Running-Wild22 , Sla1996, Kas19, Jaxolelady, Ang- thanks so much for sticking with the story. You have no idea how good it makes me feel to have your feedback. I know I've been a tease, but I think you'd better scroll down and start reading ;)

ThomasCrown-you have been there from the beginning and I must say THANK YOU SO MUCH! I would totally give you every spoiler imaginable and hand you the titles, but the truth is I haven't written anything out yet. I mean I have an outline with events that I need to cover that I feel are essential EG Tara getting a tattoo, the breakup, etc. but other than that I've been winging it. That's the only way I can finish writing anything. I just sort of jump on the computer and start typing. Then I wait an hour, watch tv, and go back and edit. I promise to keep the updates coming though and I am building up all these moments to have an epic conclusion. 3 you!

Belle, you just killed me! LOL, I do the exact same thing with my reviews! I must say that I really appreciate how in depth and detailed your comments are. I feel like you're my SOA psychic twin! I feel the exact same way, and I'm so elated that you're picking up on the depth behind the story. My favorite part of writing has been building up the mythology. The show gives us five minutes of Tara and Jax and in that short time we get so much emotion that we know something deeper must be going on. I've said it before, these two have history and I'm the historian until KS gives us flashback scenes.

Zazzles, YAY for email alerts! And yes, the connection will get more connected in a lil bit*hehehe

Well kids, you've asked for it-here's your reward! Hopefully, it will kick your weekend off to a good start!

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"Well you seemed to enjoy riding me so much I thought I'd take you to school."

Chapter 5: Ride

"Excuse me?" said Tara. It was still too dark for Jax to notice the way her eyebrows were reaching for her hairline.

"Relax babe, I'm just kidding. But I really did think you could use a ride to school," said Jax, and he was really glad it was too dark for her to notice that he was blushing.

"What-what? Okay…it's really early though…did you really wake up just to come give me a ride?" said Tara. She was still a little groggy and the randomness of the moment left her feeling like she was still dreaming. It was surreal to say the least.

"Nah, I was just in the neighborhood and thought that you might like a ride…" Jax was starting to think that this was a bad idea. Actually, he had not woken up early…technically he hadn't slept yet. He had lain in bed, frozen and staring at the ceiling whilst his mind replayed their interactions over and over again. Around three in the morning he had showered and played around with his hair, combing it this way and that, before mussing it up and letting it dry in the same carefree style. He had ciphered through his wardrobe several times, consciously trying to find a shirt that would show of his body, but not make him look like a tool bag. It was ridiculous. He never did this kind of shit. He was acting like a teenage girl going on her first date. He didn't really care though, and brushed it off with the normal Jax Teller ease. He just had to see her again and figure things out, find out what she had done to make him feel this way. Maybe if he fucked her it would go away.

"Come on, it's gotta be better than riding the damn bus," he said, and he hated how it almost sounded like he was begging. There is an awkward pause and staleness in the air as he waits for her response, and he has to stop himself from jumping in victory when she walks towards him and pulls on the helmet. He loves the way her arms feel wrapped around his chest.

"Oh, and good morning," she says, her voice vibrating the back of his ear. He feels his dick twitch a bit and he knows she can feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Little minx, he thinks, and feels like Tara may have more of a naughty side to her than she lets on.

This sets up a routine for them for the rest of the week, Jax picking her up and dropping her off at school. By Jax's standards, they are taking things incredibly slow, but he's not put off at all. He's never worked for more than an hour to get pussy, so after a few days, he begins to think this may be something more. But it was on the fifth day of detention that he realized that they were MORE than just friends…they were connected.

Tara was scribbling away in that neat scrawl, taking down notes with her browed furrowed up in concentration. Jax was doodling on his arm, lines twisting into abstract branches. His forehead was crinkled in deep thought. She enjoyed that they could spend time together and not have to say anything. Just his presence was enough to satisfy her and there were never any awkward silences.

"What are you drawing?" whispered Tara through the side of his mouth. She noticed that he had drafted branches and scribbles, but it was the distinct "RIP" that stood out to her.

"I'm thinking of getting a new tat…for my old man," he said, and his eyes grew incredibly sad. Tara's heart ached for him. He didn't say anything else, and the pained look in his eyes told her he wasn't ready to go into details. Rumors of a motorcycle accident drifted mutely in her mind, but didn't want to pry.

"My mom died too. I was nine. It still hurts me too," she said, her eyes watering slightly. He looked up into her eyes like he was seeing her for the first time. Again that electricity crackled between them, this time it was softer, but no less potent. Understanding passed between the two. Jax nodded his head slightly and Tara smiled that soft smile that she reserved only for him.

"Can I ask you to do something with me?" he asked, his eyes suddenly going bright and shiny.

