"It's about time you three got here. You feeling any better?" Gemma asked as Jax walked in his mother's house with Abel on his shoulders. Mackenzie nodded with a smile as she gave Gemma a little hug.
"Alright, well dinner is about to hit the table so go sit down." She said, ushering Mackenzie inside before closing the door. As she walked in the large dining room, everybody called out heys and about times as she sat down next to Jax. She looked over at the blonde sitting next to Opie.
"You must be Lyla." She guessed with a smile as the woman nodded with a nervous smile. "I'm Mackenzie."
"I know. Opie and Jax talk about you all the time." She said with a little laugh. Mackenzie blushed and returned Lyla's smile as Gemma sat a large roast on the table. Juice reached out to grab a roll and Chibs smacked his hand, taking a roll first and then passing the basket to his right.
The table was full of food, small talk and laughing as everyone relaxed in Gemma and Clay's house. Mackenzie was chatting with Lyla when she felt Abel tugging on the bottom of her shirt. She gave him a smile and looked over at Jax. Jax nodded and stood up, taking Abel in his arm. Everyone stopped talking and turned their attention on the VP as he looked around at his family.
"Mackenzie and want to thank everybody for all their help and love during the last few months. It's been rough sometimes, but all of you were there no matter what. So, we wanted to let you all know that we're getting married." Jax said, putting his heart on his sleeve as Mackenzie smiled brightly. The room erupted with congratulations and hugs and kisses for the couple. Jax let it go on for a few minutes before continuing.
"Thanks. There's something else though. Abel do you want to tell them?" Jax asked as he pulled Mackenzie closer to him and kissing the top of her head lightly. Abel nodded and everyone stared at him, waiting for the news. Jax laughed and looked at his son. "You can tell them, little man."
"I'm going to get a little sister." Abel said loudly before getting embarrassed and hiding his face in Jax's shoulder. Mackenzie chuckled and held up her hand.
"Well, it might also be a little brother but we're pregnant." She said blushing a little at all the attention. Gemma stood up and clapped before pulling Mackenzie into a big hug.
"I knew there was a reason I didn't kick your ass to the curb after almost killing the Scott." Gemma said as she looked at her future daughter in law. Mackenzie laughed nervously as Gemma turned her attention on Jax.
"You don't think you could have told me that sooner?" She scolded him as he smirked down at her. Abel reached out for her and smiled as she took him in her arms.
There was another round of congratulations before Gemma hurried into the kitchen to get the large cake she'd made to celebrate their engagement. Abel fell asleep halfway through eating his slice of cake. The party was going well and had moved into the living room as everyone asked questions about the wedding and when the baby was due. Gemma was still smiling as she went to answer the door.
"Can I help you?" Gemma asked curtly at the sheriff standing in the doorway. Sheriff Unser looked at her uncomfortably as he stepped into the house.
"Sorry to interrupt, Gemma. I've got to take Ms. Bradshaw down to the station." He said, looking straight at Mackenzie as she stiffened on Jax's lap. Jax narrowed his eyes and stood up slowly after Mackenzie rose to her feet.
"Like hell. What's this about Wayne?" Clay said as he walked up behind Gemma. He could tell Gemma was struggling to hold back from attacking Unser.
"Can't talk about that, Clay. It's an ongoing investigation." He said, starting to get uncomfortable. He'd told his deputies to stay at the station, thinking he wouldn't need back up.
"Is she under arrest?" Jax growled, stepping in front of Mackenzie to shield her from whatever threat came their way. Unser sighed and ran a palm over his balding scalp.
"No, Jax. She's not under arrest. We've got some questions for her though." He said, hoping to deescalate the situation. It didn't work.
"What do you mean, we? Last time I checked you've still got the badge. You can ask her questions here or somewhere in town tomorrow. My pregnant daughter in law isn't going to sit in some dingy room at your station." Gemma snapped, taking a step towards her long time friend in the uniform.
"This is coming from higher up. They sent me because I'm a friend of the family. Granted I didn't know the whole club would be here." Unser said, swallowing hard as he looked around the living room. Opie and Chibs were already standing on either side of Mackenzie as Happy stared at him with cold eyes from his seat on the couch.
"If you don't let her go, I'll have to charge you all with obstruction of justice." Unser said firmly. Happy laughed darkly as he rose to his feet, welcoming the threat.
"I'll go." Mackenzie said with a sigh as she stepped out from behind Jax. He looked down at her and shook his head.
"No. This is bullshit coming from that fucker and his dumb bitch of a wife. You don't have to answer shit." Jax told her as she gave him a weak smile. Unser was starting to feel relieved.
