WOW! It has been soo long and I apologise for that. I am having trouble finding a new job and I was having trouble finding my writing muse again. Completely blocked. It's a short chapter but I wanted to get something out for you guys. I hope it's not too boring for you all. Please enjoy and review, comment etc etc.

….REAPER…..REAPER…..REAPER…

"Sack, what did you see?" Clay asked.

"I...I heard the shot and when I turned around an old green four wheel drive heading back the way we just came. Elle was pulling her car over to the side of the road. I went up to her and she told me to go after them. I got the license plate number but I lost them. Got cut off" Kip looked down at his hands; seeming almost ashamed that he couldn't catch the killer.

"Hey" Clay called over to him. Immediately his head shot up and looked over at the president, "You did the right thing" The other members voiced their appreciation and Juice patted his shoulder.

"Isn't that Weston's car?" Jax spoke.

"Weston's doing Zobelle's dirty work. No surprise" Juice added.

"Alright Sack, give Juice that license number. Track him down. I want a location!" Clay smacked the gavel down on the table and everyone except for Juice and Kip filed out of the room.

Elle had been sitting on the couch consoling Opie when the doors opened. He was lying on Elle's lap while she ran a hand through his long reddish-brown hair. They were speaking quietly to each other almost in whispers before Elle looked up at the opening doors. The pool table was blocking Opie's view so he settled for closing his eyes; closing out the pity filled looks of his brothers.

"They're done Ope" Elle mumbled to him.

"How are we supposed to fix this? How is it supposed to get better?"

Elle stopped stroking his hair and looked down at him "You listen to me Harry Winston, we are going to track down whoever did this and you are personally gonna carve out his heart. It's gonna take time to heal but it will get better" Her fingers started winding through the long strands once again, "You know after I was attacked I thought that it was never gonna get better, I thought I was gonna be scared all the time, I thought that I would never feel safe again. But I was wrong Ope; having Jax and the club around, makes me feel like I could do anything. They helped me get through it because that's what family does. We'll help you get through it" He looked up at her and Elle gave him a small smile, "I promise" She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "I love you Opie Winston"

"I love you too Elle" His voice crackled.

"You should find out what's going on" Elle patted his shoulder and gave him a little help to sit up. He looked over at her again and gave her another hug before standing up and walking over to his president; to receive any word on his wife's killer.

Jax had been leaning against the door frame watching the scene between his Old Lady and his best friend. He looked at her face; she had come such a long way from being the girl that watched her father being hauled off to jail. She had been through so much and had still been able to hold it together. She had been there for him whenever he needed her and whenever the club needed her. Jax realised that she had just as much right as Donna to walk away from the MC when her father went inside but she stayed. Elle fought the urge to blame the club and stayed loyal and helped them out. She became a vital part of the club life and in turn; his life.

"Hey Hap" Jax turned around, catching the killer's eyes. The expressionless man walked over and stood by his VP.

"What do you need?"

"You got your needle?" Jax ran his hand over his goatee. Happy nodded once, "Meet me in the dorm?" He nodded again and headed out to the saddlebag on his bike. Jax walked over to his fiery beauty, "Hey darlin"

"Hey baby" She smiled but it stopped short of her eyes. "What's going on?"

"I need you to come with me" He scooped her up and carried her fireman style to the dorms.

"Jax what are you doing? Where are we going?"

"I told you that I was going to get Happy to put my crow on you"

"Yeah when it was all over but Opie just lost his wife, I've just lost my friend" Elle sighed, "I just don't think this is the right time to be putting your ink on me"

"Well we're making time now. Shit has been up in the air for too long and it's not gonna calm down; not while ATF is still hanging around" He set her on the bed and stared down at her, "Now where do you want it?"

Happy chose that moment to walk in and set his things on the desk, "What am I doing?"

"His crow and I want Jax Teller written under my angel" Elle looked over to Happy then up to Jax with a smirk on her face.

…REAPER…..REAPER….REAPER…..

Two hours later and Elle had fresh ink on her back and wrist. One wing of the crow ran up onto the bottom of her right hand under her thumb. The rest of the bird flowed down her wrist to the underside of her arm and under the angel's feet on her back in cursive read the words – Jax Teller Forever. Pulling her shirt down carefully after Happy was finished, she looked over at the bald man.

"Thanks Happy" Elle stood up off the chair and kissed the gruff man on the cheek.

"No problem Angel" Happy turned and started packing up his gear before leaving the room. When the pair were alone Elle looked over at Jax; lying on the bed with his eyes closed.

"So not that I'm complaining but what made you decide you wanted to give me your crow?" She asked as she crouched down to his level.

"It was time. It was right" His eyes opened and Elle was captivated by the ocean blue orbs. Elle was gonna press him more but she decided to drop it and just accept that Jax knew what he was doing. She nodded and put a hand on the bed to steady herself as she stood when Jax started talking again, "You had just as much right as Donna to walk away from me, the club; the life basically and yet you stayed. You helped my brothers when they were shot or bleeding or in need of a shoulder. You stayed even after your father was taken to prison, after all the shit that has come from this family. Your wonder woman Elle"

"I did what was right Jax. I did what needed to be done. I stayed to protect my family" Elle tried to shake off Jax's compliment.

"Yeah alright I get that but you staying was more than the need to help family" Jax took a deep breath, "You know, after Tommy and my old man died I was a wreck. I took off and saw Uncle Jury but he couldn't really help. But you; you didn't rush me to get my head back in the game or tell me how to feel or when to show it. You lent me an ear and your shoulder"

"Yeah well you might as well keep them, they are pretty much numb from the weight of your confessions and bullshit" She smiled; trying to lighten the mood.

"This isn't funny Elle. I was convinced, back then, that someone messed with his bike; I still am. But you never seemed to get tired of hearing about it and when Tommy died…" He sighed, "I spent more time with you than I did my mother. You're my saving grace Elle, I truly believe that" Elle leaned over and kissed his lips gently before pulling away.

"Does it help that my middle name is Grace?" She whispered; her breath hot on his mouth. A slow smirk spread across his face. He wasn't going to get anywhere with the heart to heart so he was going to play her game.

"Oh absolutely" An arm snaked over her back and pulled her onto the bed with him. He kissed her with more passion before being gently pushed away.

"Thank you Jax" Elle confessed, "I appreciate you saying all that" He had gotten through to her. Not that there was really any doubt in his mind but it was still nice to know that his Old Lady was actually listening. Jax realised that Elle had always been this way. Always giving him what he wanted. She was an Old Lady right from the beginning.