...Chapter 2...

Jax walked into the office, minutes later. "So this is where you've been hiding?" Crystal slowly turned around, then he noticed the mascara streaks down her face. "Crys, what's wrong?"

"W-we have to get to St. Thomas."

"Why? What happened?"

"Uh, Marie just called me and she said that... Nicole's been brought into the ER."

His eyes widened. "Are you serious?" she nodded. "Okay, what else did Marie say?"

"Hang on." she bent down to pick up her phone, then she stood back up. "That Nic doesn't look good."

"Okay." Jax ran his fingers nervously through his hair. "Let's go." then both of them ran out of the office, over to the clubhouse.

Clay was the first one through the emergency room doors, followed by Jax, Gemma, Crystal, Juice, and Opie behind him, then Marie came out of the room. "She's stable right now and her pulse is a little better, I thought we almost lost her."

Crystal and Gemma gasped, then Clay asked "What happened to my daughter?"

"We don't exactly know." Marie started. "One of the nurses found her on a bench on the other side of the building, but no telling how long she's been there."

"Can you tell us anything about her? You are a doctor, right?"

"Clay!"

"No, no... Gemma, it's okay, I understand he's upset." she paused and cleared her throat. "Nic has sustained a concussion, bruises on her arms, legs, and back, a stab wound to her upper chest, and a sprained wrist... but that's not what we're concerned about."

"What do you mean?" asked Clay.

"Did any of you know... she was pregnant?" everyone's jaw dropped, plus Jax, Crystal, Clay, and Juice's eyes widened.

"Uh, no." Gemma shook her head, then Crystal laid her head on Jax's chest as he wrapped his arms around her. "We didn't know, she's been gone."

"Well, she's thirteen weeks and with the beating she had, it's a huge miracle the baby is still alive and showing no signs of distress."

Clay snapped his head towards Juice with fire in his eyes. "You." he grabbed him by the throat, slamming him against the wall. "You knocked up my daughter... my little girl." It wasn't a question, Juice just stayed in place, a little scared, and a little shocked. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't chop off your dick and shove it up your ass."

"Clay!" Jax kind of yelled, startling Crystal.

"Yeah, what?" he said, not taking his eyes off of Juice.

"Look, he's not the problem right now, Nicole is." he paused. "Juice will be dealt with later. We need to focus on who the hell hurt my sister."

Clay glared at Juice a few more seconds, then let go of his neck, and nodded. "This." he pointed his finger, inches away from his face. "Isn't over."

"Marie." Gemma started. "When can we see her?"

"In about thirty minutes, but she's still unconscious, and she will be for a while."

"Thank you, Marie." Crystal nodded.

"You're welcome... I mean, she's my friend too, and I want to help her anyway I can." Clay gave her a weak smile, then walked away with Gemma behind him. "I'll see you guys in a little bit."

"Thanks again, Marie."

"Yep... oh and welcome home, Ope." she smiled, then walked back into the room.

Juice walked into the waiting room, minutes later, and sat down, with his head in his hands. Crystal let go of Jax and went in there with him, sitting down next to him. "Hey." she said, putting her hand on his shoulder.

Seconds later, he looked up at her with watery eyes. "She needs to be okay, Crys... she just needs to."

"She will be, Juice... have faith she will." she paused. "She will wake up, I know she will, she's a very strong woman."

"This is all my fault, if I hadn't did what I did to hurt her, she wouldn't have fought with Clay, and she'd still be here." he shook his head. "It's all my fault... plus she's pregnant? What am I supposed to do about that?"

Crystal backed up and raised her eyebrow. "Um... what do you mean?"

Juice sat up and sighed. "I'm glad she's home and I will find out who hurt her, but I'm not ready to become a father."

Crystal quickly stood up. "Juice, the next words out of your mouth better not be 'it's not mine' or I will punch you in the eye."

He frowned as he looked up at her. "No, Crys, I know it's mine... there wasn't a doubt in my mind, it's just... I'm not ready."

"Okay." she nodded. "How 'bout this... if you leave my best friend hanging, because you're too chicken shit to man up to your responsibilities, and I will kick your ass, then I'll turn you over to Clay and Jax... and you know they'll do worse than me, so you better rethink your last statement and grow the fuck up." then she walked out of the waiting room.

Jax saw the look on Crystal's face. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing." she lied. "I'm just worried about Nic and the baby."

"Marie said that the baby is fine."

"Yeah, but Nic's not fine."

Jax pulled her into his arms for a hug. "I know, Babe." he rubbed her back. "I know."

Marie came out twenty minutes later and said "You all can go se her now. She's stable and comfortable, both her and the baby's vitals are good."

"Thank you so much, Marie."

"You're welcome, Clay." she looked around. "Where's Juice?"

"It doesn't matter, where he's at, he just better stay away from my daughter." Clay said, before walking into the room.

Marie looked at Crystal for an answer, and Crystal shrugged. "Last time I seen him, he was in the waiting room."

"Oh." Marie nodded. "Well, go ahead and see Nicole." Crystal smiled, then her, Jax, Gemma, and Opie went inside, while Marie waited outside.

Five minutes later, Tara walked up, and said "Hey, Marie."

"Hey."

"Is Jax in there?"

"Yes, he is... but you can't go in there, bugging him."

"Why not?"

"Because he's in there with his family... Nicole was brought in."

"Why?" Tara asked, looking through the little window, and her eyes widened. "You said Jax was in there with family... Opie and Crystal isn't family."

Marie snickered. "Well, them two is more family to him than you'll ever be. You go into that room, I'll have security toss your ass out. You don't even have any reason to go in there, you're not on Nic's case, I am." Tara looked at her shocked. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have patients to attend to." then Marie walked away with a satisfied grin on her face.

"This is all my fault." Clay shook his head. "My last words to her... was that she was a whore, a crow-eater in training."

"Baby." Gemma started, rubbing his back. "She knows you love her and you didn't mean it, you said it out of anger."

"Yeah, but I shouldn't have said it." he paused. "And now look at her... someone hurt my little girl and they better pray to God, I don't find them." Clay bent down and kissed Nicole on her forehead. "Bye, Baby Girl." he whispered, then grabbed Gemma's hand and walked out.

"Wow." Crystal shook her head. "I had no idea Nic was pregnant, she never said anything."

"At all?"

"No, Ope... and we usually tell each other everything."

"I wonder why she kept it from you." said Jax. "Or kept it from all of us."

"I don't know." Crystal said, sitting down in the chair, looking at Nicole hooked up to all the different machines, feeling helpless. She just wanted to do something, but all she could do was sit and be there for her, which was exactly what she was going to do.