"My baby." Donna's words, the first she'd spoken in hours, startled Tara. She stiffened in her seat beside Donna's hospital bed. The new mother's voice was rough as she cleared her throat repeatedly and tugged at the oxygen tubes in her nose. Tara offered her water, but Donna shook her head. "My baby," she repeated. She pressed her hands to her abdomen, which was still swollen, but definitely no longer pregnant.
"Donna, let me get your doctor." Tara's heart was in her throat as she stood up. The hospital had been unable to locate Donna's parents. The closest relative they could find was her grandmother in Oregon. She was on her way, but wouldn't arrive for another few hours. Jax was still out looking for Opie. Piney was in the NICU with the baby. Tara was the only "family" Donna had at the moment.
"My baby," she said again, grabbing Tara's arm with more strength than Tara expected her to have, considering all she'd been through.
"The doctors are taking care of her," Tara promised. Donna's eyes filled with tears.
"She's okay? My little girl's alive?" Tara smiled, trying not to cry herself. If she was going to be a doctor, she would have to learn to handle situations such as this.
"She's alive," Tara assured her. She was careful not to promise that the baby was okay. That, she wasn't sure of. She saw her only briefly, as they whisked her out of Donna's room and down the hospital corridor leading to the NICU. She was so small. And so quiet.
Donna breathed a sigh of relief, trying to hold back the sob that was stuck in her throat. "What happened?"
"Donna, you really need to talk to your doctor," Tara insisted.
Donna shook her head. "I want you to tell me. I know you know all about this medical shit." Tara sat back down, glancing at the door, which was slightly ajar. She prayed for a doctor, a nurse, anyone to interrupt and save her from this conversation.
"They can't tell me anything," Tara explained. "I'm not family." The look on Donna's face revealed that she strongly disagreed. It made Tara's heart swell, and her concern for her friend that much greater. "But from what I've been able to gather, you suffered a placental abruption."
"A what?"
"It's where the placenta detaches from the uterine wall before delivery and deprives the fetus of oxygen. Almost always results in an emergency c-section. They took you back for surgery as soon as we got here. They got the baby out in time, thank God."
"So she's okay?" Tears spilled over onto Donna's cheeks, and she didn't bother wiping them away.
"She's small," Tara admitted. "But she's a fighter." She took Donna's hand in hers and squeezed gently.
"Where's Opie?" Donna asked.
"I'm here." Tara jumped at the sound of Opie's voice. He was standing in the doorway, Jax behind him, the most pitiful, lost look on his face. It broke Tara's heart. The room was silent, waiting for Donna's response as she stared at the father of her child.
"Our baby," she finally whimpered, breaking down into uncontrollable sobs. Tara stepped back as Opie rushed to Donna's side, taking a tentative seat on the edge of her hospital bed. He pulled her into his arms and cried with her, kissing her as he pushed tangled, sweat-drenched hair out of her face.
"I'm so sorry," he said. "Baby, I'm so, so, so sorry. I'm an idiot. Please forgive me. I love you so much."
Under different circumstances, Tara imagined Opie would have had to work much harder for Donna's forgiveness. But given that they'd just almost lost their baby, and that Donna herself had nearly died, Opie's indiscretion with a crow eater seemed to pale in comparison. Donna held onto him for dear life as she wept. Tara slipped past them, toward the door, where Jax was fighting back tears. She took his hand and pulled him further into the hallway, closing the door behind her to give Opie and Donna their privacy.
Jax draped an arm over Tara's shoulders as they made their way toward the waiting room. Tara let out a ragged breath. Now that she was away from Donna and didn't have to be a pillar of strength, she was finding it harder and harder to maintain her composure.
"How is she?" Jax asked.
Tara smiled. "Good, considering." She was proud of her friend. She'd always considered Donna to be somewhat selfish, but the fact that her first thought, her only concern, was her baby...that was the kind of mother Tara wanted to be someday.
"And how's the baby?" The words were foreign on Jax's lips. He was still trying to get used to the fact that his lifelong best friend was a father.
"I'm not sure," Tara admitted. "She was so small, Jax." Jax pulled her closer as she blinked back tears. He kissed her forehead.
