Walk Away from the Son Chapter 24 Rocked, a sons of anarchy fanfic

Walk Away from the Son
Parker Sister Saga continues - Season 2 of SoA
Chapter 24- Rocked

By BG and Reaper

NOTE: Welcome to Glee: Charming Edition. LOL! Not really, but be warned we were very musical with this chapter. And sorry in advance for any weird grammer errors. This chapter did not convert well to this site and we tried to clean it up manually but might have missed something!

XXX

And now, the end is near

And so I face the final curtain

Cutting the water off, Clay yanked back the shower curtain in the master bath of his home. Stepping out, feet landing on the fluffy bath rug, he wrapped the towel around his hips, humming along as Ol'BlueEyes serenaded from the Bose radio on the counter.

My friend, I'll say it clear

I'll state my case, of which I'm certain

Clutching a hand towel, he wiped a clear circle in the mirror above the sink. Adding his baritone in private duet with that of the ratpacker, the song lyrics struck sharp chords with his life – personal and club.

"Regrets, I've had a few

But then again, too few to mention

I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption"

"I planned each charted course

Each careful step along the byway

And more, much more than this…I did it my way"

"Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew

When I bit off more than I could chew"

Filling his palm with a quarter-sized dollop of shaving cream and lathering his jaw, he let his voice fill with intense emotion.

"But through it all, when there was doubt

I ate it up and spit it out

I faced it all and I stood tall…and did it my way"

Crossing the master suite, Gemma carried her ol' man's cell phone. Approaching the bathroom door, she cocked her head and smirked at Clay's off-key singing.

"I've loved, I've laughed and cried

I've had my fill, my share of losing

And now, as tears subside I find it all so amusing"

She pressed her palm to the door and pushed it further ajar then shoved her shoulder against the door frame and stood still.

"To think I did all that

And may I say, not in a shy way

Oh no, oh no not me…I did it my way"

"Sounds like Star Search in here." Gemma greeted with a small laugh and locked eyes with Clay's reflection. "Phone call, Quinn from the Nomad charter." She held the mobile phone in his direction, her brow rising in question. "This got to do with his guy bustin' his ankle while executing that prostitution dragnet on behalf of Charming PD?"

Stabbing the power button on the radio, Clay reached for the phone and lied while smiling at his wife. "Maybe." He un-muted the phone and moved past Gemma into the bedroom, "Quinn. Hey, Brother."

XXX

Jax yawned. All night long he'd lain awake... mind racing with thoughts about today. Hap had returned last night, letter from the Nomad charter in hand. Clay no doubt received a call already from Quinn verbally confirming his crew's unanimous vote to accept the transfer. Nothing about the situation between he and the SAMCRO Prez would lend itself to a peaceful resolution. On the bedside table the alarm, set to radio function, blared to life with a fitting song...instead of slapping the off button, Jax found himself nodding along to Fred Durst and the boys.

Special...

You think your special, you do.

I can see it in your eyes.

I can see it when you laugh at me, look down on me and you walk around on me...

Just one more fight about your leadership and I will straight up leave your shit

Cause I've had enough of this…and now I'm pissed

Sneering at the ceiling fan, Jax accompanied the Limp Bizkit boys …

"YEAH!

This time I'ma let it all come out, This time I'm a stand up and shout

I'm a do things my way, it's my way, my way or the highway

This time I'm a let it all come out this time

I'm a stand up and shout, I'm a do things my way,

It's my way, myway or the highway "

Hearing laughter from across the room, Jax sat up, reached over and turned off the music. He glanced towards the sound to find Tara standing in the doorway, holding Abel. "Looks like Daddy's in rock star mode this morning." She said smiling. "I've got to get going, have that early surgery consult and then rounds. I fed him and laid out his clothes. You should be good until Neeta can get here."

Jax gave a weak grin as Tara laid Abel in his arms. "Yep, we mere males will find a way to survive."

XXX

"Text message muthafucka." Advised Mr. T's voice.

"That never gets old." Vix grinned as she picked up her cell phone.

Text Message from HAP: 'At CH If Juice OK No Prob'

A smile blossomed on her lips as her fingers moved across the key pad typing in response...

Juice is cool. Be there soon. Thanx! V

Pressing Send, she shoved her phone into her jeans pocket, grabbed her messenger style bag and headed for the door. Outside Parker Place, her Jeep turned over twice before the engine decided to cooperate. "Mothershitfuck!" Vix cursed.

From the rear of the vehicle and audible clicking noise could be heard. Groaning, she reached over and cranked the volume on the radio and tore out of the drive headed for the SAMCRO club house as Pam Tilis sang a song that painted a pretty good picture of Vix's life

If you're comin' with me, you need nerves of steel...

'cause I take corners on two wheels...

It's a never ending circus ride, faint-of-heart need not apply

Mi Vida Loca... over and over...

Destiny turns on a dime...

I go where the wind blow, you can't tame a wild rose...

Welcome To My Crazy Life...

XXX

Happy deleted the text message on his phone then tossed it on the dresser top in the dorm room he was occupying. Looking over at the bed with a scowl, he whistled loud enough to wake up the slumbering crow-eater. He watched her raise her blonde head and glance in his direction, glassy-eyed. His normal, gravel-laden voice was even deeper and harsher first thing in the morning, "Get lost sweetheart." He muttered nodding towards the door, just in case the blonde wasn't from a bottle and she needed a visual hint. Turning towards the en suite bathroom, Hap hit the shower, vision of the prior night's debauchery pole-dancing in his head to his new favorite Hinder song,

If you wanna run away, I can give you a ride...

I'm a one-way ticket to the darker side.

Come with me, baby, let's lose some sleep...

But don't mistake me for a dream.

I make the good girls bad and bad girls worse...

nice guys are last, 'cause I'm always first.

I'm a freak show sucker, for how it feels...

turn the girl-next-door into hell-on-heels.

I'm & blue, tattoo'd and just don't care...

I'm your All-American Nightmare.

XXX

Jaci watched the young boy seated across from her as he ripped open the top of his milk carton. She had called Lowell late the night before and asked to take Moby to school. Admittedly, she had ignored the kid for a while and felt bad about it but figured now was as good as any time to check in with the kid.

"So how are things? How's your Dad doing? How's school?"

"Good…Dad's ok. He doesn't mess up very much." Moby replied quietly and took a bite of his chocolate cake donut. "School's ok. I haven't missed a day in a long time. My teacher says next year…if I don't miss any days at all, I can win a pizza party."

"A pizza party? Wow, that's awesome." Jaci replied and watched Moby nod along but she could tell he was disappointed. Next year was forever away for a kid his age. He had had a tough year and deserved a little pick me up. An idea sprung to life in her head. She tapped the table to get his attention. "Hey, I tell ya what…you make it the rest of THIS school year and I'LL throw you a pizza party."

Moby's eyes went wide. "Really?"

