Chapter 2-Dinner at Gemma's

Jade sighed to herself and rest her head on the car rest behind her head. What a day she has had.

"You sure you don't want to go to see if you need stitches, sweetheart?" Gemma asked with a concern look. Jade looked over at the matriarch of The Sons as she drove her home. She was still beautiful even after all these years, a little rough around the edges but still beautiful. Jade remember seeing her throughout her childhood and always saw her as someone who was bigger than life itself. This woman had a presence about her.

"No thank you. It will heal on its own."

Jade grimace a little from the pain in her lip.

Gemma smiled to herself.

"You were always a stubborn child."

"No I wasn't"

Gemma laughed

"Yes child you were. I remember one time when you were little Clay and I was out to L.A. and while your father handled business with Clay you and I played tea with your dolls in your room. When it was time for me to go you pitched such a hissy fit that we had to stay until it was your bedtime. Your mother told me the next day you were upset when you woke up and found me gone."

Jade looked at Gemma trying to find that particular memory of Gemma in her head. She could not. She shook her head frustrated.

"Wow I don't remember that."

Gemma took a long drag from her cigarette. "Well baby you were only three years old. Who remembers anything from that age?"

Gemma pat Jade's thigh in reassurance and a few cigarette ashes fell between her legs.

"Well maybe I am a little stubborn" Jade said as she wiped the ashes off the seat.

"A little?" Gemma chuckled to herself.

"Hey what's the deal with Opie? I think that was his name. Is he always so quiet?" Jade asked.

Gemma flicked her cigarette out the car window.

"His wife died a few weeks back."

Jade gasped. "I'm so sorry. My God"

"Yes it was very sad. Donna was a sweet woman."

Gemma lit up another cigarette and Jade did not pry any further for details.

"I'm surprised you asking about Opie and not about Jax the way I saw you two so close together in his bathroom."

Wow and Jade thought she was a blunt person.

"He was only helping me control the bleeding from my lip" Jade wondered why she was defending herself to her. That was not like her.

"Is this it?" Gemma asked as she pulled into Jade's driveway. Her GPS got them to Jade's house in record time. Thank God Jade thought to herself because she had a feeling the conversation was going to turn south with Jax as the subject.

"Yes Ma'am. Thank you so much." Jade unhooked her seatbelt.

"What a beautiful home. May I come in?"

"Yes of course" Jade said through a painful force grin.

Jade looked at herself in the mirror. Her lip had swollen a little but the split was healing a little.

She was so ready to go to bed. Gemma was not as bad of a guest as Jade had imagine. She even help Jade unpack a few more things and decorate a little. She did however try to pry more on her Jax. She just met the man today why was Gemma so pressed on the issue of her feeling some type a way about her son. Did Gemma know something that she didn't?

Jade finally slid under her covers and knew before she even closed her eyes who she would be dreaming of tonight.

Jade stood in the grocery line a little anxious. She had been away from Charming close to two weeks as she had to go away on business. However she was not immune to what was going on in Charming. She heard from Gemma that Chibs was in the hospital after surviving a vehicle explosion and a few of the club members including Bobby, Jax and Clay had landed in Jail. Jade without hesitation put up the 300 thousand that was needed to get them out of prison with the stipulation that Gemma promise she would not let Bobby and the guys know how Gemma came up with the bail money. Jade prayed and hope Gemma would keep her promise. Her uncle Bobby expressed to her over and over to never get involve in club business and not even a month living in the town of Charming she was bailing them out of prison.

Her first night back in town Gemma invited Jade to her place for dinner. Jade was happy to see her uncle Bobby and especially at the chance to see Jax again. The last time she saw him was when he accidently caused her to split her lip. Jade didn't have time to prepare anything for the dinner tonight so she came to the store to pick up a bottle of red and white wine. Finally checking out she headed to Gemma's house.

When Jade pulled up she notice a police car was leaving. What in the hell she thought to herself. What was going on now in The Son's world. Jesus did they ever stay out of trouble. Walking up to the back door she saw was open she heard shouting and then a large shatter of glass. Quickening her step inside she wished she would have stayed home. Something had gone down. She saw Gemma almost in tears sitting at the table with roast beef and a shattered dish all over the table. Bobby, Jax, Clay and Tig were all breathing heavy like they had just finish a scuffle. What was going on?