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Jax waited a few minutes after shouting for Tara. A few townies glanced at him nervously, but after realizing who he was, ignored him completely. He watched the car disappear and just waited. It could have been hours; it could have been minutes. He couldn't believe she was back in town. It was like someone had zapped him with a cattle prod-no- it was more like Jesus resurrecting Lazarus from the dead. He was alive again and he didn't know how to cope with the time that had passed or how he was going to carry on. Eventually he made his way back into the grocery store. Wendy didn't say anything and simply glared at him with her severe eyebrows. Her mouth was pulled into a wrinkly frown like she wanted to say something, but thankfully she held her tongue.

They stocked up on groceries, Jax operating on autopilot the whole time. He was going through a tsunami of emotions that crashed and broke down upon his body. He was furious that she left him behind, AGAIN! He was elated that she was back in town. His dick throbbed with the memory of being inside her.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when he arrived at his (Wendy's) house. He didn't even remember hailing the cab or loading the groceries, but apparently he had done both. Wendy stomped in the house with a click clack of her inappropriate hoochie heels. Jax stocked up the cupboards and stored the perishables in the fridge. She still hadn't said a word to him and she just stood there waiting. He simply picked up his keys and walked out to his bike in the driveway.

"So we have a check up in a week… I'll call you," he said, not bothering to apologize or make up any excuses. Wendy was seething.

"So that's the Tara huh?" she said, nostrils flaring, "What's the big fucking deal?"

"Wendy, don't go there okay, it's complicated," he said. He wanted to explain more, tell her that this woman was his life and that he'd been dead the whole ten years that she was gone. Tell Wendy that he was sorry that he used her and that she was just a poor substitute. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"FUCK YOU," she said, and what she really meant was you broke my heart. Jax simply nodded and drove off on his bike. Wendy went to find a spoon.

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Tara sped all the way home, but thankfully had avoided all the cops. She didn't think she could handle that kind of distraction right now. Her nerves were rattled and her breath was coming out in shaky gasps. She was on the verge of tears again, replaying his husky voice over and over in her head. She didn't really get a good look at him as she ran out of the store, but she could tell that he was still beautiful. That somehow made it much harder. The fact that he was still in town shouldn't have surprised her given their history, however, seeing him there was unexpected. It opened up old wounds that she didn't have the strength to heal right now.

The Kohn situation had left her emotionally devoid and terrified. It seemed she had grown jumpier and more fragile after he'd traumatized her. That, coupled with seeing Jax again, had left her nerves on shaky grounds. Only her training as a surgeon allowed her to push the pressure away and function normally. When she got home, she settled down on the couch with a glass of red wine, breathing in the heady scent to soothe her screaming nerves. She walked over to the small bath and ran hot water, adding a comforting lavender soap to bubble up the tub.

She had finished her second glass and poured herself a third, sinking down in the small ivory tub. The temperature was almost hot enough to scald and she simply melted in the warmth. Slowly, she felt muscles loosen and the water eased some of the tension away. She kept sinking further and further down until she was fully submerged. She opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling with water filled eyes.

Only then did she allow herself to think about him. He was married. The pain rolled through her stomach again, her heart crying in agony. Of course he would be married. She was probably one of those filthy croweater whores, and she had the honor of carrying his baby. For the millionth time, Tara wished she had stayed. She wished she didn't always have to run away, that she was braver and stronger. Her womb ached when she thought of the girl…Wendy, was her name. It should have been my baby, thought Tara.

She quickly sat up in the tub, splashing water over the edge. The fact that he had slept with another woman wasn't really what had hurt her. He was an attractive man after all. It was the fact that he had made a commitment and created a bond with another woman. Created life. He had always told her that she was the only one. She remembered his declarations of love and the way he would confirm it with his body. She slowly slipped her hand between her legs and started rubbing. He's moved on with someone else. She was trying to make herself forget this headache that was forming. He's having a baby with someone else. A hammer started pounding away in her temples. He doesn't love you anymore. Pounding, POUNDing, POUNDING-someone was pounding on the door!

Tara quickly hopped out of the bath, splashing water carelessly, and pulled on her warm terry cloth robe. She ran to the door, cell phone in hand as a precaution. She knew to be careful, in the very odd case that it was Kohn-related. Slowly, she opened the door, peering through the crack.

It was Jax, and he pushed his way through.

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The last thing Tara expected Jax to do was take her to a tattoo parlor. Right after their last detention, he had come up with this spur of the moment idea and wanted "moral support" or so he said. They hopped on his bike and made their way up to JERRY'S CHARMING INK. It was in a little bit of a rundown part of town and Tara felt a little out of place in her khakis and cardigan sweater.

"Really, you can't be serious?" said Tara. "You're underage, you have to have a parent with you."

