Here is the last chapter of Want Me - FINALLY! Hope y'all like it. Happy New Year!
~~ZP
Chapter Nine
Jax sat on the steps outside his home, taking time to think as he watched the early evening light fade. That sick feeling of loss hadn't left him yet and his mother screaming at him wasn't his favorite moment either. It didn't matter what the club decided because he had literally said goodbye. He was no longer an active Son of Anarchy.
It felt weird - and right.
He stood up, stretched, and hesitated before entering the house. He looked down at his kutte. After slowly taking it off he felt bare in his white tee shirt. He fingered the leather in his hands for a few moments and then went inside.
"What did they say?" Tara asked as soon as he walked in the door. He carelessly tossed the kutte in a chair. She looked adorable and edible in that yellow sundress and, horn dog that he was, talking was the last thing he wanted to do. But that would have to wait because –
"Daddy!" screamed Abel. He jumped from the couch where Tara had been reading him a story and ran to his father, trying to tackle him.
Jax picked him up. "Hey, monster."
Abel giggled and half-heartedly tried to squirm away before putting his arms around Jax's neck.
Tara watched him expectantly.
"They said I wasn't thinking straight and needed some time. They said they'd vote on it. Didn't say when."
Tara bit her lip as she came near, her arms folded. "What does that mean for us?"
After releasing Abel who ran back to his toys on the floor Jax took her in his arms with a reassuring smile. "It means we're getting married, darlin'. Let's set the date." He leaned in to kiss her but she pulled back a little.
"Are you on the club's bad side – like Kyle Hobart?"
"Kiss me."
"Why do I get the feeling th – ?"
His mouth silenced hers for several long moments and then he said, "Tara, we're not putting our lives on hold waiting for the SOA's approval, and I don't give a damn about their bad side."
"You're downplaying this for my benefit, aren't you?"
"I know Samcro inside out. We're good. You gotta trust me, babe."
"I don't trust them. If we just go about our business and leave Charming, will they leave us alone?"
"I'll make sure that's not an issue."
"That sounds like we're taking a big chance."
Jax sighed. "I can't predict the future and I'm not living my life based on what the Sons might do." He rubbed her shoulders soothingly. "The alternative is isn't gonna work – us staying here, staying in the club - or even just near the club - and being in danger every day for the rest of our lives. Clay is greedy with Tig barely on a leash at his side. He treats him more like the VP than me, always did. The two of them alone have poisoned the club and I'm not sure my mom is some innocent bystander. My father's legacy...is gone. We're done with the Sons of Anarchy, babe." He held her face between his hands. "Can you do this with me? Because I don't want you to do anything that will make you unhappy or feel unsafe – even if that includes being with me."
What the hell am I saying? I can't let her go now.
Tara wrapped her arms around his waist. "Don't talk crazy. I love you and I don't belong anywhere else. I just want our family to be safe."
"We will be, I swear. Believe in me, babe."
"I do." She surrendered with a sigh. "I do believe in you."
"Then let's buy you a dress and fill out some paperwork. You feel like taking my last name - as soon as possible?"
Tara smiled and whispered, "Yes, I do - as soon as possible."
They hugged each other until Abel began to make a lot of noise with his plastic 'choo-choo' trains and laughing, they joined him on the floor.
/
Four days had passed when Chibs knocked on Jax's door around 7pm.
"Hey, lad."
"Hey," Jax replied casually. He studied the other man's tired eyes for a moment before letting him in. He was glad that Tara and Abel had just left for Tara's dad's house to pick up some things. "Damn. What happened to you?" Chibs looked like he'd been in a fight.
"We had church twice since you left. Thought the last one would never freakin' end."
"Chibs, your face, man."
Chibs chuckled grimly. "Let's just say, for a while there we couldn't even agree to disagree. But forget that. Got some news for ya, a charra."
The two men sat at the dining room table. Chibs declined the offer of a drink.
"You're officially retired, laddie. You keep the ink, the kutte and the respect. You may or may not get invited to main events – parties, marriages, funerals and whatnot. That's up to whoever's president."
Jax clasped his hands in front of him and blew out a breath. "Unanimous decision for retirement? That's better than I expected. How'd that happen?"