Jade slowly walked in and set the bottles on the counter before venturing further into the dining room. Everyone was in their thoughts and did not see her enter. Jax was the first to look up to see her.

"Hey" he said softly. He was visibly upset.

"Gemma?" Jade walked over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. Gemma jumped at her touch and looked up to see it was a Jade and grabbed her hand with a sigh of relief.

"Hey Baby."

"What's going on?" Jade was starting to get nervous as she looked up to her uncle for answers.

"I'm sorry baby. We just found out a friend has passed." Gemma answered.

Jade using her assessing skills knew there was more to the story as she looked at everyone's faces in the room.

"I'm so sorry." Jade said as she squeezed Gemma's hand for reassurance. "Let me help you clean up."

A short, plump black female walked up to the table and began to pick up the broken dish.

"Don't worry about it. I got it." She said as she began to clean off the table.

Jade looked up at Jax and was able to study his face a little longer. As he looked at her she notice he had a faded black eye bruise under his right eye and a faded bruise on his left cheek. Looking over at Clay who had his head down she could see a bruise on his face as well. Before she can ask what the hell was really going on Bobby walked over and gave her his ever comforting bear hugs.

"Hey baby girl. I missed you." She returned his hug.

"It's not a good time right now. I know you just got here but we need to talk on club business." Bobby whispered in her ear.

Jade looked over at the two children sitting at the table looking slightly scared. The social worker in her kicked in.

"Whose children are these?" she asked as she pulled away from her uncle's embrace.

Opie looked up. "They are mine." A young, pubescent looking woman grabbed Opie's hand. Was that his girlfriend? Jade thought to herself. She was skin and bones. Focusing back on the kids she asked if they needed to be dropped at home.

"I can take them home. Thank you" the pubescent woman said. "I'm Lyla."

Lyla walked over to shake Jade's hand.

"Hi Lyla…I'm Jade. It's nice to meet you."

Jax walked over to Jade and put his hand on her waist.

"Can I walk you out?" he asked.

Jade looked at Gemma. "Gemma do you need me for anything?"

Gemma smiled the best reassuring smile she could muster.

"I will be fine baby. I know you are tired after your flight today. Go home and get some rest we will talk later."

"Ok. Call me whenever you need me."

Nudging Jade's waist Jax escorted her to her car. They walked in silence for awhile as Jade was trying to process what she saw. Stopping at her car she turned to face Jax who was very close to her.

"I'm sorry about tonight." He told her as he put his hand on her hip. Why was he so comfortable touching her like this?

Seeing the question in her eyes he withdrew his hand. "I'm sorry am I making you uncomfortable?" Even though he withdrew his hand he still stepped closer to her.

"What are you doing Jax?" she asked looking away from his piercing blue eyes.

Jax smiled and touched her lower lip. "I see your lip has healed well."

"Yes it has."

Jax tugged at her lower lip. "So it would be ok if I did this?"

Without waiting for an answer Jax mouth crushed down on hers and Jade was glad her lip had healed. Opening her mouth with his tongue Jax met his tongue with hers and they both kissed passionately. Jax found himself exploring her mouth with his tongue slowly. She tasted so good, she was making him delirious. He pressed her against the car and pushed up on her harder as their kissed deepened. Two weeks was too damn long not to see her beautiful face. Even during the ordeal of the short prison stay his mind was always on Jade.

"Hey man…. sorry to interrupt but we need to have a sit down." Tig both startled them a little out of their trance. Jade slowly pushed Jax away. "You better go."

Jax not breaking her gaze asked for a rain check. Jade smiled. "Yes you can have a rain check. Now go get some business done."

Jax planted one quick kiss on her and he followed Tig back into the house. Jade was about to get into her car when she looked and saw Tig staring back at her as he was walking into the house. He did not have a happy look on his face. Yep it was the psychotic look she was so often use to seeing. Unfortunately those psychotic look has never been aimed at her personally until tonight.