"Not if you're connected," said Jax as he wiggled his blonde eyebrows. He pulled out a wad of cash dramatically and held open the door for Tara to enter the dark shop. There was a tall, olive skinned man sitting behind the counters of the gypsy looking store. The walls were plastered with different prints and paintings, all models demonstrating this man's talent. His arms were covered in sleeve tattoos with elaborate works of art. "Jerry, this is my girl Tara; Tara this is Jerry, he's the owner," said Jax.

Tara smiled politely and blushed a little at what the implications of being Jax's "girl" meant. Jax slipped Jerry a sizeable wad of cash and leaned in conspiratorially towards Jerry.

"I need a new piece done, and I don't have time for paperwork," he whispered dramatically. Jerry simply nodded and walked them back. Tara stood to the side while they talked about the design and meaning. She watched as Jerry tenaciously listened to what Jax was saying and moved his pencil back on forth on his notepad, adding lines as Jax spoke. Finally, he held up his pad and Jax's eyes lit up in delight. "It's perfect," he said.

It was a lament for his late father, something that he'd been wanting to do for a long time. She watched as Jerry soaped up his arm to remove the ink from the ballpoint and prepped his skin. He loaded the ink and put Jax's arm in position. He started moving his hand in quick, swishing gestures as he laid out the diagrammatics, the needle buzzing against Jax's pale skin. Jax kept his eyes locked on Tara's and she didn't even realize they were holding hands until he was squeezing it. His brow had wrinkled up in pain as Jerry went over the sensitive bones where his wrist met his forearm. Acting on instinct, Tara leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss on his brow. Jax stopped breathing. Tara stopped breathing. I can't believe I just did that, she thought. She was mortified and tried to pull her hand away, but he held fast. His fingers locked around hers and his face lit up into the most brilliant smile she had ever seen, revealing dimples and creases that she hadn't seen before. He was gorgeous.

She avoided his gaze after a long moment that should have been uncomfortable. Her eyes moved to Jerry as he masterfully began building a memorial on Jax's arm. It was a tree in a night setting, it's roots twisting down into his father's gravestone, the branches reaching ambitiously towards the heavens. Jerry started darkening the lines, still working on the haunting design.

They had made small talk after the chaste kiss, still not taking their eyes from each other and still holding hands. Tara's eyes eventually went to the logo on the back of his cut. Fingering the lettering , SONS OF ANARCHY, she asked him a question that he would dread to answer.

"So, tell me about the SONS," she said.

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Jax had not gone straight to Tara's house from Wendy's. This was not because he was being rational or thinking things through. He had simply needed to numb the pain and had stopped by the clubhouse, lifting a bottle of Jack Daniels from the bar. Then he drove to Tara's.

The old man's house was exactly as he had remembered it. After Tara had left Charming, he must have driven past a thousand times, reliving moments from their youth. Sure it was a little more worn down, and the grass was a little longer, but the ghosts were as fresh and present even after a decade. Popping open the bottle, Jax sat on his bike watching from across the street. His mind started racing faster and faster. After five or so swigs of the liquor, his darker thoughts started emerging.

He thought about kicking in the door and shooting her in the chest for leaving him in the first place. Then he would turn the gun on himself for hurting her-something he promised he would never do. He would throw her down on the floor and fuck her til she fainted. He would make slow, sweet love to her and then blow his brains out so that nothing could hurt him again. He would talk, explain to her, yell at her, and convince her that leaving was the biggest mistake of her life. She belonged here, she belonged with him!

He ran through all these different scenarios in his mind, hating himself for the darkness there, and wishing he had the guts to go through with half of them. As he drained the bottle, the night wore on. Twilight had left it's dusky orange and purples in the heavens. He still just sat there and watched the house, his inhibitions disappearing with each sip of Jack. Finally, he resolved that he would just talk with her. He just wanted to let her know how he felt. He wanted to know what was going on with her: if she was married, had any kids, just find out about her life in the last ten years. If she had married he would kill her on sight-no, he would never do that. Still, he pulled his gun out of the holster and slipped it under some bushes. Once he was weapons free, he started ambling down her driveway and knocked lightly on the door. She didn't answer. He knew she was home. He started pounding, harder and harder, until his fists started hurting. Finally she peeked through the door, and Jax had to get inside.

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Tara didn't know what to think. Jax had just burst in right when she had been thinking about him in the most intimate way. She was still wet from the thought, and not from the water. She took him in with her eyes, noting the way he had filled out over the years. He was firmer, thicker, a man now. His hair was slightly longer, but still as unruly as ever. Her eyes drank in the bold curve of his chin and his pink lips, his strong nose and the stubble on his cheeks. He was still devastatingly beautiful. She stopped at his eyes. She couldn't look at his eyes…not yet.

"Jackson, it's good to see you. Wh-what brings you here?" she said very formally. Her voice was strained and her cheeks were red from the wine and the bath.