Jaci nodded. "Yep...your teachers don't know but you've been through a lot this year, bud. The days you missed, you had extenuating circumstances."

"Extended circumphrases?" The kid butchered trying to repeat her explanation and frowned as he worked the milk carton top further apart to allow for complete dunking of his donut. He crammed his fist down into the milk and cocked his head at her.

"It means...there was other things going on that weren't your fault. You would have been at school but you had...um, stuff."

"Stuff...yeah." Moby nodded along then cocked his head again. "Why don't you just say STUFF then?"

Jaci smiled, thinking Moby's chiding sounded exactly like something Tig would say. Stop being a show off and just say STUFF. She shrugged. "I don't know...extenuating circumstances is

just more fun, sounds fancier."

"I'm gonna use then." Moby mused while wiping off his hands with his napkin.

"Ok, you do that." She replied. He then asked how many days of school he had left and she promised to snag him a calendar from work so he could mark off every day from here until the end of May. Just like that she had given the kid a goal, something good to shoot for. He gave her a big grin and she felt her heart melt just a bit. Such a sucker for a smile. She mused.

The pair quickly finished their breakfast and headed towards the exit of the donut shop. Just as Jaci started to push open the door, it open for her and she found herself staring into the smiling face of Chief Unser.

"Well, mornin' Miss Parker."

"Mornin', Chief." Jaci replied and noticed the old man staring at her like he might have more to say so she let Moby walk a few feet away from them.

Unser made sure the kid was out of earshot before continuing. "Hey…I um, I heard about what happened to Vix's pup. Horrible thing. Tell her I'm sorry next time you see her, would ya?"

Jaci nodded. "Sure thing."

"Now I don't breed them pups anymore but if she wants another one…on down the line, tell her to let me know. I'll get her one somehow." He smiled and nodded toward Moby who was looking over his squad car with interest. "You babysitting?"

"Just helping out. I take him to school every now and then. You'd be amazed at what a donut can do for a kid."

Unser smiled again. "I bet. That's good though…lots of kids around here need a good influence." He reached for the bakery door and pulled it open. "Well, I'll let you two get on with it. Have a good day, Miss Parker."

XXX

"Mornin', Tigger." Vix announced to the SAMCRO SAA as she entered the club house. The clattering sound of pool balls mixed with the strains of Gordon Lightfoot's 70s classic Sundown,in what she could only assume was the radio Dj's attempt at humor- seeing as it just barely sun-UP.

With his elbows resting heavily on the bar top, Tig befit her a scowl. "You're a little more than I can handle before 10 A.M., Parker."

Vix stopped mid-stride and smiled, "Awe! See that... once upon a time you couldn't deal with the likes of me, 'fore Noon. I'm growin' on ya."

Across the room she heard a familiar chuckle, turned and bestowed her brightest smile on the club's Secretary/Treasurer, "Bobby E.! Dude, I need some serious help."

From where he was kicked back on one of the sofas, Opie muttered what they were all likely thinking, "Tell us something that isn't completely apparent at first glance."

A chorus of chuckles sprang forth from the handful of Sons gathered. Snickering, Bobby grinned and removing his spectacles inquired with a chuckle, "What's up, Twisted Sister?"

"I've got too much money."

"Well shit, that's a problem I'd like to have." Opie grumbled.

Frustrated, she set her bag on the table in front of Bobby and began tugging out ledger books and then her lap top, "I don't technically have all this money... at least not according to my bank. But I can't get my numbers to reflect the same thing as the bank."

"Jesus Christ." Tig voiced, simultaneously amused and irritated. "Really? Your dyslexic ass is doin' your own book keeping? Don't you got an accountant in your family?"

"Yep... and the last thing I need is for my sister to know 'bout this. I ain't got it in me to sit thru another Jaci Parker lesson on amortization and the theory of disappearing thing-a-majiggies."

"Sounds like the theory San Joaquin Savings n' Loan uses". Opie deadpanned from the sofa.

Tig just rolled his eyes and took a long pull from the mug in front of him. Hearing hername had stung just a bit and he relished the slow burn of the hot liquid sliding down his throat. It couldn't really be called coffee due to the out of whack ratio of whiskey he had just added.

Failing miserably to hold in his amused laugh, Bobby's shoulders vibrated and his belly shook, "Just leave your shit here and I'll take a look-see. May not be right away..."

"Thanks, B. " Vix nodded, "Appreciate it."

From the hall leading to the dorms, Hap emerged and nodded at his bros, coming to a stop in front of her, "You sure your ol' man's good?"

"I'm a big girl Hap. 'Sides Juice gets it... knows I need it." Vix answered matter of factly.

Hap nodded his head towards the hall, "Third door, lose the pants. I'll be back in a few...

Vix smiled and headed across the room as directed.

Everyone watched Hap fill a cup with coffee and without a word retraced his steps back down the hall.

In the main room of the club house, while the guys shot questioning glances at each other and towards the hallway to the dorms, Gordon filled the awkward silence left in the wake of Vix and Hap.

I can see her lookin' fast, in her faded jeans

She's a hard-lovin' woman, got me feelin' mean.

Sometimes I think it's a shame, when I get feelin' better, when I'm feelin' no pain.

Sundown ya better take care, if I find you been creepin' 'round my back stairs!

"I'll take Things That Make Ya Go Huh? for a thousand, Alex." Bobby said, the first to speak. His gaze ironically landed on Tig.

Before Alex Trager could comment, the club house door opened and Clay strode in, addressing the gathered members, "Quinn called, the Nomads accepted Jax's bid for transfer, but seeing as Happy's bike is parked in the lot, I'm guessin' you all heard that news already."

"Yep." Bobby nodded with a sigh, "Last night."

"Is he really going through with this?" Half Sack asked from behind the bar, literally in disbelief.

"Yep." Bobby muttered again, casting a blaming look at Clay.

Shooting back an incredulous look of his own, the President advised, "I didn't strike the goddamn match."

"Maybe that's a case you make to Jax…" Opie said, now sitting up, eyes almost pleading.

"If he really believes that I'd burn down CaraCara then I got no reason to keep him around." Clay snapped and headed towards the chapel. He said over his shoulder, "Need a full table. Vote's gotta be unanimous."

In the background, GordonLightfootonce again added his two cents...

Sometimes, I think it's a sin when I feel like I'm winnin', when I'm losin' again...

XXX

Bless your soul, you got your head in the clouds,

You made a fool out of you and boy, she's bringing you down.

She made your heart melt but you're cold to the core

Now rumour has its he ain't got your love anymore

Rumour has it, ooh rumour...

Talking over the earthy voice emanating from Vix's iPhone, Hap shook his head, "Can't say I ever heard of her."

"What rock have you been living under? You never heard Adele?" Vix scoffed and grinned, holding up her finger, "Probably into the classic shit, I get it. Skynyrd'sInnards is on my Deserted Island list but this chick's voice man... it's somethin' else."

