Knocking became more insistent with every second and Ellie nearly tripped over the carpet in the hallway on her way to the door. When she finally opened it, she found Juice at the doorstep, looking obviously nervous and surprised when he saw her.

"Hi! Uhm… Is Thea at home?" he tried to give her a light smile, but it didn't work very well. Ellie looked back for a moment, as if trying to figure something.

"I don't actually think this is the right moment," she said after seconds of thinking. She shifted from one foot to the other, obviously feeling uncomfortable. It all was totally not her buisness and she didn't like being involved much, but Thea asked her to turn him out of door. Despite irritation in her voice, Ellie really believed that everything was not about anger, but about shame. "Look, I don't know if I'm the one to tell, but don't take it too personally. It's just… you know, women," She smiled nervously.

"Yeah, sure…" Ortiz seemed to be pretty dissapointed. "Then I'll come later, I think."

"Good idea…"

"Screw him already!" Suddenly, Thea's voice sounded from somewhere inside the house.

When Ellie cunducted the guest in the most gantle way, she returned to the bedroom, where Martinez was sitting on the bed, pretending to read a newspapper.

"He looked worried," she said, stopping at the doorway and leaning against the door jamb with her shoulder.

"Glad for him," Thea defiantly flipped the page. Her gaze caught on an article about the corpses which were found near Charming Heights. "Nice, dead bodies!"

"You know, it can get better if you tell me what's wrong," Ellie ignored her attempt to change the subject. "You're not supposed to trust me, or something, but…"

"It's not about trust," Martinez suddenly postponed the newspaper. She looked at her involuntary roommate unexpectedly straight. "For some reasons, I feel that telling you something won't be a mistake. But I have no idea what to say, that's the problem," her last words were drowned in a noisy sigh. She covered her eyes with her hand. "I don't know what happened and it drives me crazy. Literally," Bitter laugh slipped from her lips.

"Don't you?" after a small pause, Ellie sat on the edge of the bed. "If you'd asked me, I would say that it looked like a scene of jealousy."

Thea let out a martyr moan, "Really?"

"Yeah, definitely."

She shook her head, trying to lock up her memories and to calm down, but soon she failed and fall on the bed. At the beginning she started to laugh, but soon it came up to sobbing. Ellie lay down near, saying no word, waiting until Thea will be able to speak for herself. She needed to share that shit that've been devoured her from the inside and Ellie knew that feeling better than anyone else.

"Well, I guess, it was jealousy after all," she opened her eyes and took a deep breath. What she was about to say was hard. Like, freaking hard. By saying that she was about to admit that the shit that she tried to left behind in Queens, apparently, won't leave her that easily. "We used to live together in Queens. I was a freak-student, he was a computer-nerd, best neighbours ever. And I think I just… I've been in love with him all this fucking time. Like, from now this is really huge amount of time. But he never actually looked at me like, you know, like the guy would look at any woman, and I accepted that. And then he left. Moved here to save his ass, so I thought that I'm finally free. With all that work, and courts, and other crap you just don't have time for self-analysis, and that was good. But here I am. Jesus, he thinks I'm insane," She covered her face with her arms and started to cry, leaning closer to Ellie, who hugged her and began to stroking her hair.

"Nah, sweetheart, he doesn't. He is confused, yes, and very upset because you refused to talk to him. That means he care. I'm afraid I'm not a good adviser in cases like this, but somehow I'm pretty sure he cares about you even more than you think. You need to talk to him, Thea", but she refused immediately, shaking her head.

"I… can't do that"

"Come on, you beat whores and you're afraid to talk to a man? That's ridiculous," Ellie smiled softly. "It was quite cool punch, by the way," she said, giggling. "If only you could see their faces, T, you were the star! So you can punch him the same way if he'll be a jerk." They started to laugh together, feeling a little relief that at least one secret was revealed.

"Oh, I saw your face when you were dancing with VP," Thea said cheerfully. "In fairness I must say, that Jax's look wasn't any different. You two, guys, seem to like each other, huh?" she teased her playfully. Ellie felt like her cheeks began to turn red immediately. But it wasn't that easy, though. She looked away, trying to hide the confusion.