Jackson simply stared at her with his watery eyes. He had had way too much to drink and he was painfully aware of his growing erection as he took in the sight of her. Her auburn hair was dripping wet and sticking to her face in a way that made him want to smooth it away. She was older and she was still perfect. Her dark eyelashes were almost too long, and they delicately framed her burning eyes. He was transfixed by her mouth and the sloping curve of her pink lips. Ivory skin was tainted by a blush that brought back memories of their shy exploration of each other. This was a bad idea, him coming here. He didn't know what he would do or what he was capable of.

"I'mmmm, I'm reeeaaally drunk right now," was all he could say. He wanted to yell at her and kiss her, but that was all he could get out as he stumbled on his feet.

"Yeah, I can see that. What are you doing Jax?" she said more intimately, this time locking eyes with him. She was weary and dreading how this would play out.

"I just wanted to see you," he said meekly. "I needed to-"

"This is a bad idea," said Tara, cutting him off, "you need to get home." She walked over to the door and was going to let him out, her hand resting on the knob. "To your wife."

Jax closed in behind her, stumbling as he rushed over. Before she could open the door, he pressed his hand over hers. She was still facing away from him as she froze up from his intimate proximity. Sparks passed from where their hands were touching. He breathed in the intoxicating scent of her wet hair and unconsciously rubbed his hard member against her backside. "Tara," he all but moaned.

Something snapped inside her just then, and instead of throwing him out the door, she turned the lock in place. She spun around quickly, trapped in between the door and Jax's arms. She locked eyes with him once more and his piercing gaze burned through her body. He had watched her gesture with the lock and took in the implications of what it meant. He gulped in an almost comic way.

Suddenly her lips were crashing down on his, and he was meeting her back fiercely in a flurry of tongue, and lips, and teeth. Primal urges coursed through Jax's body as he tugged at her soft robe, pulling her completely naked in a matter of seconds. Tara made short work of his clothing, ripping off his cut and throwing the dark leather across the room, almost in a disgusted manner. She tore through his shirt, exposing bare skin as she raked her lips across his chest, buttons flying in the air.

Jax hissed as her teeth grazed his nipple in a not too gentle manner. He was shocked by her aggression, but he too needed to release his rage, his pain. He pushed her back and hoisted her off the ground, pinning her to the wall. She automatically wrapped her legs around his waist, moaning as he suckled on her breast. His penis was hard and bulging against the denim of his jeans, gently brushing against her intimate parts. He swirled his tongue around her nipple before licking a stripe across her chest and repeating the motion on the opposite side.

One firm arm held her in place as the other fumbled with his belt buckle. After a frustrating amount of seconds, he finally sprang free and rubbed his dick against her opening. She was wet, and hot, and slick, and she was grinding against him in desperation. He drove in with an almost brutal force and immediately started pounding way, vindicated by her throaty grunts and moans. He wanted to punish her for leaving him, for leaving without him. He wanted to fuck her til she cried, until she forgot everything except for him, and remembered that she loved him.

Tara was waging her own battle for dominance. She was writhing at the agonizing force of his penis. He was hitting her in just the right spot, pelvis to pelvis, creating a delicious ache that was completely different than the one she had in her heart. She pulled at his hair and bit at his throat. She was pissed that he was married, pissed that he was having a kid. She raked her nails down his back, trailing little droplets of blood, punishing him for not leaving with her. For choosing the fucking club over something as amazing as this. He hissed in pain or maybe pleasure and she licked her tongue inside of his mouth, swallowing his breath. She opened her legs wider and he grunted as he pushed deeper. She clamped down as felt him driving in, causing his legs to buckle. He knew what she was doing, fighting for control.

So he played dirty and used his thumb and forefinger to pinch her clit, almost too hard. She cried out and she started to spasm around him, her pussy throbbing and enveloping him as she rocketed through her orgasm. It was too much for Jax. That familiar pressure started tingling at his spine and pulling through his abdomen, and when she came, she started milking him. The force was too great and roared through his orgasm, pumping into her violently as he spilled his seed.

As they both rode out their climaxes, Jax slowly let them sink to the floor, still locked together. He wrapped his arms around Tara's back, holding her close to him. She held his face in her chest and gently rocked him back and forth. Both of them had tears streaming from their eyes, still no words were exchanged, and they just rocked, softly back and forth.

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A/N: Loved it, hated it? Let me know. I always felt that the way they acted in S1 was too awkward and cordial for them to be like "Hey, I'm back after ten years, let's be polite and awkward." They gave me the "we had sex and I don't know how to deal with it" vibe, so that's what I'm playing on. So there was sex in this chapter, but I wanted it to be more than just copulating. It is very much an aggressive manifestation of them being completely and obsessively in love and being without it for ten years. There's way too much hurt for them to just talk it out, so they reconciled it in a much less constructive (but still really yummy) way. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!