"I never understood that list." Hap shrugged as he raised his head and switched his focused stare from the bare skin of her thigh to her face. "Books I get, you can read in the sun. But there probably ain't electricity on the island, right?"

"Never really thought about that. Well, shit! That sucks!"

"Hap!" The raised voice of Jax sounded from the other side of the locked dorm room door, along with a loud knock.

"Yeah?" The Nomad hollered back.

"Need a word." The SAMCRO VP advised, sounding irritated.

Hap blew out a breath, replying with an irritated edge of his own. He didn't care for the interruption. "Yeah, alright." He rotated his stiff shoulders and crained his neck from one side to the other in an attempt to loosen a knot from being in the chair he'd been occupying for the last hour and half. Glancing at Vix, he shot an uncharacteristic grin. "I think we were about done anyway."

They both seemed to glance down at her upper thigh, freshly tatt'd with the design he'd freehanded- angel wings forming a heart around a dog's paw print. Spawn's name and 2009 scripted over top.

"It is fantastic and totally kick-ass, Hap." Vix said with a sniffle, pushing up on her tip-toes, she planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks, man."

"No problem." Hap muttered, oddly, slightly embarrassed. He stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind as he up-nodded to Jax. "What's up, Bro?"

"What the fuck's goin' on with Vix?"

"Ink job, why?"

"Jesus Christ. From the second my tires hit the lot, no less than five people approached me with stories ranging from the pornographic to the ridiculous."

Under any other circumstances, Hap would have found amusement in the scuttlebutt, but when said gossip concerned him bangin' a brother's ol' lady- he didn't find an ounce of hilarity. "You serious?"

In his head he heard the lyrics to the song he and Vix were ironically just listening to …

Just cause I said it… don't mean I meant it,

Just cause you heard it...rumour has it, ooh...

"As a heart attack, man. Just relax, I'll go put an end to the whispers down the alley. I'm guessing a leg tat?"

"Thigh."

Jax nodded, "Explains your 'lose the pants' request." He sighed and turned back up the hall. "Hey, we're rollin' out in 'bout twenty minutes for St. Thomas. Chibs got his walking papers, you comin'?"

"Hell yeah." Happy replied and re-entered the dorm.

XXX

"I'm really glad we were able to snag you for a late lunch." Tara said as she rocked Abel on her knee and they both watched as Jaci slid into the booth across from them at the Hamburger Barn.

"Most of my lunches are late." Jaci said with a laugh as she divvied their food orders between them, fries only for Tara and a cheeseburger and chocolate shake for herself. The lunch invite had been out of the blue and she chided herself for feeling awkward around Tara. That was just guilt over the little custody subplot her and Jax had brewing but she knew she couldn't act any differently than normal. PokerFace, Pokerface. She chanted in her head and up-nodded at her friend, "So what's up?"

Tara sighed. "I'm having the shittiest…" She stopped talking abruptly and glanced down at Abel then corrected herself. "Crappiest day ever…just needed a sympathetic ear."

Jaci couldn't help but smirk. "If you heard how many F bombs Vix and I drop around him, you wouldn't be so concerned with shitty;never mind the stuff Little Man hears at the garage." She made eye contact with Abel and grinned as she spoke, which sparked a grin from the baby in return. "You get an earful over there, don't chya? No way your first word is gonna be Da-Da, is it? Nope, it's gonna be a bad word and we're not gonna know whether to laugh at you or spank you, huh?" Abel squealed at the tone of his aunt's voice and clapped his hands.

"Well…he might not say Da-Da for other reasons." Tara deadpanned. "I just found out that Jax is going Nomad."

The smile dropped from Jaci's face instantaneously. "Nomad? Why?"

Tara dropped her voice to make sure they weren't overheard and shrugged. "You saw the way everyone was going at each other at Gemma's the other night. He says he needs to get away from Clay, says this is the right thing to do, best for everyone, that it will fine…"

"Bullshit." Jaci retorted and wanted to punch her brother in law. Nomad. He must have had that little move all planned out when he had asked her to draw up the guardianship papers the other day. If he went Nomad and wasn't home as often Stahl might get her chance to make good on her threat to get Child Services involved in the situation. She glanced at Abel and thought both their worlds might be getting turned on their head very soon.

She stared at Tara very seriously, "You don't want Jax to do this, Tara. No matter how FINE he says it will be. Going Nomad can be very dangerous. I mean, I guess it's working out for Happy pretty well, but he doesn't have Jax's stature or a family to worry about."

"I know…you sound exactly like Gemma."

"She knew about it? What did she say?"

"Well, I toldher about it. I didn't know what else to do. I don't have a lot of experience with this stuff. His mind is made up, he didn't even discuss it with me, just made the decision and that was that. Gemma was stunned…mad. I'm sure she's going to talk to him about it."

Jaci groaned and put her burger down, suddenly not hungry and thought for a moment. "Well…normally I'm not for ratting out grown men to their mommies, but in this case, her argument might make sense. Surely she's seen this Nomad shit go bad over the years."

"Could you talk to him too?" Tara asked nervously. "He thinks I don't know what I'm talking about and I guess he's right. But you…you grew up around all this. Maybe he would listen to you?"

Yeah… there's nothing more these guys like than a bunch of women trying to tell them what to do. Jaci thought to herself but nodded. "Yeah, I'll talk to him." Gotta see when my nephew's moving into my house anyway.She blew out a breath. "Well that certainly is enough to make one's day crappy."

Tara shook her head. "That's not all…I get to work today, only to find out that I've been put on suspension. I guess my coaching Chibs on how to fake a head injury relapse didn't go un-noticed."

"Shit." Jaci breathed and took in the pained look on her friend's face. Tara was scared, about losing Jax, losing her job. And damn, what a job to lose. This wasn't like getting canned from the Dollar Store or something. Even though St. Thomas was a relatively small hospital, getting fired was a harsh black mark on a young career. And if she lost the Charming gig, what was she supposed to do? With Jax off playing Nomad and her unemployed, steady income was going to be a tricky subject. And to think she lost her job doing a favor for the Club, that was a kick to the balls for sure. "I'm sorry, Tara."

The young doctor shrugged and looked away, trying to blink away tears of frustration. "It's my own fault…I wanted to help." She sniffled and looked back at Jaci. "Jax doesn't know…I don't know how to tell him with all this other stuff going on. Just keep it between us for now, ok?"

Jaci nodded. Sure,I'm good at hiding shit, noproblem.With the world seemingly crashing down around her, she needed to know just where Tara stood on things. "Where are you at with everything then? I mean…if Jax does go Nomad and the job thing…? Are you fighting or flying here?"

"I don't know." Tara answered and once again, tried to fight back tears. "I don't want to leave, Jaci…but the Nomad thing…it feels like, like Jax doesn't care. He'll just see us when he sees us. And what am I supposed to do for a job? I'm doctor! I'm supposed to go from making that kind of money to working at the grocery store?" She hugged Abel tight on her lap and kissed the top of his head.

