Chapter 9

Jade heard the low mumbles of talking as she stirred awake. She open her eyes and tried to focus and tried to speak but she was too hoarse. She looked over to find the room empty except for Jax by the door talking to a brunette woman in a white lab coat. She tried to call his name but nothing came out. She tried to call his name again but what she saw stopped her. Jax leaned over and gave the brunette woman a long, tight hug and she leaned over and lightly kissed his lips. Jax looked over quickly to Jade who quickly closed her eyes to pretend to be asleep. Jade's heart began to pound faster and her monitor start to beep to warn the nurses of her elevated heart rate.

"What's wrong?" Jax asked Tara as Tara went to Jade's bedside to see what was wrong.

"Jade?" Tara bent over Jade and gently tapped Jade's shoulder. Jade open her eyes to look at Tara. Tara stood straight up quickly as she saw the look of anger in Jade's eyes.

Jax grabbed Jade's hand.

"Babe are you ok?" Jade nod her head yes. She made her other hand into a C and moved it to her lips to indicate she needed water.

Tara quickly found the pitcher on the stand next to Jade's bed and poured her a cup. She stuck a straw in it and was about to move it Jade's lips to drink but Jax took it from her.

"I got it. Thanks." He told Tara.

"Ok. Just call if you need anything." Tara looked over at Jade again and tried her best to smile. Jade wanted to knock that half smile off her face. Jade watched her walk out the room and then looked at Jax who had a slight look of guilt on his face.

"Here. Drink some of this." Jade took a sip of the cold water and her throat instantly felt better.

"Tara?" she asked.

Jax nod yes. "Don't be upset she just wanted to check on you."

"She doesn't know me." Jade replied hoarsely.

"She has heard a lot about you." Jade wanted to question how Tara had heard about her but she was just too tired.

Sensing her concern Jax leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Just tired."

Looking down at her stomach he asked if she was feeling any pain.

"A dull ache." She lied. She was in serious pain but she continued to contain her face not to show emotion.

Jax lean his forehead to touch Jade's, his long hair falling into her face. It smelled of the Axe shampoo she had brought him.

"I am so sorry Jade. I thought I had you protected."

Jade lift her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. She was not angry with Jax. She did wish he was more straightforward with her when it came to club business as she might have saw the attack on Half-Sack and her coming.

"I'm not mad Jax." She assured him. She wanted to tell him she loved him but she could not form the words. She closed her eyes as Jax planted butterfly kisses on her face. As she lay in pain with her eyes close she tried to focus on Jax light kisses on her face. She loved this man so much. Her heart ached for him and she knew she would follow him to hell and back if need be. Jade found tears were streaming down her face again and it was not from her physical pain but the ache in her heart for Jax. If what happen to her was any indication as to what type of baggage came with Jackson Teller she knew she was in for a roller coaster ride. Most women with any sense would push this man away and run screaming but she just could not. Jax kissed Jade tears away. Opening her eyes she saw Jax's ice blue eyes looking down at her with concern on his face. Looking him over she asked herself how could she leave this man who needed her. Even though he had not said it to her Jade knew Jax loved her. It was evident all over his face. She lifted her fingers to trace over his beautiful lips and scratch his beard. Jax smiled down at her.

"Has Gemma been here? Has mom seen her?"

The smile quickly faded from Jax lips.

"What?" Jade asked alarmed by his expression.

Jax pulled up a chair. He was going to have to tell her what happen to Gemma. He could not hide that from her.

Jade could not believe her ears as Jax told her what happen with Gemma.

"It's not true. She was set up" he told her. Jade knew it was not true. It could not have been true.

There was a light knock at the door and Opie stuck his head in the room.

"Jax we need you."

"I will be right back." He planted a quick kiss on her lips.

A few seconds later he was back in the room and told her he had to leave but he will be back. Kissing her again he rushed out the door passing Selena and Michael on their way in.

After a few days Jade was finally release and she was upset she missed Half-Sack funeral. She wanted to be there and thank him for doing his best to protect her and Abel.

Since Jax rushed out the other day she rarely saw him. His mind was preoccupied and she could not figure out with what. On her release day he was out of town and her parents came to pick her up to take her home. On the ride home Jade asked to stop at Jax's so she can see Abel. Her parents looked at each other and Michael told her Abel was staying with Neeta and they did not know where she stayed.

Trying not to aggravate her stitches Jade slowly reached for her phone in her purse to call Jax to get an address.

"Who are you calling?" Selena asked her daughter.

"Jax, I need to get Neeta's address."