"Magic. Our beloved little charter came close to imploding, especially when two visitors from Samtaz started, ah, giving advice."
"Why the hell was Samtaz allowed to sit in Samcro's church?"
"They weren't. Tig opened his big mouth before the second meeting and they started giving their two cents to everybody."
"F*ckin' Samtaz. I hate that charter, man.
"Yeah, they're special all right, always have been. Anyway, we all had a rumble – almost busted up the clubhouse - and then settled it in church."
"Shit."
"It's going to take a while for us to mend. Clay's given us a week off."
"A week off what?"
"Everything Samcro-related."
"That's new."
"He made that shyte up on the fly after things got crazy."
"Yeah, that isn't new. Are Piney and Opie okay?"
"They're fine. I don't think I ever heard Opie talk so much since I been in this thing."
Jax had more questions but he didn't ask them. He had to put Samcro behind him. It wasn't his business anymore. He'd talk to Opie privately later.
"Lad, I wish you the best of everything. I'm glad for you, really glad. If you ever need me for anything, don't ever hesitate. You know how to reach me."
They clasped hands and hugged. "Thanks for always being true, Chibs. You're a good man."
"Shyte, boyo. Don't start me blubbering like a nanny."
"By the way, I'm getting married. Wanna come?"
/
Two weeks later….
Jax was wearing a tux and his hair, which he'd let grow out of the buzz cut, was combed conservatively. On his wedding day he didn't want to look like what he was, an ex-con. It's not that he was going to keep this look but he wanted to be symbolically different at the start of his new life.
He checked himself nervously in the mirror and took a steadying breath. He adjusted his tie for the seventh time, almost ready to rip the shit off his neck. Jax turned to look out of a small window nearby and that's when he saw that monster of a car with the jagged symbol on the hood that he'd recognize anywhere. He stared blankly for a second and then swore under his breath. He ran out of the dressing room, noticing the door to Tara's room was still closed, and almost knocked down Reverend Stone at the bottom of the steps. Opie and Chibs, who had Abel on his lap, were sitting in a pew and looked up at the commotion.
"Whoa! Are you getting married, son, or running a race?"
Jax helped steady the older man. "Sorry, Rev. There's a situation I gotta take care of."
"Peacefully, I hope. Peacefully, please – "
As Jax turned away, Chibs stood in his path with an armful of wiggling boy.
"Dad-deeeee!"
"Hey, monster. I love you." Jax gave him a brief smile.
Abel waved with a toothy grin. "Luh you tooooo!"
"What's going on, Jacky?" Chibs asked, concerned, shifting Abel from one arm to the other.
"Yo, it's my freakin' mom."
"Gemma's outside?" Chibs looked at Opie who was shaking his head.
"I gotta handle this." Jax dashed down the aisle, out the church doors and stalked towards his mother sitting there in her gas guzzling ancient Buick.
"Hey!"
Gemma took a leisurely puff of her cigarette before eyeing him up and down. "Oh my g*d," she muttered with a rueful smirk before crushing the cig in the ashtray. "First Tara had it in a kung-fu grip. Now she's torn it off for a trophy. You look like a super white bread WASP, baby." She stepped out of the car.
Jax's mouth tightened. "What are you doing here?"
Gemma reared back dramatically. "My son is tying the knot - again. Where else would I be?"
"Get back in your car."
"Are you serious?"
"Last time we talked you made your feelings about me and my bride-to-be real clear and you were serious. I'm not letting you indulge one of your vicious whims to try to ruin this day. Now get the hell back in that car."
Gemma sighed heavily and removed her sunglasses. "I am not here to ruin your day, Jackson. I am here to support you and her. Tara is about to become my daughter-in-law and I have a gift for you."
"What the hell is it?"
"Will you calm down? I could do without the belligerence, baby. Despite our, ah, difference of opinion I am your mother - and I love you. Hurting Tara would hurt you and I would never hurt you on purpose, Jackson."
Jax just stared at her, wondering what he should do. She was saying the right things now – sort of - but he suspected this was simply another tack to get him back into the club. Ultimately, Samcro was the love of her life and it had pained Jax to come to the conclusion that the club meant more to her than his happiness or even Abel's safety. She might never admit that to herself but her whole life was a testimony to it. Still, maybe, just maybe, she was putting love for him first – just for today.