The sweet gesture towards her nephew broke Jaci's heart. She could tell without a doubt that Tara loved the baby, loved Jax but was at the end of her rope. It was one thing to compromise in a relationship; it was a nothing to be left holding the bag of responsibility all the time. Hell, that's why she wasn't with Tig anymore…it was too one sided.

Silence hung between the girls and Jaci started playing with her milkshake. Never one to just drink them through a straw, she picked up spoonfuls of the frozen treat and dropped them back into the glass. "I'll talk to Jax, leave out your little job trouble but I'll see what I can get out of him. Just don't panic yet, ok? Maybe your boss is just bluffing…gives you a slap on the wrist and you're right back at work. You know how shit goes in this town, it blows up and blows over…maybe this all will blow over just as fast."

"Maybe." Tara replied but she didn't seem very convinced.

A second later a gurgle escaped from Abel's lips. The girls turned their attention to the baby who was staring intently at Jaci's milkshake antics. He reached out his hands like he was trying to claw the air to get closer to the treat. Both girls laughed despite their situations.

"Damn boy…you want some huh?" Jaci teased and then held out her arms to her little nephew. "Come on over, big guy."

Tara smiled, "I don't think he's ever had ice cream before. Would have but we haven't managed to have his birthday party yet. With Chibs getting out of the hospital today, I thought we could get it back on track but then all this…"

"Mmm, first birthday…another guilt tool in the arsenal against your daddy." Jaci said quietly and winked at Tara as she sat the baby down on her lap. She moved a tiny spoonful of milkshake towards Abel's opened mouth. "Open wide, buddy…Aunt J's gonna hook you up. Just think of it as really awesome milk." He smacked and took in the ice cream, immediately wanting more. "Ahhh, chocolate makes everything better, huh bud?" Damn I wish that were true...I'd ram a candy bar up everybody's ass in this town and we'd all be happy.

XXX

"Don't know what's causin' it, Ronnie." Vix stood in the garage bay at TM talking to one of the mechanics on the payroll. "It's just this clicking noise coming from the rear, non-stop clicking, started up few days ago."

"I'll take a look see, gotta switch out a water pump and do an oil change first though. Just me here right now. You gonna be 'round for an hour or so?"

"Yeah, Gemma asked me to watch the office for a bit, keep an eye on the old man. First time he's been 'round since Chibs' accident." She glanced over to where Piney was parked on his ass under the club house pavilion lookin' like Waylon's inspiration for Lonesome, On'ry and Mean.

In her jeans pocket, The Doors started singing, 'People are strange when you're a stranger…' Knowing that was her ring tone for any unknown/strange number, she eyed the display before pressing the Talk button. "Yeah...depends on who you are?"

Vix stepped into the office and closed the door against the garage noise. "Hello, Gina from HealthNet Labs, this is her… what Juice do? Burn through all my blood, need more? What do you mean you couldn't use it? Wait, look, ok, I forgot to mention the tattoo, honestly it slipped my mind, but he won't care if I got ink'd in the last 6 months...what?"

She felt the room go sway, as if she'd boarded a tilt-a-whirl. "Excuse me?" She gushed as she collapsed into the desk chair. Her head began to swim, every noise amplified and flowing around her… the voice on the other end of the connection mixed with the muffled shop sounds beyond the closed door. In a daze, Vix pulled the phone from her ear, "I gotta go." She mumbled and hit the End button, effectively cutting off one of the auditory attacks.

Letting the phone fall with a muffled thud to the cluttered desk top, she leaned forward, resting her elbows amid the invoices, parts catalogs, time sheets and completed repair orders. She braced her head in her hands, closed her eyes trying to stop the spinning. The sound of approaching footsteps drew her attention and as she raised her head she found herself looking at a gun.

As she stared down the barrel of the handgun, in her head she heard the folksy, educational lyrics, The fingerbone's connected to the handbone.She tore her eyes from the shiny metal and let them travel to the hand holding the piece. The handbone's connected to the arm bone, The armbone's connected to the shoulderbone. Her gaze rove up the arm, landing on the face of the fuck-head brandishing it.

"Whatcha think about this, Repo Bitch?" Sneered the twenty-something who stood holding a 9mm out at a 90-degree angle, elbow locked, Gangsta-style with a fuck you expression etched clearly on his face.

Are you fuckin' kidding me? Not again! was the thought currently bouncing around in Vix's head but what came out of her mouth was, "You've clearly got more bravado than brains."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"You asked me what I thought." Vix shook her head feigning a little bravado of her own - though she'd be hard pressed to admit it- inside she was not feeling it. She and Juice were burning though God's graces... shivings and chokings and now a second gun aimed at her in less than a week.

'Steady Girl' came the imagined voice of Uncle BB, 'Fake it til you make it, darlin'.

She released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, "Did you happen to take a look around as you strolled in?" She used the opportunity to steal a glance outside. What the fuck was Piney doin'? Napping? "You don't know who you're dealing with. If you got one functioning brain cell, you'd get the fuck outta here!"

"Shut the fuck up, bitch. I ain't goin' no wheres wit'out my ride."

She heard the air compressor cut off and prayed that Ronnie would glance in the direction of the office, need a jolt of caffeine, maybe. Please! But just as quickly it sounded it's high-pitched whine again. Fuck! "Look, I'll gladly release your vehicle, all you have to do is pay what you owe and the impound fee..."

"Says you... but Mr. Smith and Wesson here says I don't..."

Vix rolled her eyes and glanced at the garage. The mechanic still had his back to the office, attention focused on the silver Acura in front of him. Shit! "Smith AND Wesson? They would be two different people... ok, if you're gonna threaten me at least do it properly."

"Give me my car or I'll put a cap in yo' ass..."

An amused laugh burst out of Vix before she could stop it. She leaned back in the chair, "I don't think you've got the balls. But, ok say I'm wrong, it happens sometimes. How do you think that will end for you, hmm? You gonna find the key to the impound lot? Make it outta here in one piece, 'fore that mechanic out there- having heard the gunshot, don't storm in here and beat you to within an inch of your worthless little life... hmm? And that's if you're lucky. There's tools 'round this place licensed to do more than just engine repair...so why don't you lose the hardware and let's try to settle this like civilized fuckin' people."

"It'll get settled when you give me my damn car."

Reason, Vix. Came Jaci's phantom advice.

You can't reason with crazy, probably tweaked, too. Look at him shaking that gun around, shit! Jesus!

Try,Vix. Jaci pleaded in her head.

Fine!

Vix held up her hands slightly. "Look, I'm sure you can understand that we can't go givin' the keys back to vehicles we legally repossessed. We do that and word gets out, every deadbeat with a piece'll be lined up 'round the block."

Taking an aggressive step forward and cutting the air in front of Vix with the gun, the ass hat seethed, "I ain't no deadbeat!"