"And how are you?" he asked. Tara shook her head, chewing on her lower lip as she tried to decide how to answer- if she even could answer without her emotions getting the better of her. She inhaled sharply, but a commotion in the waiting room interrupted her before she could speak. "Jesus Christ," Jax grumbled, recognizing the very heated voice at the same time Tara did.
Gemma was standing in the middle of the waiting room, still in her wedding dress, commanding the crowd's attention. Clay and the rest of the SAMCRO crew flanked her sides, all dressed in their usual attire- leather and denim. Although, they did look a little less unkempt than usual. A lone nurse dressed in turquoise scrubs stood on the receiving end of Gemma's wrath, her cheeks bright red and her lower lip quivering.
"I don't give a fuck what your policy is, you snooty little bitch. We are that girl's family, and right now, we're all she's got. Now you tell me what room she's in before I rip your tits off!"
"Mom!" Jax yelled, rushing to put himself between Gemma and the nurse. "What the hell you doin'?" Gemma glared at her son, still angry that he'd ditched her wedding.
"Where is she, Jackson?" she demanded.
"She's with Opie," Tara interrupted. "The two of them need a little time. Let's all just relax." Clay pulled on Gemma's arm, trying to lure her toward the very uncomfortable looking waiting room chairs. She obliged. Her eyes narrowed so fiercely, Tara wasn't even sure how she could see out of them. She pursed her lips, the taste of defeat bitter on her tongue.
"Lucky cunt," she seethed, turning away from the stunned nurse before she could respond.
"I'm so sorry," Tara whispered to the nurse, not sure why she was apologizing for Gemma.
"We'll get her out of here," Jax promised. The nurse nodded appreciatively before hurrying away down the hall. Tara imagined her walking right out of the hospital, too traumatized to ever return. Treating mass trauma injuries? No problem. A run-in with Gemma Teller- or, Morrow now- no thanks! Jax turned to his mother, his jaw clenched. "Ma!"
"Don't start with me, son," Gemma warned. "Today is not the day."
"Gemma," Tara said softly, taking a seat next to the not-so-blushing bride, "what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at your wedding reception? Or on your way to your honeymoon?"
"My family needed me." Gemma's words were simple and very matter-of-fact. Tara searched her eyes for some hidden agenda, but she saw none.
"That's very kind of you," Tara smiled. "I know Donna will appreciate it. But Opie's here now, Donna's grandma is on her way, and hopefully now that Donna's awake, we'll find out where her parents are. She's okay. Why don't you guys just go back to the reception and enjoy what's left of your night?"
"Don't try to placate me, little girl." Gemma's voice was accusatory and full of venom. "We are a family. Nothing matters more than family. Donna needs us. Piney needs us. And Opie, idiot that he is, he definitely needs us. We're not goin' anywhere." Clay almost looked like he wanted to question his bride's decision, but she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms, making it clear that the discussion was over. He leaned back in his seat as well, placing a hand over hers.
Tara found Clay and Gemma's dynamic so odd. Here he was, this big, bad, muscular, tattooed outlaw- the leader of a notorious motorcycle club, being ordered around like a puppy dog by a woman half his size. It was almost comical. Sometimes Tara wished Jax wasn't so opposed to his mother and Clay's relationship. She liked them together. But as Jax's old-lady-in-training, his grudges were her grudges.
Jax sat down beside Tara, resting his hand casually on her knee. She tried to keep her thoughts from going astray as his fingers worked their way up her thigh, higher than was appropriate in public. They'd originally had a very different evening planned. She rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes. She'd gone from a wedding to a cemetery to the back of an ambulance to the emergency room at St. Thomas all in one afternoon.
But that's how things were now. Her days were so full of Jackson Teller, she hardly even had time to think about her father and the unexpected emptiness his absence left in her life. On the rare occasion that she did allow herself to think of him, she felt a guilty ache deep within her soul. It was something she was unwilling to talk to anyone about, because that would mean admitting she missed her dad. And she wasn't going to do that. She was right to leave him, she knew that. He'd failed miserably as a father, and then tried to take away the one thing in her life that made her happy- the first person to show her love since her mother died. But that didn't mean she didn't struggle with her choice at times.