"Wait here."
As he stalked back into the church, Opie intercepted him before he could bound up the steps.
"Hey. Gemma okay?"
"She better be," Jax said grimly.
Opie studied him for a moment. "You want me to take care of it?"
Jax looked at him, surprised.
"I don't mean it like that. But she can't mess up Tara's day."
"She won't." Jax pat Opie's shoulder on his way upstairs. "Just have the ring ready."
"When you give it to me, sure."
Jax whipped his head back. "You - ?! "
Opie's face widened with a rare grin.
"Ass-hole."
"Your mother."
/
Ten minutes later he returned to the Buick. "My lady is a generous and forgiving woman. If you turn that into a mistake today, I will make you regret it and I'll be creative with the shit. You understand me?"
"Noted." She turned to get a beautifully wrapped present from under a blanket in the back seat. "And just to relieve your concerns I'll tell you what this is. It's a bike helmet for Tara – with that doctor symbol, y'know with the snakes, on both sides. Figured she'd be your back warmer more often now, so an extra helmet could come in handy." She tore open the some of the wrapping. "See? I come in peace."
Jax stared her down a moment longer and then left her to follow him or not.
/
Upstairs in a small dressing Tara paced slowly, nervous but happy. She and Jax had been through so much that she could hardly believe the day had come when she was going to marry him, in a church, with flowers and candles. She looked at her reflection in the large oval mirror. A bride wearing a veil and a white lace sheath dress stared back. She wished her mother could have been here to see this.
Actually, she wished Lily Knowles could have been with her all the years when she'd needed her. Whenever she thought of it, Tara felt the kind of loneliness that even in a room full of people couldn't stave off. As for her father…she wished as always that he hadn't given up on life and thus abandoned her. She remembered the kind of man he was before he started drinking to mask his grief, and she fantasized what it would've been like to have that man walk her down the aisle today.
Tara was relieved by the knock on the door that brought her back to reality. She opened it to find a smiling Jax, looking very handsome in his tux, lounging against the doorjamb.
"Somebody said I could find the most beautiful woman in the world behind this door."
"She must have just left because I frown too much."
"I can take care of that." He pushed away from the door and took her in his arms, a soft light in his eyes. He could hardly believe his favorite dream was coming true. "If I loved you any more than I do right now, my heart would bust wide open – and splatter all over everything."
"Ewww. Now that's a pretty image. Very romantic, Teller."
He laughed and held her quietly for a while, stroking her back. "Are you sure about having my mom here?"
Tara paused a beat and said with a straight face, "She's your mother, Jax. She should be here."
He stepped back. "Bullsh*t. My mom's a barracuda. Honest-to-g*d, I wouldn't have missed her if she didn't show up."
She gave him a look.
"I'm serious, babe. And I know you. You're just putting up a good front, but I promise you she's not gonna show her ass."
"Well, that's that then. Is Abel okay?"
"He's great. Running circles around some old bikers. So –" Jax took her in his arms again. " – how about we go do this so you can make an honest man out of me?"
She pressed her lips gently against his. "Finally."
/
It was a small sweet affair. Piney walked Tara down the aisle. In attendance were Da'Shell and Colleen, Tara's two favorite nurses, and Margaret Murphy; and Chibs, Piney, Opie, Lyla and Gemma who held Abel, staring wide-eyed at all the goings-on and his parents' funny clothes. Old Father Doolan, a retired priest and the reverend's older cousin, seemed to lose himself in the elaborate piano concerto he was playing.
Reverend Stone warned in hushed tones, "Joe, that's lovely but you're not in the orchestra." Father Doolan blinked and smiled without embarrassment but he did switch to the traditional wedding march.
Piney placed Tara's hand in Jax's and slapped him on the shoulder and Reverend Stone began the ceremony.
"Do you promise to love each other and be faithful to each other, never forsaking each other in times of calamity, through sorrows and joys, disappointments and successes in sickness and in health until death do you part?"
"I do," Jax drawled.