"Why don't we get you home and settled first and then you can call him to get the address. You need to rest the rest of the day and we will take you tomorrow." Selena told Jade taking her phone. Jade looked at her mom with a perplex look. Did she just take the phone from her like she was a tween? Jade started to get that uneasy feeling again. Something was going on and yet again no one was telling her. If her parents were hiding something from her it must be really bad.

Later that night Jade found out the truth about Abel when Jax called her mom to tell her Gemma had come back to Charming looking for Abel and was in the hospital. As her mom rushed out the door her father came into her bedroom and told her what really happen to Abel. Jade was furious that everyone lied to her.

"We wanted you to get better sunshine. You would not have been able to handle the news in your condition" Her dad explained.

"Where is he?"

"Last we heard he may be in Canada."

"Canada?!"

Jade started to get up from her bed.

"Where do you think you are going young lady?"

"I need to go see Gemma." She told him as she walked to her closet to get some clothes.

"You need to get back in bed." Her dad told her as he grabbed her hand to lead her to her bed.

Jade snatched her hand away.

"Jade you need to lie back down. Do you want to rip out your stitches? What about Dr. Madsen one of the top plastic surgeons in the country we flew out here to assist with your doctors to minimize scarring. You want all his efforts and the doctors that save your life to all have been for nothing." Jade looked at her father. He was trying to make her feel guilty and try to play on what little vanity she had left. He knew she was paranoid about the scarring that could be left on her stomach.

"Dad I swear I will walk if you don't take me!" Michael looked at his stubborn daughter. He would not put it pass her she probably would walk. Michael knew it was a lost cause to argue with her. He helped her dress into a pair of loose fitting jogging pants (she could not have pants too tight against her stomach) and a t-shirt, combed her hair into a bun just like he use to do when she was a child and drove her to the hospital.

With her father's help Jade made it to Gemma's room. Just as she was entering the room the door swung open and she almost ran into a tall, thin white woman with long blonde hair. Her face looked like her skin was pulled too tight behind her ears and she had puffy lips that did not fit her features. Jade assumed it was bad plastic surgery and it made the woman look menacing.

"Oh! You must be Jax's old lady." She said extending her hand to Jade for a handshake.

"Leave her alone." Clay's voice boomed in the room. The lady turned around and looked at Clay. She sniffed loudly and said it was okay she will speak to Princess Tiana another time and swiftly exited the room. Jade stood at the door with her mouth open in slight shock. Did she just call her princess Tiana the only black Disney Princess? Well she has been called worse things.

Looking for Jax she found him standing holding his moms hand. As soon as he saw Jade's face he knew she knew about Abel. Gemma let go of Jax hand and he walked over to Jade and hugged her tight. She began to cry as he squeezed her tight in his warm embrace.

"We are going to find him Jade. I promise." He told her as he nuzzled his nose in her neck. Selena walked up to Jade to rub her back for comfort.

"Jade you have to know they will find him." She reassured her daughter.

"Come here baby" Gemma said as she reached out one of her hands to her. As Jade slowly made her way over to Gemma she notice her other hand was handcuffed to the bed. Clay, Jax and her parents walked out the room to give them a chance to talk. Gemma motioned for Jade to lean over and Jade leaned over as best as she could without hurting her stomach as Gemma planted a kiss on her cheek.

"I love you." Gemma told Jade. Jade burst into tears again. Jade wish she would stop crying so much. She was surprised she had anything left in her tear ducts. Jade was grateful for Gemma's words she just wished it came from her son instead.

"Gemma I'm sorry about Abel. I know you trusted me to protect him."

Gemma shook her head.

"No baby. Don't you dare blame yourself. You did everything you could to protect my grandson." Gemma lightly touched Jade's stomach. "You have the scars to prove it."

Jade sat next to Gemma as she explained how she was frame and who the lady was that just left. She was ATF and her name was Stahl. She had framed Gemma and had been giving the club hell since she had been in town. After a long conversation with Gemma, Jade begin to feel the pain creeping up in her stomach. Her pain medicine was wearing off.

"Honey go home and get some rest. We will find him." As Jade stood up to leave Tara walked in. Jesus why was this woman still around?

"You should be in bed Ms. Monroe." She told Jade.

"I'm fine." Jade snapped at her. Jax, Clay and her parents walked in before Tara could respond. Trying her best not to show any pain on her face Jade started to walk out the room to have her parents take her home. Before she got out the door Jax grabbed her hand and turned her around grabbed her face and kissed her passionately on her lips. Jade was getting weak in the knees. She missed him so much. When Jax let her go from their kiss Jade looked over and saw Tara's face. She was not happy.