In Jax, she'd found her true self. And as she looked around at the members of SAMCRO and their wives invading the hospital waiting room, all there to support the teenage girlfriend of a club member's son…she knew she'd found something else, too- a family. Her family.
She smiled and closed her eyes again, feeling her breathing slow and her muscles start to relax.
"Tara?" Halfway between sleep and consciousness, Tara wasn't sure if someone was really talking to her, or if she was beginning to dream. "Tara." The voice was louder this time. Definitely real. Her eyelashes fluttered as she forced herself awake, stifling a yawn.
"Opie," she mumbled sleepily, getting up. "Is everything okay?" Jax's big, goofy best friend seemed to have aged years in just a matter of hours, and he looked as tired as Tara felt. Still, there was a genuine smile on his face.
He nodded. "Everything's great. I'm just on my way to see my daughter." The words were somehow natural on his lips. "Donna wants to see you before visiting hours are over."
"Does she know I'm here?" Gemma pushed past Tara, invading Opie's space. She seemed appalled that Donna would choose to see Tara over her, especially considering that she'd cut her wedding reception short to be there.
"Yeah," Opie said, glaring at Gemma. "One of the nurses told us." Tara fought back a smirk. She had an idea which one. Opie cleared his throat, addressing the room. "Donna wanted me to thank you all for coming, but she's very tired and needs to get some rest. So she wants you all to go back to your party. As soon as the baby's home and doing well enough, we'll bring her by TM to visit everyone." Opie watched his extended family rise from their seats, stretching and talking amongst themselves as they prepared to leave. "Oh, and uh…one more thing," he added with a grin. "We're getting married!" Tara stepped out of the way as Opie was mobbed by the crowd. She slipped down the hall to Donna's room, hoping Gemma wouldn't follow her, although she wouldn't put it past the SAMCRO queen.
"Hey, Donna." Tara greeted her friend quietly, testing the waters. Donna's eyes were closed, and Tara hoped she was asleep. Opie was right, she needed her rest.
"Heeeeeey, Superstar!" Donna's voice was thick with sleep. She smiled, stretching her arms out to her sides as she yawned.
Tara raised an eyebrow, confused. "Me?"
"Of course," Donna said, patting the bed beside her. "You're my hero, Doc. You saved us. Me and the baby both. We're even talking about naming her Tara."
Tara smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Donna. "Don't do that. Your daughter deserves a way cooler name than Tara. God, I can't believe you have a daughter!" Donna giggled. "And what's this I hear about you and Opie getting married?" Donna laughed again. She was downright giddy.
"I know it's crazy. Especially considering the fact that I was ready to chop his balls off earlier today. But I love him. And we have a family now. I just…do you think it's crazy?" Tara took a deep breath, tilting her head toward the ceiling. She wasn't sure what to say. But when her eyes met Donna's and she saw how happy she was, how much she needed Tara's approval, she had no choice.
"I think it's great," she lied. "I'm really happy for you guys. You let me and Jax know if there's anything we can do to help, okay?"
A tear rolled down Donna's cheek as she smiled, relieved, and nodded. "Thank you," she whispered. "Ugh, these damn hormones!" Tara laughed. "I mean it," Donna said. "Thank you so much. For everything. I don't know what I would do without you, Tara." Their moment was interrupted when Opie and Jax entered the room. Tara stood, finding her way to Jax's side, slinking her arm around his waist. He pulled her close, resting his hands comfortably on the contours of her hips. Opie took Tara's place next to Donna on the bed.
"Everything good?" Jax asked, pressing his lips to Tara's briefly.
"Yeah, man," Opie smiled. "Everything's great."
Jax turned to Tara. "Let's get out of here and leave these love birds alone, shall we?" Tara nodded in agreement. They said their goodbyes and started down the long hall that lead to the parking lot.
When they reached the fresh air, Tara sighed, finally letting out the breath she'd been holding for hours. Jax studied her tired face.
"Come on, babe," he said. "Let's go home."