"Babe, it's fine. I haven't done anything wrong. Nobody here has done anything wrong. That's just how power abusing fathers throw their weight around and get their thumbs on weak law enforcement. You mind riding with me?" She said, grabbing her purse and keys to the Challenger. Jax knew that arguing would make them look guilty.
"Yeah, I'm coming." He said, giving in and taking the keys from her. Happy nodded and clapped his hand on Jax's shoulder.
"Me to." Happy grumbled as he stared at the sheriff. Unser realized arguing would either make thing worse or quicken his trip to the grave so he just nodded and walked out to his cruiser. He felt bad for the Whitmans, knowing better than to think the Sons would stay outside during the questioning. That pit in his stomach grew larger as everyone but Lyla and a few croweaters filed out of the Morrow residence.
"Mack, just because you're going down there doesn't mean you have to answer shit." Jax said as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. Mackenzie laughed and looked over at him.
"Jaxson Teller, you think I don't know that. I used to be a cop, remember? If I'm in there for more than an hour, have Lohen drop by." She said, looking out of the windshield at the back of the police car. She knew this was a Whitman scare tactic, but she also knew her rights.
Mackenzie climbed out of the car once Jax cut the engine. Happy was right by her side with a smile. She looked up at him, almost afraid to ask what he was smiling about. With a man like Happy, that was never a safe question.
"If they piss you off just throw up on them." He said quietly as he held the door open for Mackenzie to follow Jax inside. She couldn't help but laugh, causing Jax to look back at her quizzically. Happy shrugged and followed them as the rest of SAMCRO filed into the tiny police station.
"What is this, Sheriff?" Tony Whitman yelled as he came out of Unser's office. Unser shook his head and looked back at the Sons of Anarchy.
"This is what happens when you interrupt a family dinner. Of all the people in Charming eating dinner right now, you picked them. Hope you and the DA are happy with this shit." Unser said, laughing a little at how anxious the ex-mayor looked as he faced down the entire Redwood chapter.
"Can we just get this over with? I don't feel well and I may get sick." Mackenzie said, dropping Jax's hand and heading into Unser's office. Happy laughed at her comment.
"Told her to puke on them if she got pissed." Happy explained as Jax shot him a look. The VP seemed to relax a little at the thought.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this, Mackenzie. I needed to have you answer some questions and your boyfriend out there wasn't making that easy." Tony said as he sat down in Unser's high back chair. Unser leaned up against the closed door and folded his arms across his chest.
"Jax is my fiancé, not my boyfriend. Like I said, I don't feel good so go ahead and ask." Mackenzie said as she stood in front of the large oak desk. She wasn't planning on staying in the room long enough to need a seat.
"Where is my son, Mackenzie?" Tony asked, cutting out the pleasantries. Mackenzie shrugged.
"I don't know or care." Mackenzie said in complete honesty. Tony's eyes flashed with anger, just as Bryan's used to.
"You lying bitch. You know something and you aren't telling me. Why were you in the hospital shortly after he came up here? Say the wrong thing again?" He asked, trying to get a rise out of the girl.
"Car wreck." Mackenzie said simply, ignoring his dig at she and Bryan's previous altercations.
"I can have you arrested. You and your trash outside." Tony threatened her as she gave him a dark grin. Unser laughed, knowing she must be mimicking Happy to the best of her abilities.
"No, you can't. If those are all of your questions, I'm leaving. I can't spend the whole night listening to your empty threats." She said with a shrug as she opened the office door. She walked down the hall and had made it almost half way to the exit when a hand grabbed her wrist and yanked back hard.
Mackenzie was pulled back to Tony's face before he shoved her against a wall. Unser was about to pull him off when Jax beat him to it. He swung and connected a fist with the side of Tony's face as nine guns were drawn and pointed at either Tony or his guards that had rushed up from the break room down the hall. Unser put his own hands up slowly as Jax hit the man again.
"Jax." Mackenzie strained as she grabbed at her back. Her voice pulled Jax out of blind fury and he looked up at her. She was pale and sliding down to the tile floor as he rushed to her side.
"Please, take me home Jax. I don't want to be here." She cried, worrying that the tiny baby in her stomach was somehow injured when she'd been thrown against the wall. Jax nodded and scooped her up in his arms. He didn't bother looking back as Unser tried to talk the rest of the club down. Gemma stowed her pistol and followed her son and Mackenzie out to the parking lot.
"Mom, bring Abel to our house and stay with Mackenzie. If he asks just tell him y'all are going to the park tomorrow or something." Jax said as he lowered Mackenzie into the car. "I'm calling church and we're going to deal with this shit."