For this chapter, I listened to House of Gold by twentyone pilots. It's amazing, check it out!
It was closing in on an hour before the fireworks were set to go off. Opie was over making sure everything was set up the way it needed to be, Donna was sitting on a table watching him.
"Hey Op, what's going to happen tonight?" Donna asked her husband, worriedly.
"Nothing that's going to get anyone in trouble. I can promise you that. We just intend to let him know that he's got limited time from now on. Also, he's getting that tattoo covered at some point, tonight."
"Alright, I just worry. Tara's been through so much, and I don't think she could stand it if she lost Jax right now too."
Opie took in the look on his wife's face and went over to her.
"Babe, everything is going to be just fine, you'll see. Jax already let Tara know that Kozik and the Prospect were staying behind with you guys tonight. We won't be out all night."
Across the park, Tara and Jax were standing in a similar position. Tara was sitting on the picnic table and Jax was standing next to her. But unlike Donna and Opie, who discussed Kyle, Tara and Jax were talking about Abel. Jax was voicing concerns that he had in regards to his son, and Tara was doing her best to answer to the best of her abilities. Throughout the entire conversation, Tara felt like someone had been watching her. She knew it was most likely Kyle, so she didn't attempt to find the person.
Jax and Tara's conversation was interrupted by the fireworks that were starting. All the club members, except Opie, joined Jax and Tara around the picnic table. No one voiced it, but every member of the club knew of Kyle's whereabouts the entire time. Everyone ooh'ed and awed at the appropriate time, and even laughed when one firework malfunctioned and everyone could hear Opie swearing on the back lot. As the show was nearing it's end, the men got up to escort Kyle out of Charming. Jax kissed Tara on the head and left with the guys.
As soon as the final note played, and the band thanked the crowd, Jax grabbed Kyle by the back of the shirt.
"Come on shit head, time to get outta here."
"Yeah, man I know. I'm coming. I gotta find my old lady first." Kyle said.
"Old lady? She barely looks 18. She's gonna have to find her own way home tonight." Clay laughed, following behind Jax and Kyle.
Once they were on the road, the got about twenty minutes out of Charming before they boxed him in and made him pull over. Clay gets off his bike and goes over to Kyle's truck, and pulls him out as well. Clay holds him, while Opie pulls the back of his shirt up.
"Motherfucker." Tig exclaimed, standing closest to Kyle so having the best view.
"Clay, I know I was supposed to cover it, but I couldn't. I may not be in the club anymore, but this gets me so much respect." Jax interrupted him before he could finish.
"Respect?" He asked him incredulously. "Fuck respect when you didn't respect your own brothers."
"I got scared! Op, I'm sorry." Kyle yelled at Jax.
Opie gave Kyle a hollow laugh.
"It's not me you need to be apologizing to."
"Enough!" Clay yelled. Everyone saw the confusion clearly written on Kyle's face. Clay continued.
"You have three options. The only reason I'm giving you three is because my old lady would have my balls if you died from the other two options after you were seen at her fundraiser. You can get it blacked out, or I can use fire or a knife to take it off."
"I promise, first thing tomorrow I'll get it filled in." Kyle promised.
"Naw, if that's the answer you're going with, then you are going to do it right now, with all of us witness."
Kyle hadn't noticed up until that point that they parking lot they were congregated in was the shop that most of the club members went to to get their ink done. He tried to run away, but was quickly caught by Jax and Chibs. He fought for a few minutes, but eventually gave up and went into the studio.
The tattoo artist expected them, so when they got there, the parlor was empty and they got right to work. Kyle laid down on the table, with the club members surrounding him on all sides. It had been relatively quiet for about half an hour before Kyle spoke up.
"How'd you even know I still had the tattoo?" Kyle asked.
Jax laughed. "You still haven't figured that out yet?"
Confused, Kyle looked up. "What?"
Jax took the needle gun from the artist, and decided that he wanted a turn filling it in.
"Well you see, I was at the clubhouse waiting on word on my baby. Instead, I got a call that my old lady was in the emergency room. Someone attacked her. I swore when I found the piece of shit, that I'd kill him." Jax said.