"Kinda," finally, Ellie replied quietly. It was pretty foolish to deny the fact that she really liked Jax, but not including her unwillingness to seem windy, she also was afraid to define such a recent acquaintance in any way. In case it will end soon. Moreover, if it's going to end bad. But Martinez wasn't satisfied with answer like that. She sat up on one elbow, trying to catch Ellie's eye.

"What do you mean 'kinda'?" She raised one of her eyebrow. "You either like him, or you don't."

"Yep, you're the one to say that," Ellie smirked, changing the subject in this way. She slowly stood up, running a hand through her hair. When after a couple of seconds she turned to Thea, something weird was in her smile, "Would you give me a lift to Teller-Morrow? What a pity it would be if I'll get lost again."

"Naah," Martinez narrowed her eyes, "I know your plan, it won't work."

"What plan?" Ellie naively clapped her eyelashes. She really couldn't call an attempt to push Thea and Juice face to face at the club a full-fledged plan. Just a little try. However, it really seemed to fail.

"C'mon, conspirator. I'll lift you to that district, it's on my way. There you certainly won't get lost," she smirked, standing up too. While they were giving themselves up, Thea unconsciously was turning back to Ellie's words. She might have been not ready to do it now, but still she saw some sense in her words. Talking to Juice would be the right thing. If she only knew how to do that.

And while women were women, others' morning began with some less exalted issues. Clay and Jax were riding back from the meeting with the Mayans and the Cartel and a small truck was overwhelmed with heavy silence. It was obvious that both of them were in a bad mood, but Morrow hid it much better then his step-son, whose anger was visible in almost white knuckles of hands which he clanched on the steering wheel. Clay expected this kind of reaction, so didn't say anything, deciding to wait until this silent storm calms down. But he was the only one who knew what to expect.

Jax couldn't decide for himself, what infuriated him more: the need to deal with the drugs, or the fact that Clay knew everything, but said nothing. The meeting went obviously not as he expected it to, and staying calm after suddenly appeared details was pretty hard. Just as hard was to keep himself from punching Clay right in the face for involving club in that shit without letting anyone know. In fact, he put SAMCRO in the situation, where to refuse the cartel would mean to incore an uncontrollable consequences. Actually, everything about the cartel was uncontrollable and it was scaring the shit out of Jax in advance. Anyway, he couldn't stand alone against Clay's arguments on favor of this deal. He could only hope that the vote will put everything on its place. And what he knew for sure - the others won't be excited about this news.

He was totally right. When they got to the club, everyone were already at their places, discussing some pointless shit without expecting what was about to come very soon. They were laughing, finishing their beers and Jax, who thought he started to calm down a bit, now understood that he's even further from bloody calmness than he thought.

"She just screwed me, man! It' like I should begging her for forgiveness, or what?" Yelled Juice, while Piney and Bobby laughed harder. Tig put his hands on Ortize's shoulders and said, giggling:

"That's why I prefer hookers. No problems, only joy, peace and happiness. I could suggest you the same, shithead, but I'm afraid your Zena in business suit will cut off your dick, or worse… Actually, could anything be worse?" he turned to Bobby.

"No doubts," the thing was even funnier cause everyone knew that they weren't dating. And looking at Juice, who just couldn't find a place for himself like a teenager boy, was a new way to entertain themselves.

"End your chatting, ladies, we have some things to discuss," said Clay as he entered the clubhouse and walked straight to the room with the table with reaper. Everyone left their beers immediately, and walked after him. As the door behind them closed and everyone were on their places, Clay began. With every word that slipped from his mouth, the air was getting more and more tense. Yeah, the cartel shit was very profitable, very perspective in some way, but all this drugs? None of them wanted to take part in something so dark like this.

"Cartel gave us protection in prison so now we owe them," said Clay without looking anybody in the eyes.

Jax thought that he already decided for himself. He didn't need anybody's approvement, he will do that, he will take his cash and he'll make sure everyone will follow his orders. Jax never thought he will ever hate his step-father that much.

"Come on, do we even discuss this?! It's goddamn Cartel! This hole is deep, Clay, and dangerous. It will end bad, you know that!" shouted Piney from the opposite side of the table. Deep inside Jax was agree with him, but he also knew that refusal to Galinda may have affects on those who are dear to them. These guys were way too dangerous to play with them.