"I do," Tara whispered, her voice catching.
Reverend Stone closed his book of prayer and said in a booming tone too loud for the little church, "I now pronounce you husband and wife!"
Jax whooped,"Yeah!" and snatched up his new bride while everyone cheered. Laughing he spun her around in circles - obviously one of his favorite moves - and no one could get near them. When they finally stopped, Gemma was the first to grab Jax in a bear hug.
"Oh baby. My son got married – " She turned to Tara and everyone paused. She smiled the most genuine smile Tara had ever seen on the woman's face. " – to this true and honest ride or die woman, the love of his life." She hugged Tara, whispering, "He's still my only living child. Protect his heart." Then she kissed her on the cheek.
In the reception room there was mainly fried chicken and sparkling wine and a lopsided yellow cake made by the reverend's 90-year-old Aunt Sadie who suddenly came in wearing a faded blue calico church dress and a gummy grin. She weaved mirthfully from side to side, taping her cane. Tara smiled as the lady hugged her. She remembered seeing Aunt Sadie in passing as an adult patient at St. Thomas, suffering from acute indigestion – from eating too many sweets at her grandson's wedding.
After about an hour everyone left. There would be no huge raucous party at the club house. No one was waiting there to celebrate the Samcro prince's second wedding.
And that was just fine with Mr. and Mrs. Teller. They kissed Abel good-bye and he went home with Opie and Lyla. The newlyweds hastened back home in Tara's Cutlass to celebrate their wedding night alone.
Early the next day Tara and Jax took Abel and left Charming.
/
It was easy settling into Seattle, but Jax had never seen so much rainfall in this life having grown up in southern California. Interestingly enough it didn't take long for him to get used to it - used to not living in Charming or attending "church." At first it felt damned strange going a couple weeks without wearing his kutte, which was balled up in a box down in the basement. But after a month he didn't notice at all. His new uniform was the gray overhauls of Parker McNamara's Complete Auto Care. His supervisor was a good man, the place was fairly clean for a mechanics' shop, and the money wasn't bad. Tara secured a position at a hospital called Seattle Grace, which had an affiliated daycare for Abel, and she would come home with tales about a crazy drama-prone group of surgeon interns that would make for an amusing night-time soap opera. Tara jokingly said she was toying with the idea of writing a TV script about them and selling it to Hollywood.
/
On one particular night about a month later Tara was waiting for him by the door in a red negligee and he grinned in appreciation, as he tossed his keys down on a table.
"Hey, what's this? I thought you were working 2nd shift today, babe."
She had a soft glow in her eyes. "I was." She took his hand and led him up the stairs to their bedroom. Jax didn't know what this was all about but he liked where it was heading so far!
She let go of him and lay down on the bed. "Take a shower and come here. I want to give you something you'll really like."
Tara was acting strangely, but she was making him so hot he didn't care at the moment.
"Don't you want to join me?" he asked in a voice an octave lower than usual.
"Later. Hurry, baby.
Jax had never showered so fast and almost fell and busted his ass trying to do as he was told.
When he came out naked and mostly dry, she was still in the same Victoria's secret pose, looking mischievous. "What took you so long?"
A cool night breeze blew through the window and Jax lay down next to her. His body was on fire but he was in the mood to take it slow. Take her slow. He rose up on one elbow and caressed her face, feeling her cheek curve up into his palm with a smile. He smiled back.
"I love my wife so much."
Tara stretched languidly against him. "As you should."
He nuzzled her neck, but when he reached down between her legs, she buried her face in his chest and wrapped an arm around him, murmuring something.
"What?"
She moved back a little and gazed up at him. "I have something to tell you." She lay on her back, took his hand and placed it on her abdomen. "I have...something."
Jax stilled, his thumb the only thing moving, back and forth across her belly-button. "Are you telling me - ? Babe, are you pregnant?"
"Yes."
"Oh my god! When? I mean, when did you - ?"
"I confirmed it at the hospital today. Three sticks changed color yesterday but I didn't want to say anything until I was absolutely sure - "
"Yeah!" Jax kissed her possessively and moved to kiss his unborn child too.
"Are you happy?" she asked between giggles.