"What's that got to do with me?" Kyle winced as Jax pressed harder into his back with the tattoo gun.
"Don't fucking play dumb with me. I know exactly what you did. I know exactly why Tara left me five years ago." Jax was again embellishing on the truth, but he wished he wasn't. This however caught Kyle's attention and he shot up, looking Jax in the eye.
"That slut was never yours. She belonged to me, and she will again."
Everyone was surprised by Chibs punching Kyle in the face.
"She doesn't belong to anyone, you dumbfuck. She is her own person. And you nearly fucking broke that woman for good." Chibs exclaimed.
Kyle just laughed. "You don't know what you're talking about. Tara loved it rough. And trust me, she'll come running back now that she's in town."
Almost simultaneously, Opie and Jax pulled out their guns and aimed them at different sides of Kyle's head. It was Opie that spoke first.
"You come near her, or Charming ever again and Jax and I will both put a bullet in your head." Not wanting to fight anymore, Kyle conceded, laying back down. Jax gave the tattoo gun back to the artist ,and the room fell silent once again.
"I think you're jealous." Jax spoke into the silence. "You were jealous five years ago or you wouldn't have beat the shit out of her, or threatened to kill her for seeing me or Op."
"I wasn't jealous. She was just another crow eater, a biker slut."
Both Chibs and Bobby had to hold back Jax from attacking Kyle. As they were dragging him to the entrance of the building they stopped.
"Just know this. Your days are numbered. Sometime, and soon, I'm going to find you and I'm going to kill you. I'd do it right now, but I think it's better that you sit at home and wonder when it's going to happen. You'll watch over your shoulder whenever you're out. You'll be paranoid, waiting for me to find you, just like Tara was paranoid. Speaking of Tara, I'm going to head home. Don't want to keep her waiting too long. I know she'll be worried." Jax walked out, with Chibs close behind him. Everyone else stayed behind to make sure the job got done.
-AHW-
Back at Donna's, her and Tara were waiting anxiously for their boys to return. Sack was positioned at the front door, while Kozik was hanging out on the back patio. Donna used this time to voice her frustrations with Tara, since she hasn't been able to yet.
"Ya know, I get why you left. It was about survival. But you didn't even call to let me know you were okay. I thought about you every single day for the last five years. Did you think of us at all?"
Tara looked surprised. "Of course Donna! Everyday. I missed you guys more than you'll even know. I felt so ashamed that I let it happen. I laid a lot of blame on the club and I wasn't sure how to act, or what to say to Jax and Opie. I felt like such a slut."
"What? Why?" This time is was Donna's turn to be surprised.
"I slept with Jax not even a week after Kyle pushed me into a glass shelf. I was still sleeping with Kyle at that point. It was out of fear. It is strange because I honestly felt like I was cheating on Jax, even though that was the first time that we'd slept together. I didn't sleep with Kyle again after New Years Eve, I just couldn't. I just felt horrible that I'd shared this amazing experience with Jax, but a week before that I'd fucked Kyle. It's deplorable." Tara could feel the emotion building within her.
"Tara, you can't feel that way. What Kyle was doing was horrible and disgusting. I understand why you left, but I hate that there was absolutely no contact between us."
"I can't apologize enough. There is no excuse for my silence. I can't take it back, but I can spend forever making it up to you." Tara promised.
Donna smiled and thought it over. "Deal."
They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Donna spoke up again.
"So since we're alone. I wanted to ask you some questions about Jax."
Tara smiles. "What about him?"
"Well for starters, what was the sex like? And secondly, what are you intentions with Jax?"
Tara laughed, feeling like she was being interrogated by a parent.
"Oh my. Donna, the sex was pure bliss! Intensity and passion rolled into one experience. And holy shit, I never knew that sex could be so amazing. I'd never felt more of a connection to him, then I did that night. I'd always felt something for Jax, but that night it escalated, tripled. Just everything you can imagine."
"Wow, that's something huh?" Donna laughed.
"Oh yeah." Was Tara's only response.
"So what's going on now? You guys have slept in the same bed for the past three nights."
