home. Oliver is long gone with a half amused and half pissed off Bobby. He found it funny as hell that some kids had managed to get the jump on the kid, but he was also pissed off that the prospect had been found out by his charge. "Don't go too hard on Jax," he'd said, pulling her to the side as Oliver slinked over to the pickup truck. "He's been pretty damn paranoid since Wendy."

"Is there something I should be worried about?" Tara demanded.

Bobby raises his hands in a gesture of peace. "Not at all Doc. Things are quiet for the first time in years. Our boy is just afraid that his perfect life is about to come crashing down on his head."

You have no idea.

She's sitting in the kitchen staring into space with her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of tea when Jax comes in through the back door with the kids in tow.

"Hey babe," Jax says softly, a sleeping Thomas in his arms and Abel trailing along behind him looking dead on his feet.

She forces a smile and throws an arm around Abel's shoulder as he hugs her and gives her a tired smile before slowly heading to his room. "What have you done to my boys?" she demands. "I don't think I've ever seen them so worn out."

Jax laughs softly with a carefree smile, and her heart twists at the thought of telling him about his mother's plans because it's going to change everything. She's terrified that he's never going to smile like that again. She's afraid that all of the progress that they've made in the few months will have been for nought. And though she knows better, Tara's afraid that a part of him will blame her for not making the effort to get on with Gemma.

If she hadn't frozen Gemma out of the boys lives, none of this would be happening.

She has kept so many secrets from him about his mother. The rape, Maureen Ashby's letters, her drug abuse around the kids.

But this?

This will break him.

"What's wrong?" Jax asks gently, his keen eyes studying her every move as he shifts Thomas in his arms. Her baby wakes up, his blue eyes blinking tiredly until they land on her and a small smile forms on his lips. Tara blows him a kiss and feels herself smiling genuinely for the first time in hours.

No. She won't let Gemma Teller ruin her family. She has every intention of telling Jax all about what his mother has been up to, but not with her boys so close to the fallout. That poisonous woman is not hurting her family ever again, and she sure as hell isn't going to let Jax go down the path of vengeance against his own mother. Gemma will get what she deserves, but not at the cost of her man's soul.

Gemma can wait a few hours. The woman isn't going anywhere.

"Nothing that can't wait until later," Tara says, standing up and taking Jax's hand. She smiles up at him and brings his hand to her lips to kiss it softly. "Just not now, okay?" she pleads, squeezing his hand and eyeing the boys pointedly. Please, just give us a few more hours of peace.

Jax looks at her long and hard, and she can tell that he wants to argue and know what's going on this second, but he takes a deep breath and replies, "Alright." It's a simple enough word, but his tone tells her everything she needs to know. He's willing to let it go. For now.