Kate sat on one of the benches outside the hospital, hand trembling as she went to light a cigarette she had grabbed from her brother. Tara, fucking Tara Knowles had just come out of Abel's surgery to tell Gemma, Jax and Kate that he was stable, but it was going to be a rough road ahead. Wendy, the stupid whore, just couldn't give up drugs. Not even for nine damn months. The kid had a tear in his stomach and what Gemma called "the family flaw." She was going to strangle Wendy when she woke up. She looked up at the sound of the bikes rounding the corner, she quickly stood up dropping the cigarette to the ground and stomped it out as she watched Clay, Bobby, Chibs and Juice park their bikes.
The three walked to her and she weakly smiled when Juice jogged in front of the two to reach her quicker.
"Hey babe," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her, "you doing okay?"
"Fine," the other two men approached the pair and Juice unwrapped himself from her, his hand slid down her arm and laced itself with hers.
"Hey kid," Clay took his sunglasses off and looked at his daughter, "What's the word?"
"He's in NICU, tear in the stomach, hole in the heart. Plus who knows what other problems thanks to Wendy. Jax is on a rampage. Said something about," Kate took a moment to think about who she had overheard her brother talking about, "Darby? Said he was going to the Dog later."
"Aw shit," Clay turned to Bobby and Chibs, "Go find him make sure he doesn't do anything that's going to bring even more attention to us." They both nodded and headed back to their bikes, "How's your Mom handling this?"
"Well not only do we have to handle dealing with Wendy, but Tara is an assisting doctor on the case."
"I'm surprised she hasn't burnt the hospital down yet then. I'm gonna go find her," Clay starting heading for the man doors leaving the other two by themselves.
"I'm sorry all this shit is going down, babe," Juice grabbed her other hand so they were facing each other.
"You don't have to apologize, I'm going to wring her neck when she wakes up," Juice laughed and leaned in placing a kiss on her lips.
"Have you been smoking? I thought you were quitting?"
Kate bit her lip in contemplation, "I snagged one from Jax, and desperate times call for desperate measures."
He nodded his head in understanding and pressed his forehead against hers, "I love you Kate."
"I love you."
"Let's get back to the clubhouse," Juice pulled her hand and led her to the parking lot.
"I'll meet you there; I need to swing by Ope's house. I promised Jax I'd try and talk to Donna." Juice watched as Kate climbed in her SUV.
"I'll just see you before family dinner?"
"Definitely," Kate closed the door and Juice tapped his hand on the car before she drove off.
Kate walked into the small house and instantly smelled something cooking in the oven, "Are you not coming to family dinner?"
Donna turned from the cutting board she had been looking at, "What you don't knock anymore?"
"I didn't think it was a big deal," Kate walked up to Donna and leaned up on the counter next to her friend, "You didn't answer my question."
"It's not my family. Only bad things happen around you guys."
Kate stood up straight at Donna's harsh words, "Donna, how long have I known you? So Opie goes to jail for five years and we try to help you out every chance we get and you refuse it and it's our fault?"
"Kate-"
"No, Donna, we tried and you refused! You think you can keep him away from it for the rest of his life?"
"I can try."
Kate laughed cynically, "Donna, he'd leave you before he'd leave the club forever and I love you like you are my own sister, but you need to wake up."
"Hey-"
"The club is in his blood Donna. He was raised in this life. You can't change him and you knew this when you married him. You knew that jail was always an option."
Donna turned to Kate defeated, "Kate, you know I love you. But I was not raised like you were. I didn't go to school like you did. Do you know what happened to us when he went away?" Donna went back to chopping the vegetables she had been preparing when Kate walked in, "We are in so much debt Kate, so much. It feels like we'll never get ahead."
"Then let us help you, Don."
"It's not that simple. It won't ever be."
"Donna, I know my mom has told you this but you love the man, you learn to love the club."
"I just don't know that I can anymore."
"Well I suggest you try, it's only a matter of the time before he's back at the table," Kate looked down at her watch, "I've got to go. I told my mom I'd help her get dinner ready."
Donna putting down the knife she had been holding and went to hug her friend, "I'm sorry Kate."
"Just think about it. I love you, Don," Kate could feel Donna nod as they hugged, "I'll give you a call later this week."
"How'd your talk with Donna go, baby?" Gemma stirred the chili that had been sitting on the stove and looked at her daughter.
"They're not coming. She said we're not her family and only bad things happen when we're around."
"Dumb bit-"
"Mom, what if she's right? Look at Abel, look at everything we've been through."
Gemma stopped stirring the meal and walked to sit down next to Kate, "Don't you for one second think that this life is the reason for the things that have happened to us. That is a bullshit excuse for not taking charge of our lives."
Kate let out a breath and smiled at her mom, "You're right, I know you are. I'm just stressed, everything with Abel and then some dumb bitch showed up looking for Juice this morning."
"What do you mean showed up for Juice?" Gemma grabbed a pack of cigarettes sitting on the kitchen table and offered on to the blonde who shook it off, "Like he got his dick wet and she wanted more?"
"No mother, he said he was just friendly to her and she took it the wrong way."
"Speak of the devil," The front door opened and Juice, Half-Sack and Tig walked in. Juice said something to the other two men and walked towards the two women at the table.
"Hey Gemma," Juice stood behind Kate's chair and leaned down to press a kiss on the top of her head, "Hey baby, how'd it go with Donna?"
Kate put her hand on his that was resting on her shoulder, "Can we talk about it later?"
"Yeah of course, I'm gonna go out back with the guys. When's dinner gonna be ready?"
"Pretty soon, Juice tell the guys to start wrapping it up," Gemma got up from the table and went the stove. Juice let go of his grip of Kate's shoulder when she stood up from her chair and joined her mother at the counter.
"Kate, you okay?" Juice still stood by the table, "You don't look so good."
The blonde turned to look at her husband, "Yeah, hon. It's just been a long day."
Juice nodded in response and turned to go out back, "Baby, why are you lying to him?"
"I'm not lying, mom."
"Well you're not telling the truth. He's right you look like shit."
Kate reached into her parent's cabinets and pulled out dishes and began sitting them on the table, "I don't feel well. It's been a long day."
"Whatever you say, Katharine."
"I'm going to get the boys," Kate brushed her mother's comment off, leaving the kitchen and walking out the back patio door.
"Baby, I could've driven," Juice stripped down to only his boxers and flopped on the bed face down, his arm stretching over to rest on top of Kate's hip who had turned over to look at him, "I'm fine, Katie."
"Juice, you are hardly fine," she scooted closer to him as he rolled over under the blanket and pulled her closer, "You wreak of booze, babe."
"God, how did I get so lucky?"
Kate wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"How did I get such a hot and smart and funny and hot wife? How did someone like you fall in love with someone like me?"
"I think it was the Mohawk," Kate smiled and moved even closer to Juice putting a hand on his bare chest.
"I'm being serious, Kate," It was almost like he had managed to come out of his drunken state, "I love you so much and I don't know how you could've picked me out of all the guys out there."
"Baby," Kate intertwined her legs with his, "There is no one else on this planet that I could ever think of loving as much as I love you. You are too good to me and if you want me to tell you all the reasons I love you, I could go on all night."
Juice took a deep breath and rolled onto his back and Kate shifted so her was laying on him and pressed a kiss on his chest, "Kate?"
"Hmmm?"
"I want to start a family."
AN: Thank you to everyone who subscribed and favorited this story it means a whole lot! Sorry it took a while for me to crank this chapter out but school has been in overload lately! Please, please, please review and let me know what you think! Love you all! Ps. Hope you OTH fans liked my reference, see you next time!