"Now? That's more complicated. I think the connection is mutual, but there's a lot on both sides that influencing how things happen. I think as long as we're willing to take it slow, it'll be amazing. I love him and I think he loves me too. This might be crazy, but I'm going to ask him to come stay with me after I close the house on Monday. It'll give us time to talk and work on things. Plus, it'd get him out of the clubhouse and here for a while."
Donna laughed, not at all thinking it was crazy.
"Yeah, we just have to share custody of Chibs and Kozik." Both girls broke out into uncontrollable laughter.
Just then, Kozik walks in from the back patio.
"What's got you ladies so happy?" He asked.
Donna and Tara just laughed even harder, unable and unwilling to answer him.
Kozik looked at both women like they were crazy.
"Ooookay." he drew out the word. "Well Jax just let me know that he'd be home soon. Opie is still on the road, so he'll be a bit later."
"Thanks Kozik." Tara replied. "Hey Donna, I'm going to head to the bedroom, get ready for bed so I can talk to Jax as soon as he's ready."
"Good luck hun. Oh, breakfast will be ready about 9 tomorrow. Sundays are the days that Opie and I get to sleep in a little bit." Tara nods and hugs Donna, knowing that she'll be the one making breakfast for the group in the morning.
Tara took a shower and laid in bed waiting for Jax. She was almost asleep when Jax slid into the room.
"Hey darlin'. I'm going to jump in the shower okay?" Jax asked her, standing by her side of the bed.
"Yeah, sure. Take your time."
Tara fell asleep waiting for Jax to get done in the bathroom. She was woken up by Jax kissing her head.
"Hey sorry. I missed you and wanted to talk with you for a bit, if that's okay?" He asked, sitting on the bed next to her.
"Yeah, I'm glad you woke me up. I wanted to talk to you too. Everything go okay tonight?" she was worried about how things would play out.
"Yeah. The tattoo got covered. I even did some of it myself. I also let him know that the club knew about his past with you. He didn't like that too much. I just made my point and then left." He said, glossing over some finer details.
"I'm sorry you had to do that." Tara admitted.
"I'm not. I enjoyed it. His time will come, Tara. But it wasn't tonight." Tara nodded her head, but said nothing.
"How was your night with Donna?" Jax asked her.
"Good, we talked about a lot of things. We made peace with the whole disappearing thing."
"She didn't hit you again did she?" Jax asked.
Laughing, Tara just shook her head in the negative. She scooted down the bed and laid on her side facing Jax. Jax laid down and mirrored her position.
"So I wanted to talk to you about something else." Tara started. "Where do you see this going?" she motioned between the two of them with her hand.
"Don't cut any corners, Tara. I missed that about you."
"Seriously, Jax."
Jax took a deep breath and scrubbed his hand over his face. He took his time to gather his thoughts and then looked Tara in the eyes.
"I want to try it. We've got things to work on, but we've got the time to. What about you? Where do you see this going?" Jax asked, hoping she felt the same.
"I've wanted to work on things with you since I was 21. Hell, probably even before then. But after you gave me that necklace, and then we spent the night together, my feelings grew so much stronger. Both of those things meant so much to me."
Jax smiled, a very shy smile.
"I need to tell you something about that necklace. The crow is big within our club. It signifies a members' old lady. A wife. It represents a commitment between the man, the woman, and the club. I was tired of being just your friend, so I got you the necklace. I intended to take things slow with you. New Years was another turning point for me. I didn't want to take it slow after that, but I was never able to get you alone to talk about things. I knew you were it for me at that point, but you left before I could tell you."
Tara was confused by all the information that she had been handed down.
"Does Donna have a crow?" she asked.
Confused by her line of questioning Jax answered. "yep, she's got a tattoo."
"Bullshit!" Tara yelled. "Donna hates needles."
Jax laughed. He was starting to wonder if Tara didn't believe him about what the crow meant.
"Seriously, she does."
Tara jumped out of the bed and ran into the living room where Donna and Opie were sitting together.
"You got a tattoo?!" Tara yelled in Donna's general direction.
"Um, yeah. What's this about?" Donna was confused.
"Let me see it." Tara demanded.