"Look, despite I hate this as much as you do, I think it's worth the risk. We have to pay them back for their protection, cause without it the Russians would beat the shit out of us. And it will bring us more money than we could earn with other gangs. Mayans will help us, the transportation gonna be fast and quiet. And it's temporary. Right, Clay?" he asked, turning to Morrow. After a moment he nodded, confirming it. Jax was overstepping himself, but he obviously thought that Clay put them in an impossible position. Everyone were confused and totally not sure about this, and that definetely started to piss Clay off.

"Okay, let us all think about this until tomorrow. Then we'll have a vote," with thud of his hammer meeting was over. Before Jax managed to stand up, Morrow called him, "You go to Wahewa and check everything. Take Op with you."

Teller just nodded and hurried to leave to minimize the possibility of creating another quarrel. He called Opie, and simply by his look he understood that he is waiting for a hard drive. And confrontation with his best friend was just one of the problems that he was awaiting from cooperation with Galinda.

By the time Jax and Op left, Ellie just got to Teller-Morrow. As she promissed, Thea lifted her up to the nearest quarter and in a couple of minutes she was already approaching the clubhouse, having huge doubts about what she's even doing here. She justified herself by the fact that she has banally nowhere else to go, so if she was about to figure out what to do next, she could find help only here. It was, of course, risky so simply trust kind of first comer, but it happened instinctively. So when she entered the club, she more or less coped with their own doubts and was ready to act on the situation.

"Ooh, my angel came down to me…" After yesterday, when they got along very well, it wasn't a surprise that Tig was the first to greet her.

"Just to bless you, Alexander," She smiled, noting to herself that despite a small spectacle played be Trager, he was not in the mood. Just as everyone else.

"I definitely like this girl, let's keep her," he threw his arm over her shoulders.

"You really just called him Alexander, didn't you?" Bobby was just crossing the room, going to the bar, and without waiting for an answer, he grinned.

"That's kinda privilege, lass," she noticed Chibs, who was sitting near the pool table. "But be aware, it might be not good as you think."

"Drop it!" she smirked, but then became more serious. The atmosphere of ill humor was too obvious. "Is everything okay?"

"Don't bother yourself with this, child, everything is fine," Munson rattled the bottles behind the bar. "Are you looking for Jax?"

"He left just before you came," Tig let her go so she could come farther, approaching the bar and sitting on one of the chairs.

"Right, I'm… Uhm…" Ellie bit distractedly tucked a strand behind her ear. "I guess I just came because for now it's the only place where I can go. I was wondering, maybe, you know… Maybe you'll help me?"

"With what?" Bobby leaned a bit forward.

"Everything?" She laughed bitterly. "I have no idea what to do now. I obviously can't go home…"

"Hell no!" Protested Telford, who knew a part of her story. "Why won't you stay in Charming, sweetheart? Despit the fact that our mayor is a big dick, this place isn't so bad."

"Yeah, I know, it's more that 'not so bad', but I don't want to make troubles or something," Judging by her voice, it really bothered her. "I'm a bit helpless right now."

"Nonsense!" Tig thumped his hand on the table. "I think we will find where to attach you, angel."

"Sure," Bobby shrugged. "Even here, at Teller-Morrow, is some work to do. I guess Chucky won't mind a comrade," he grinned.

"The question is whether you won't mind Chucky," everyone laughed haskily at this remark, except Ellie, who just silently smiled. She was about to reply something and say that she is grateful, but she missed the moment, 'cause the door opened and Juice with some yet unfamilliar guy entered the club.

"Hey, Jax's is on the phone, looking for Clay," Ortiz was apparently nervous.

"Says it's important," added the new guy, who was Kozik. After this addition, other guys stood up immediately and gathered around the phone on the bar, switching the line on it.

"Jax?" Bobby was the one who spoke. And listened. And as he did, his face darkened more and more. "Hold on," He said and turned to others. "We need to find Clay, immediately."

Fortunatelly, just as he said this, they all heard the sound of motorcycle engine outside. Tig went out to find out that it was exactly Clay and hurried him. When Morrow finally took up the phone, the voice with very strong Russian accent said him to bring the guns in one hour or he will kill VP and his friend. The shitty Russians began to really annoy him. He made another call and said to Hap and Rat to bring the guns to the garage. Ellie heard only some parts of the conversation, but that totally made her nervous. She didn't know what's going on, but she understood quite clearly that Jax is in trouble, and that caused a small hand tremor. She unconsciously followed them outside, when Gemma appeared too. She understood immediately that something happened to Jax, but soon another problem showed up on the horizon.