Throwing her hands up, surrender style, Vix pressed back in the chair, "Ok.. ok.. fine.. geez! Look, I don't wanna get blown away over some repossessed Piece of Shit..."

"Bitch, I drive a Viper!" He corrected.

"Nice. I can see why you're so attached." She rolled her eyes, "Look, I'll hand over the keys to the impound lot but I gotta reach in the desk drawer to do that. I don't want you shootin' me when I'm complyin'."

"You pull out anything but a ring of keys and I'll put a bullet between your eyes."

"Fair enough." Tugging open the middle desk drawer with an angry yank, Vix reached in and retrieved a ring of keys. She shoved the drawer shut and leaned her elbows on the desk, turning the ring over and over in her hands. She looked up and eyed the fuck nut. "I don't know which key it is... I'm only fillin' in here."

She cleared her throat as she made a play for time. "But I do have another scenario I'm compelled to run by you. I hand these keys over to you... the entrance to the impound lot is half-way down the parking lot ... in plain sight. Do you think you can make it? hmm?"

She paused to let him contemplate and silently sent up prayers to whichever Supreme Being would listen, that one of the two other individuals on the premise might cast a glance in this direction, see what the fuck is going on. "Hhmm? Ok, think 'bout it, 'cause then you gotta figure out which key on this big ol' ring of 'em opens that walk-through gate. Hell, maybe you're lucky and you draw the key on the first try. You still gotta find your car, get to it, get it to the exit and find the key that unlocks the drive-through gate since I know your ass ain't gonna crash the-Viper-so-beloved-that-you're-holdin'-me-at-gunpoint-for. You gotta accomplish all that 'fore Hell rains down. What do you think your chances are? I personally think pretty slim comin' from a dude can't even manage to pull his own zipper up..." She smirked, casting a quick glance south of the border of his waistline.

As hoped, the dick weed lowered his gaze southward and Vix popped out of the chair, scrambled across the desk and plowed into the fuck head as if she was on Survivor and tacklin' his ass was an immunity challenge.

Startled, he dropped the gun and it clattered to the floor. Vix lunged for the gun and was just getting her fingers on it before the cocksucker grabbed her ankle, tripping her. She fell hard on her coccyx and felt all the air in her lungs exit in a whoosh. Knocking her completely backwards, her assailant scrambled over top of her going for the gun. Once again, Vix found herself beneath a man hell bent on causing her harm. She began pounding her fists into the fucker's upper body, bucking wildly with her lower half, trying to unseat him.

She didn't hear the screaming...the asshole's or her own.

She didn't hear the sounds of running feet fast approaching her…

She didn't hear Piney and Ronnie both hollering...

She didn't hear the odd clang of Piney's O2 tank connecting with the douche bag's head…

What she DID hear was Gina, from Health Net Labs, advising, "We can't accept your blood donation, Ms.Parker.The preliminary screenings showed markers indicating that you're pregnant."

XXX

Gemma's SUV rolled onto the TM lot. She braked in front of the office and slid out from behind the wheel. Removing her sunglasses and eyeing the hog-tied individual currently laying bleeding on the office stoop she asked, "What the hell?"

"Jackass pulled a gun on Vix." Piney informed, staring over at the gun-toting asshole currently laying with his wrists and ankles bound with duct tape. "Angry his car was repo'd."

"Jesus Christ" The Queen's eyes snapped to Vix, seated on the bottom most step, pale and withdrawn "You're having one hell of a week, sweetheart. You alright?"

"I need to see Juice."

Gemma nodded, "Alright, baby." Glancing at Piney, she up-nodded. "I'll run her to Stockton... been meaning to visit our last remaining pin cushion. Call Charming P.D. Last time I checked, trying to steal back the vehicle we legally stole from you was against the law. So's pullin' guns on innocent people or so I've heard." Gemma instructed the mechanic as they all turned towards the lot, at the sound of approaching motorcycles.

Backing his bike into its place in the parking line, Tig unsnapped his helmet and hung it from the handlebars.

"What the hell happened?" He heard Clay holler as the two made their way over to the quartet gathered around the office front. Behind them on the stoop, a man lay in an unconscious heap, temple bloodied, wrists and ankles bound with duct tape.

"Jumped Vix, at gunpoint. Apparently pissed we repo'd his car." Gemma answered.

"Jesus Christ." Clay blinked.

"What the fuck?" Tig shook his head, "She alright?" He asked to those gathered, then crouched in front of Vix, who sat huddled on the bottom step, "You alright?"

"Be better if everyone stops tryin' to kill me."

He heard Clay chuckle, however, Tig took a pass at being an ass. She had a valid point. Lately crazy happenstance had made it appear as if the youngest Parker had a big, Just Shoot Me,sign hanging around her neck. He reached down and patted her shoulder, "You just keep one-uppin' em, Angelface." He watched semi-amused, at Vix's startled expression. "You'll be alright."

"I'm gonna take to Stockton, see Juice." Gemma advised, eying her husband. "You gotta be pretty motivated to steal your car back at gun point."

"Maybe he was worried Dominos would fire him." Clay smirked, shooting Tig a look. "Go check out which automobile he belonged to."

"Yeah." The SAA nodded then looked at Gemma. "You need help with her?"

"Think I can manage." Gemma replied.

"Viper." Vix advised, as she made it to her feet.

XXX

Thirty minutes later, Half Sack and Opie pulled onto the TM lot with their latest repossession, a van from the Indian Reservation. The Prospect popped open the back of the SUV and pulled out his knife as he stared at the cargo bay full of boxes. "I got dibs on this shit. You guys got all that other stuff the other day, I'm due something."

Opie snorted as he walked to the back of the SUV. "Boxes of beads…all yours, Prospect. Think there's any money in that?"

"Maybe…could sell it to a jewelry maker or something. That's getting to be a big deal these days. I did a lot of therapeutic macramé when I was healing up back in the Service. " Half Sack answered as he slit the tape on a box. He opened the lid and the inner compartment and removed a layer of cardboard, only to reveal tightly packed bullets instead of decorative beads. "Holy shit." The Prospect blew out a slow breath and looked over his shoulder to where some of the guys were standing around at the fringes of the garage. "Clay! Tig!"

The Prez and SAA came walking over just as Half Sack pulled a few bullets free and held them up for display. Tig cocked his head as he held one of the full metal jackets. "Where you'd get these?"

"Indian Reservation." Opie answered matter of fact.

Clay and Tig exchanged a long look and after a quick pondering of the operation, a smile spread across the President's face. "Let's go pay our little friends a visit."

XXX

"Shit!" Vix muttered, eyeing the pop-up reminder on her cell phone.

"What?"

"Ellie and Kenny. I'm supposed to pick 'em up at school today." Vix blew out a breath. "Mothershitfuck!"

Gemma scoffed as she walked. "Right, like you're ready to deal with kids."