"You kiddin'? I'm about to blow up with joy here! You're having my baby!"
"Well, Abel should have some siblings."
"Yeah, that kid needs someone else to boss around besides you and me. Boy or girl?"
She ran her fingers through his still damp hair. "Don't know yet, silly."
"No, I mean, what do you want?"
"Right now - you." Tara touched him intimately.
Jax chuckled. "I heard pregnant moms were horny all the time."
"Think you can handle it?"
"I'll gladly die trying. Come 'ere…."
/
Dr. Addison Montgomery looked up from between Tara's legs with a satisfied smile as she gently felt the top of the baby's head about half an inch from daylight. "Dr. Teller, you're doing fine."
"Really?" Jax questioned anxiously. Tara had almost squeezed the shit out of his hand so he wasn't sure.
"At this...point you can...call me...Taahhhh-haaah!"
"Okay, Tara, he's right there! Push!"
Jax took a peek. "Oh my god…"
"Push!"
Tara strained and sweated and felt the incredible driving movement of life from her body...
"Aaaand...you have a healthy baby boy!"
Tara, exhausted and overwhelmed, clung to her husband.
Tears welled in Jax's eyes as he kneaded her hand reassuringly, staring as Dr. Montgomery cut the cord. "Angel, you did good. So good, babe."
Addison hesitated. "Wait a minute…"
Tara eyes widened and she cried out, squeezed Jax's hand again.
"What the fuck is wrong?!"
Dr. Karev, standing casually off to the side, smirked at Jax. "Dude, you gotta chill."
"Nothing's wrong, Mr. Teller. You're just having another baby," the tall doc said calmly, giving Karev a warning glance as she gently went to work.
"You're shittin' me!"
"I would never do that. Okay, you can do this, Tara. Everything looks good. Push for your little one. Push!"
"Ahhhhgggg!"
Within three minutes, another baby tumbled out. A girl.
In another minute both babies were resting on Tara's chest, with Jax making sure neither rolled off to the side. Tara closed her eyes briefly. "I had no idea…."
Dr. Addison straightened the sheet and blanket over Tara's legs. "It's rare but sometimes the second twin fools us…"
"How the hell is that even possible?" Jax whispered bewildered.
"There's a medical term for it and an involved explanation but we can talk about that later. The main thing is the babies are very healthy and we need to give you some time to bond with them. Congratulations!"
"Thank you - Addison," Tara said in a tired voice. "Could you ask Nurse Harper to bring in our son, Abel?"
"Of course." With that Addison ushered the four resident doctors out of the room.
Why they all needed to be there just to gape at a routine delivery - which admittedly wasn't so routine after all - Jax couldn't figure out. It seemed like these Seattle Grace residents just wandered all over the hospital whenever and wherever the hell they felt like as far as he could tell.
Tara gazed up at him. "Hey." After years of sadness she didn't think she could ever be this happy. "Twins! I can't believe it. Jax, what did you do?" she teased.
"Aw, babe." He kissed her. "It's you. You're amazing. Are you alright?"
"Never been better."
He looked down on his children and touched them reverently. "Twins. J*sus." He could hardly wrap his mind around this surprise. "What are we naming them?"
She considered it for a moment. "Do you want to stick with Thomas Adam for your brother and Lily Mariette for my mom, like we said?"
Jax smiled. "Yeah, if you want. Tommy and Lily. G*d! I love you, Tara.
"I love you, Jax – so much."
Olivia Harper came bustling in with a cheerful 'congrats' and deposited an excited Abel into his father's waiting arms.
"Oooo! Mommy got babies!"
Jax kissed him. "That's right. Say 'hi' to your little bro and little sis."
"Li'l bro, li'l sis…." Abel waved at his siblings who seemed to gurgle a response.
Suddenly they heard the sounds of Gemma and a few Sons of Anarchy storming down the hall and being halted by the snapped commands of Dr. Miranda Bailey. (~I don't care who you're here to see! You're in a hospital, not a wild west saloon, people!~)
But for a few moments longer it was just the five of them, moments they would cherish forever among many more in the years ahead. Finally Jax and Tara were together as a family - and this family's happiness would always come first for them. Always.
The End
…of the Beginning!