"Bad time," said Bobby as everyone could hear the sirens. When sheriff came out of his car, Clay whispered to Gemma to call Bastards and send them to Waheva. No one had to ask what sheriff forgot here. Roosevelt had no doubts about involvement of SAMCRO in that shit with the dead Russians at the Charming Heights, but he couldn't prove it, no matter how hard he tried. So he decided at least to please himself and show to Sons that their actions will not be unanswered. Very soon a fire engine showed up, and sheriff said with a sarcastic smile:

"You smell smoke?" And without continuing he went to the clubhouse. Everyone followed him, anticipating the worst. Roosevelt looked around and stopped in front of the wall with photos of SAMCRO members that were made at the police station. While he was starring at them, Tig whispered to Clay that Gemma made some calls and they must hurry, cause Bastards was out of town. Clay nodded and said to Roosevelt:

"Okay, you made your point, we got that. Now get out of our club and take your cheerleading group with you," But it seemed like he wasn't about to leave any soon.

"There are no black on this wall."

"We have no problems with the color."

"Yeah, an oasis of toleration," And Clay understood what is gonna be next. Normally, he would do anything to not let that bastard even breath inside this place, but time was precious.

"Just do it already," He said impatiently, and Roosevelt did. With uncovered pleasure, he raised his ax and struck the first blow against the wall. Ellie, who silently stood behind them all this time, covered her mouth with gasp when he started to break everything around him. After the wall he stepped to the room with the meeting table, continuing to play his small preformance. And the shittest part for everyone was the inability to do something about it. They could just stay still and watch like some stupid piece of shit was damaging their club. When he was done, Roosevelt came closer to Clay and said to him, very quiet and slowly:

"Thanks God we were here to prevent the fire," His lips curled into a sneer. "You know, Clay, we can live in peace, or at least pretend to, but you pessed me do that. And I suggest you not to do it again. Hope we understood each other," And commanding firefighters and police officers by nod to follow him, he went out. Being absolutely crushed, everyone tried to wave it all away for now, cause on the first place they still got that shit in Wahewa, where Jax and Opie were lying on the floor with bonded arms. They understood perfectly that guys wouldn't make it in one hour.

"Shitty honeymoon, man," they laughed nervously. As the silence around was broken with the sound of a coming car, Russians raised them to their feet and slowly walked outside. Saying that Jax was surprised to see Romero would be an understatement. And he was even more surprised, when in the next minutes Romero with his compadres shot most part of the Russian bastards, saving the rest of them for SAMCRO's pleasure. He was gratefull, of course, and what is more important, he understood that after this hand of help they just couldn't say 'no' to Galinda. It came out as a neat trick to tie them even tighter. Almost immediately after that, Clay and others showed up.

"Missed all the fun, as always," said Tig disappointed.

After a little conversation with Romeo, where he clearly hinted that he hoped that they will make a right choice about cooperation, SAMCRO in full was able to return home.

Or at least to the rest of it. Ruined clubhouse was a truly painful picture to see, so Gemma hid in her office, feeling that her heart began to ache with every new breath more and more. She worried about Jax and that demage that sheriff brought to them, but there was also another thing that didn't left her in peace. After a few minutes on her own, she couldn't resist an unhealthy desire to kind of torture herself with it once more, so she opened a drawer and took out a folder of latters. Going throught them one by one, she peered into that too familiar handwriting of John Teller, who wrote to his mistress about how everything here became alien to him. Echo of jelousy still sounded inside of her, echo of hate and anger to this man and his other woman.

She found this letters when she was unpacking Jax's things after their return from Ireland. First of all she was shocked by the fact that Maureen Ashby dared to secretly put them into her son's backpack. Then she was angry because this letters even existed, and were saved till nowadays. She wanted to throw them away or even to burn in the trashcan at the back yard once and for all, but something stopped her from doing that. Irrational desire to know what her husband been writing to his fancy was too strong, so she couldn't help herself, but read them. It turned out that in addition to the endless outpouring of thoughts and feelings, John shared with her some of his suspicions and beliefs that could turn these letters into a literal weapon. A loaded gun that Maureen Ashby almost put into Jax's and and that was aimed on her and Clay.