Touche.Vix thought to herself.

"I'll get 'em." Gemma said, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk at the entrance of Stockton Memorial Hospital. "Give Juice my love. Call when you're ready. Someone'll pick you up."

"Okay. Thanks, Gem."

"No problem, sweetheart." Gemma replied as she turned back around and headed towards the lot where she parked her SUV. So much for a visit to the pin cushion.

Vix proceeded into the lobby of the hospital and waited. She gave Gemma a full ten minutes dilly-dally time before walking back outside and making a bee-line for the chain pharmacy a block down the street. She perused the aisles until she found what she was looking for. As the clerk rung her out, she counted her blessings that Juice, if he had to be laid up in a hospital, it wasn't at St Thomas. In a town like Charming that ran on gossip, word of a Son's ol' lady seen buyin' a pregnancy test would have spread like wildfire.

Once back at the hospital, she ducked into the ladies rest room conveniently located off the lobby and in the handicapped stall, she took another test that she knew she was destined to fail. The lab had the blood proof, but she couldn't seethat. On this she needed a visual. Two minutes later, she got one.

"Oh, Fuck Me!" She groaned way too loud. Touche,Vix.

The African Lion… the rest of what the narrator was saying was lost to the background when Juice heard the door open and watched Vix walk in. "Hey baby." He heard her say, getting the distinct impression that any good in the tiding was being forced. "Hey…what's goin' on?"

With a sigh, she sunk into the chair beside his bed. "You got several hours?"

"Matter-of-fact." He replied with a grin, hoping it would be contagious but apparently it was about the only thing in this germ-infested-place that wasn't. "You didn't fuck Hap did you?"

He practically startled her out of her chair, she'd drawn back so fast. "Excuse me?"

"I... I was just tossin' out a worst case scenario. Ya know, thought it might help, if whatever you have to tell is SO much better than that …but clearly it didn't help."

"I kicked the shit outta Polly Zobelle."

It was his turn to be startled, "What? When?"

"Night we all went Honky Tonkin' at Big Daddy's, the bon voyage for 'Bama. Nolan didn't wreck his bike. He laid her down on purpose as a cover for the bruises I got scufflin' with the Nazi Barbie."

Then he heard Stahl in his head. All the allegations she made while shoving her glossy 8x10's in his face, during her visit to the prison infirmary. "Ok. Why are you tellin' me …"

He watched her push to her feet and start pacing. "Cause I'm not ten-feet tall or bulletproof. I looked down the barrel of 9 millimeter today, Jean. Dude was pissed off and probably high to boot." She gushed – futile would be trying to get a word in and he was too shocked to give it a try. "Couple of days ago, I almost got choked to death, had another gun pointed at me and my dog and a friend both got murdered. I keep on line jumpin' en route to the Pearly Gates, sooner or later Me and St. Peter are gonna have an untimely face-to-face."

"JUST WAIT!" He held up his hand. "Who pulled a gun on you…what are you talkin' about? What the fuck?"

Flopping back down in the chair, she pitched forward, elbows on her knees, head in her hands and regaled him with her horror story of the earlier goings on at Teller Morrow. When she finally finished she glanced up, "And here you are, still healing from being stabbed while you were in county lock up. Juice, we BOTH need to start using the good sense God gave us… we have more to think about than just ourselves."

"I know." He shook his head and sighed, "Look, the club don't need to know what happened in Galt. If they do find out, you were just defending yourself. She accosted you while you were shoppin' for your sign." He blew out a breath. "Shit that happened today, I dunno. That's just … I gotta get the fuck outta here."

"You need to get better first, Juice."

"Bullshit! I'm supposed to be coverin' your blind side, I can't do that laid up in here being poked and prodded and…"

"I need you whole and healed, not rushin' outta here to play handicapped version of a white knight." She gave him a solid level stare. "I'm pregnant."

She coulda been speaking Greek for all the sense her words made to him at first.

Vix watched him blink and stare back at her. She could tell when his brain finally began to process and understand her blurted news because she watched him begin to withdraw. Suddenly, feeling more frightened than she'd ever been in her life, even at having a gun waved in her face, she jumped out of the chair, reached out and grabbed his hand. " Juice, please don't shut down on me. I need you here, ok? I can't handle this by myself."

He cocked his head and stared at her, "How do you think you're gonna be?"

He woulda hurt her less if he'd just punched her in the face. "Juice, I…"

"I'm facing Federal charges, Vix. Serious prison time and I knock you up?" He shook his head and laughed. The sound was so out of place at the moment it was almost obscene. "Could our timing be any more fucked up? Jesus Christ!" She felt his eyes staring at abdomen, like he could see a visual sign that her body'd taken up double occupancy. "How sure are you?"

"EPT claims to be 99% accurate, according to the box."

Without a trace of humor in his voice, "We are the one percent, Vix. We live our lives by that percentage. Maybe..."

The earnest hopeful tone of his voice made her cringe. She needed to nip any doubt in the bud, "I'm pregnant, Jean. The reason I even took the test… the lab here at the hospital runs tests on all donated blood, apparently and when I tried to donate for you levels showed that I'm pregnant. Chick from the lab here called me. That's how I found out in the first place. EPT was just my visual confirmation. I'm so sorry. Baby, I know we're…" Her voice trailed off as her mind tried to find the right phrase …just settling back into a good place … barely able to keep ourselves alive?

"…gonna have a kid." Juice offered completion of her thought.

Hearing him say it, acknowledging it, had such a profound effect on her, she failed at controlling the sob that busted forth. She knew she looked like an idiot, sobbing and nodding and sniffling.

"Come 'ere." He said, reaching for her. "Come on…" He patted the mattress next to him, shifting ever so gently to make room for her to climb in and lay next to him. When she complied, he cupped her chin and neck with both his hands. Vix could feel his fingers thread at the nape of her neck. With his thumbs massaging the bone along her jaw line, he locked eyes with her, "We'll figure it out, ok?" He blessed her with a goofy grin that was both comical and reassuring.

"Okay." She nodded, stealing courage and encouragement from him.

"But…until we do, not a word to anyone. Not your sister, not my Gram, no 'Bama Fam, not anyone from the club. You and me. We keep this between just us for a while."

"Figure it out?" To her own ears she sounded worried and reluctant as she eased herself out of his embrace and back to about mid-mattress. She faced him, confused and tried to clarify. "You don't want this baby?"

"No. Wait…. not no. Jesus Christ." He reached up and absentmindedly rubbed his head, which time away from a razor had led to the disappearance of his Mohawk and bolts, under a full outcropping of hair. "That's not what I meant." He muttered, frustrated. "Vix, I'm a hairdresser… you're a mechanic."

"Really? Are we now?"