Donna shot a bewildered look at the group, but got up and took her shirt off. Nestled on her left shoulder blade was a very intricate, abstract piece of artwork. Although it was abstract, you could clearly see the crow dead center of the tattoo.
"Holy shit." Tara gasped, sitting down on the couch.
"Ah, I see now. Jax told you what the crow means didn't he?" Opie asked.
Tara just nodded her head. Donna walked over to Tara and grabbed her hand.
"See, you have nothing to worry about. Things are going to be fine." Donna squeezed her hand and pulled Opie out of the room.
"God, I'm sorry. I panicked for a minute. I thought you were just fucking with me." Tara admits.
"I'd never do that. You didn't freak out because of the meaning, but because you thought I was just fucking with you?"
Tara nodded, sighing.
"Come on darlin'. Let's go to bed." Jax grabbed her hand and pulled her into the bedroom.
"We'll talk more in the morning. We are making breakfast after all." Jax pulled her against his body.
"You remembered?" Tara was surprised.
"Of course. Hope there's enough food. I told Chibs and Kozik about your amazingly delicious french toast, so they'll be here bright and early."
Tara didn't realize how exhausted she was. One minute she was listening to Jax talk about breakfast, and the next minute he was waking her up to make it.
"Wow, that was the most peaceful sleep I think I have ever had." Tara said.
Jax smiled down at her. "Yeah, I have that effect on you."
"Shut up, Teller. Let's go make breakfast."
Tara walked into the kitchen and noticed that Jax had already gotten everything out to make the french toast. They worked in comfortable silence for about twenty minutes.
"So last night. I wanted to talk to you about something else, but I wasn't able to." Tara started.
"What's that, darlin'?" Jax asked her.
"Well I close on the house tomorrow. And I was wondering if you'd want to come and stay with me? It'd give us the chance to talk and we wouldn't have to worry about being interrupted or bugging Donna or Opie."
Jax looked around the kitchen. Him and Tara had been working and have maneuvered around each other with ease. To Jax, it felt like they had been doing this for years. He realized he hadn't answered Tara yet because when he looked up at her, she stood stock still.
"I think that's a great idea." Tara breathed a sigh of relief. She started putting food on the plates that Jax laid out on the table. Just then, the doorbell rang.
"Right on time." Tara said, laughing.
"Got it!" Donna yelled from the hallway. She stopped when she passed by the kitchen.
"What did you two do?" Donna asked, clearly surprised.
"Same thing that you did for us for the last few days." Tara said, laughing. "You going to let the guys in, or make them starve?"
"Right." Donna returned to the hallways and towards the front door.
"Jesus, it smells amazing in here, Doc." Chibs said, before he even reached the kitchen.
"What are we going to do about these two shit heads?" Jax asked.
Tara and Donna immediately starting laughing.
"What the fucks so funny, Doc? What's Jackie Boy talking about?" Chibs asked.
"Well, I close on my house tomorrow, and I invited Jax to come and stay with me until his house is done. Donna and I were talking about it last night and decided that we'd have to have shared custody of you and Kozik when we're out of here." Tara said, laughing.
"Jesus, that's what you two were laughing about last night, isn't it?" Kozik asked.
Neither girl replied, just laughed harder.
"It'll be okay boys. We still love you both, we just have to see you at two different houses is all." Donna said, after a few minutes of laughter.
"Two Christmases!" Chibs yelled then took a huge bite of french toast.
The group had quieted down some when Opie came out with Ellie, but they still talked about the move.
Tara and Jax decided that since she was closing on the house tomorrow, they couldn't put off furniture shopping any longer than they have. They'd also call to see if Abel was allowed to have visitors yet. If he was, then they'd do some shopping, go see him, and then shop more. If he couldn't, then they'd just get the shopping done and go visit Gemma at the shop. Tara wanted to renovate the house quite a bit, and Jax mentioned Gemma would be a good person to go to for that.
Working so closely with Gemma during this time could be the catalyst that would make or break Tara's relationship with Jax. Tara hoped for the former, since the relationship hasn't really begun yet.
A/N: Alright, there's a little longer chapter for ya guys! I'm writing non-stop lately, and I love how this story is going. Let me know if you love it, hate it, or have ideas you want to see in it! :) :)