"Stupid Irish bitch," She hissed, throwing a folder back to the drawer and closing it with her foot. Every woman is a danger - that's what she has learned a hundred of times. Even that whore, who will disappear in the morning, can bring a lot of problems and become a total disaster and there is no insurance from that. And Ashby proved that the woman even don't have to be present to start some shit going around. So being protective was kind of an instinct, and last days this instinct was almost screaming in case of appearance of some new women on the horizon. She spread the jalousie with her fingers, looking out. Blonde still was there, sitting outside the clubhouse. Her baby-doll face could, probably, delude any man, but Gemma wasn't about to trust her not even for a bit. Jax promissed to explain her presence and who the hell she even was, but he still didn't, though Gemma wasn't upset about that at all. She didn't care, actually, because she was convinced: this pretty doll won't stay for long. They all were gone after all, just like Tara. And in the next moment after that thought she smirked, 'cause she saw Lyla's car. Well, some of this dolls went beyond the others. When she went out to meet Opie's new wife, she already parked and got out of the car.

"What's wrong? Where is Opie?" she erased the distance between her and Gemma in couple of hurried steps.

"He's fine, sweetheart," Teller put her hand on Lyla's shoulder. "Something happened, but they've solved everything already. They're on their way."

"Oh," she covered her eyes in relief, and then whispered, making Gemma laugh a bit, "Hell of a honeymoon."

At that time, Ellie were sitting at the table near the club, nervously playing with the earring. As she heard the sound of approaching bikes, she stood up and came closer to the place where Gemma and Lyla were waiting for the guys. Her heart started to beat faster as she saw Jax, alive and unharmed, except some bruises on his face. Gemma hugged him tight as well as Lyla kissed Oppie, whispering sweet nothings in his ear. It was a usual thing for the women of this club - wait for their men to come back after their missions, counting hours and preparing themselves for worse. That what meant to be a part of this family, and that was what Ellie were desperately searching for. Someone to whom she could be so devoted.

"Oh God, Jax, are you alright? I've heard you were captured," she came to him as Gemma let him go and her eyes were full of sincere concern and worry. Tara used to give him that look in the hardest moments of past years and that was the only way for him to handle the shit that was around him. But now Tara was gone and for the first time that fact didn't hurted him, cause he got that look that he needed anyway. It gave him a sense of relief. So as Ellie appeared in front of him, he just came closer and embraced her without words, hiding his face in her hair.

"Thank you, El," he said quietly after a few seconds. She was confused, he could almost sense that, but soon enough she hugged him back, leaning closer, hearing his heartbeat.

"For what?"

"For being here," she smiled lightly after his words, 'cause it was, probably, the best thing he could say to her. Thea was right, after all. She liked him, maybe more than she could admit, and it scared her to death, and at the same tame it was slowly driving her crazy. But she will think about it later, right now Jax needed her and she was about to be here for him.

"I amazed with his goddamn talent to find these pussies," said Gemma, resting her hand on Clay's shoulder. He smirked, but decided not to mention that Jax was acting just like his father. He kissed his wife gently and walked to the ruined clubhouse right after Jax and Ellie. When they were inside, Jax felt like the anger started to boil inside his body. The devastation was everywhere. Basically, Roosevelt didn't left any stone unturned.

"Stupid bastard," whispered Jax, clenching his fists. Ellie put her arm on his shoulder, showing him that he's not alone in this. At the very same moment, Thea parked her car and hurried to the clubhouse. She heard about sheriffs visit and after all her anxiety was stronger than any cockroaches in her head, so she dropped everything and rushed to the club, expecting the worst. When she finally came in, she couldn't help the loud sigh. It wasn't a surprise that no one could really greet her, being totally suppressed. Martinez made a few quiet steps forward, trying to find Juice among the others, and when she finally did, her next words slipped from her lips absolutely involuntarily:

"What the hell is on your head, Ortiz?!" Juice immediatly turned on the sound of her voice, looking completely confused. He shaved his mohawk again, opening the tattoos and looking totally different to her.

"Won't believe, Zena, we're asking him about this for many years," responded Tig, provoking a couple of snickers.

In the next moment they grew into a full-fledged laughter, that inside this disturbed walls sounded a bit nervously, but promising. After all, how could they let some piece of shit destroy their spirit?