Heaving a frustrated growl at his misspoken words, Juice rolled his eyes. "We just need to figure shit out first. Have answers to all the questions that are sure to be asked. Grandma Ruby will hear this news and shoot the moon and then let loose an interrogation that'll make the Spanish Inquisition seem like a pop quiz. Your sister? She'll question us like we're going for a home equity loan. Guarantee first question will be on that subject. And she'd be right, where are we gonna put a baby in my apartment? What are we gonna do bumper the bathtub? And I don't even want to think about how your uncle is gonna react, probably something involving a shotgun or an electric knife and a pair of pliers."

Relief pooling inside her, Vix nodded. "So what you're sayin' is we need to have all our little duckies lined up?"

"Ducks, sheep, frogs, little pink bunnies." Juice suddenly paled, "What the fuck are we gonna do if it's a girl?"

The look of abject horror on his face caused Vix to laugh. "I dunno. Guess we teach her to hunt, fish, fight, spit, kick ass, take names, walk, talk, read, write. We'll love her, Jean. Just the same as we'll do if I have your son." Vix said the words so serenely that it belied the freaking out she was doing on the inside.

Juice nodded, swallowing hard with tears visibly welling up in his eyes. "Holy Fuck!"

Nodding, she smiled, "I know. It'll be alright." Repositioning herself, she gently snuggled next to him. She felt him turn slightly and slip his arm around her, hand finding his favorite resting place, cupping her hip.

"I love you." He murmured against her forehead.

"You'd better." She laughed then turned her head and stole a kiss. "I love you, too, Jean."

A knock at the door startled the two of them and they jumped apart like a couple of teenagers caught makin' out by their parents. The door swung open to reveal Jax and Bobby.

"Busted!" Jax teased with a grin.

"This some kind of new therapy they're tryin'?" Bobby joked. "Little bit of Love Therapy?"

Vix rolled her eyes. She didn't relish the invasion but smiled pleasantly and echoed Juice's greeting of, "Hey guys."

"How you doin', sweetheart?" Jax sobered and asked with concern.

"Heard what happened at TM." Bobby added.

"Thank God, she's fine." Juice answered for her, ire noticeable. "I'm more interested in it not happening again."

"Agreed!" Bobby nodded. "We'll keep a closer eye on …"

"Nah. Soon as the doctor comes 'round, I'm outta here."

"Juice?" Vix half-questioned, half-pleaded. But noting the look he shot her direction, she shut up realizing it was a moot point. He'd want to keep his own two eyes on her, even without the added secret bun-in-the-oven.

"I shoulda been out of here already. I don't give a rat's ass about blood in my stool."

"Thanks for that update." Bobby rolled his eyes, making a yuck face.

"When's the doctor due 'round again?" Jax asked.

"Probably after dinner."

"No way are you getting released from here before tomorrow morning." Jax said then nodded at Vix. "We need a word with your ol' man, sweetheart."

She watched Juice give her a nod. Standing up she reached for her bag. "Ok, I'll go down to the cafeteria, grab something to eat. Get you guys anything?"

"Give me a minute" Jax said nodding at the hall, "I'll walk down with ya."

The door closed behind Vix. Juice eyed his VP and Bobby, "What's goin' on?"

"Gonna need you to Proxy a vote." Jax advised.

XXX

Right at the end of her work day, Jaci received a text from Jax, asking her to drop by Teller Morrow as soon as possible. She agreed, very much wanting to have a serious chat about his latest life plans after talking to Tara earlier in the day.

Jax hung around his bike and kept an eye on the TM entrance for Jaci. As he walked out to her car, he fired up a cigarette, still stressed from the talk with his mom, it seemed everybody had an opinion on his Nomad decision. He upnodded at his sister in law. "You got the papers?"

"Yeah." She answered as she stepped out of her car and scanned the lot and garage bays, mindful of who was watching them. She only saw Clay and Bobby showing any interest and wondered where the President's his right hand man was.

He watched her frown and knew who she was wary of. "Don't worry…he's not here. And at this point, I don't give a shit what anybody else sees."

"Yeah, it seems you don't give a shit about a lot of things." Jaci retorted and stared at him. "Nomad? That was your brilliant goddamn plan from the start? I don't appreciate the bullshit story of all the 'just in case's'. You knew you were pulling this stunt all along. When's the big day…just so I know because as soon as Stahl gets wind of your little status change, we'll end up in court."

Jax rolled his eyes. "Who told you? Tara or my mom?"

"Tara…she's worried sick about you." Jaci replied. "And you can sing the 'it will be fine' song to her ass all you want but I know better. I guarantee this Nomad shit is going to blow up in your face, Jax. You need to re-think this. I know it sounds like a great idea but the reality of it is gonna to be very different. I've see what happens…"

"Jesus, you sound like my mom. Save the big speech." Jax shook his head roughly. "I stay here, Jaci…we're all gonna get our worst case scenarios. The only way to stop that is to leave for a while. You just have to trust me."

She followed his glare to Clay, who was watching them with blatant interest. "You hate him…what the hell's happened, Jax?"

"So much shit…I can't get into it, you know that." Jax answered. "You and Tig done?"

"Yeah and I know we've said that before but…there's nothing good there."

"Good, Tig's a cancer that will suck the life out of you or worse." He let his words hang in the air but knew the horrible shit Tig and Clay had done ever came to light, leaving him for good wouldn't such be a hard decision for her anymore. He wanted to keep everything quiet to try and save his club, to save Opie anymore pain but knew it was probably just a matter of time. Secrets and lies never stayed buried.

After a long moment of silence, Jaci reached inside her car and discretely handed him a stack of folded papers along with a pen. "All you have to do is sign at the marked places."

Jax opened the stack of papers and read over them, subconsciously holding them at chest level and using her car to put a block between them and the prying eyes of his soon to be ex-President. After making sure everything was lined out as they had previously discussed, he puts his cigarette in his mouth as he signed on all the dotted lines. "Rosen help you with this?" He glanced up with a half smirk, trying to lighten the heavy moment.

"Not funny." Jaci retorted. "And no… I figured if we're trying to keep this on the down low, we shouldn't use a guy whose morals are tied direct to his bank account. Between my paralegal knowledge and the lovely Internet full of stock legal formats, this wasn't really that hard."

He finished, folded and handed the papers back to Jaci. "There ya go." After getting only a solemn nod from his sister in law, he catches her eye and says firmly, "This is the best thing, Jaci."

"Jax, you are seriously freaking me the hell out." She said randomly. "The custody stuff, the Nomad stuff…I'm not liking the vibe."

He waved her off. "No freaking out allowed, J. Everyone is losing their minds around here, I need you to stay cool and calm." She rolled her eyes but nodded. He nudged her with his hand. "I'm really sorry for all this shit…thank you for doing this though, seriously." He pulled her into a quick hug. "It's gonna be fine."

She snorted humorlessly. "Yeah and pig's are gonna fly outta my ass."

"Get outta here." He smiled slightly and pushed her towards her door.

She paused before loading up. "Jax…just think about all of this one last time ok? Make sure there isn't anything you can do to prevent this mess. Everybody in this club is so damn bull-headed…sometimes you have to take the high road, maybe be the adult even though Clay's twice your age? Pride's a killer, Jax."

Jax nodded along reluctantly and walked back to the garage bays as she pulled out of the lot. He noticed Clay was staring at him the whole time. He stepped to his step father with Jaci's words still ringing in his head and decided to give the old man one last chance to stop all of the bullshit. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Bobby watched the pair for a moment and motioned for the other guys working to take a break. He gave Jax an encouraging look before taking a walk himself.

"What'd Parker want?" Clay asked. "She know about your decision?"

Bobby watched the pair for a moment and motioned for the other guys working to take a break. He gave Jax an encouraging look for taking a walk himself.

"What'd Parker want?" Clay asked. "She know about your decision?"

"Yeah…just tying up some loose ends with Abel and Wendy." Jax answered semi-honestly. He stared at the man at had been his father figure for fifteen years and thought about Gemma's words about his real father, how he might have gone a little crazy at the end, had let all the stress of life and the club pull him down. He could finally understand just how heavy the crown of leadership really was, how sometimes every decision you made, even with the best of intentions, turned to shit and hurt everyone around you. He swallowed hard. "Me going Nomad…what's your hit on that?"

Clay shook his head, resigned, "Way we been goin'… makes sense."

"You want me gone?

"You're not putting that on me…this is your decision, you put this transfer in motion." Clay retorted. His words were harsh but his eyes had softened slightly as he realized what Jax was trying to do…trying to extend an olive branch, to maybe slam the brakes on the crazy train they were on. He stared at his stepson and felt equal amounts of love and hate toward the kid. Well, he wasn't exactly a kid anymore, he was a man…full of love for his family, for his club. Clay knew that love well but he also knew those protective feelings that came with it…the willingness to do anything to keep what you loved intact. He and Jax were more similar than either of them wanted to admit and they made them dangerous.

Jax frowned slightly, willing Clay to bend, just the smallest bit, to give him something to work with.

Just one more fight about a lotta things,

And i will give up everything to be on my own again, free again,

This time I'm a let it all come out, this time I'm a stand up and shout

I'm a do things my way…It's my way, my way or the highway.

He eyed the SAMCRO President. "I'm not putting it on you. I'm asking you a simple question. Do you want me gone? Do you really want me gone?" The question was a loaded double barrel, with that sentence he wasn't just asking about the club roles and he hated himself slightly for seeking out Clay's approval as a father in any capacity.

Clay just stared back at Gemma's son.

Oh what is a man, what has he got?

If not himself, then he has naught

To say the words he truly feels

And not the words of one who kneels

The record shows I took the blows

And did it my way

"Yes." Clay finally answered.

And once again, the sin from which all others arose, PRIDE, claimed two more victims.

XXX

"Whatcha workin' on?" Juice nodded over at Vix, currently seated with her legs tucked under her- typing away on her lap top.

"Take home essay. I hate this shit. What spewing out three thousand words about a Balzac quote has to do with helping me run my salon I will never know. The fact that I know Balzac isn't the name of some NHL star from the Ukraine is mindboggling enough." She closed the computer and set it over on his over-the-bed table. "You alright now? You took Jax and Bobby's news pretty damn hard."

He heard the un-phrased question in her statement. "No phishing in club shit. You know better." He knew his words were more sternly than her concern warranted, but he was emotionally, mentally, physically wrung out and not up for picking flowery prose. "When are you done with your school shit?"
"Finals start in three days then I've got three weeks off. Why?"

"This is probably gonna come out all wrong but... given this latest um, development...can you afford to spread yourself as thin as you have been? School, Twisted, home and how you help out with Abel and Opie's kids and The Olds and play beck and call girl to Gemma and the club."

"Beck and CALL girl? That's cute. I've got it all covered, Jean. It's a delicate balance, but..."

"For now, but something is gonna have to give, Vix eventually, right?" He watched her chew over his words, literally she was shredding her bottom lip with her teeth. "I'm just worried. I'll support the shit outta whatever you want to do, but like you said earlier there is more to think about now."

"I am thinkin' about it, especially it. Finishing this program, as much as I love to bitch about it, is important to me... to see if I really can accomplish somethin'. Juice, I never graduated high school, I got my GED, yeah - but only really because Roxy made me, almost at gun point. How am I supposed to set an example to our child, if I up and quit every goddamn thing? I'm already prayin' the kid gets your brains and in the same breath worried that it'll think it has a dumbass for a mama. If my dyslexic ass is supposed to teach it to read and write and math and shit, heaven heap thy blessings upon thine offspring."

Juice nodded, "Ok, so school's on the agenda... means something else has gotta be edged back or cut out. We'll figure it out. AND you're not a dumbass, I'VE never read Balzac." He snickered, "I guarantee you mention his name at the club house about the only response you'll get is chuckles over how it rhymes with Ball Sack."

In her chair, Vix choked on the sip of Mountain Dew she'd just taken. "Thanks, cause that is what will be running through my head during my final now. Havin' a kid... you really think we can do this?"

"I think ready-or-not we're gonna find out but, I can tell you, Vix there's no one else on this entire planet that I'd rather take the odds with." He shot her a smile and ran a hand over his head, muttering aloud to himself, "I need a goddamn shave. So what's old Ballsack's words of wisdom?"

"Um…" Opening up the laptop Vix read, "The possession of power does not come with it the knowledge of how to use it."

Juice blinked, the truth in those words sounding loud in his ears as a battle drum. "Read me what you've got so far..."

XXX

"Nomad Charter voted to accept Jax's transfer. He needs a unanimous vote from this Charter to release him, YAY!" Clay advised the members of SAMCRO and cast his vote to release. He thought about Tig, tripping high on mushrooms at the Indian Reservation and looked at his crew. "I got Tig's proxy vote, he's a YAY."

The vote went around The Redwood Table. Chibs, fresh from his hospital release and still feeling rocked by the craziness that has overrun his club during his time of hospitalization, questioned, "This really what you want Jackie-Boy?" At Jax's reassurance, Chibs growled a heartbroken, "AYE!"

Opie leveled a long, hard look at his best friend before voting to release.

Piney muttered his angry vote of "yes", stubbed out his cigarette and stormed out of the chapel.

Bobby sighed, "Juice voted Yay." And voiced his own vote to the affirmative.

Clay declared the vote unanimous and passed it with a slamming of the gavel.

As his club brothers watched, Jax took his knife and physically slashed his ties to Redwood, removing the charter patches from his Cut.

TBC

Author's Note: Just for the record, we've had Vix's pregnancy planned for YEARS, long long before Lyla and Tara babies started showing up. It just took us longer than we thought to get the chapters published. But rest assured, we have a plan and it's BRILLIANT.

And before anyone stages a riot, the next chapter will have more Jaci and Tig and it's a doozy so prepare!