Austin wasn't even aware she had fallen asleep until a hand on her shoulder startled her awake. She blinked a few times and sat up straight in the chair.

"Sweetie, take a break," Gemma encouraged. "Have you even left the room since he came out of recovery?"

Austin cleared her throat. "Yeah, of course. I had Kip take me to the clubhouse so I could shower last night, and earlier this morning I went down to the cafeteria for coffee."

"Have you eaten?"

"I have," Austin confirmed. "Obviously Jax isn't eating his meals, so the nurses have been giving them to me."

Gemma shook her head and pulled the girl from the chair. "This isn't healthy for you. You need to get out in the sun."

"It's only been a couple of days, Gemma. The doctors said he should be more alert in the next day or so, then I'll feel better leaving."

"No, then you'll want to be around to help him as much as you can. I know you, sweetheart. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be here for him, but you're on the mend, too. Juice is out in the lobby – why don't you two go see if you can supervise moving everything out of your apartment."

She reallydidn't want to go back there. They had warned her that there were still bloodstains on the carpet and bullet holes in the walls. There wasn't really any sort of ongoing investigation since she had shot Lance out of self-defense and Lance was little bit too dead to be tried for any crimes against her and Jax or Miranda. Every time she pictured going back there, the whole thing played over in her mind.

"I don't want to go back there. That's the whole point of moving out."

Gemma took a deep breath and pulled up an extra chair in front of Austin. "Austin, you're not the kind of girl to run and hide from something."

"Actually, I am. That's how I came here."

"All right, don't be a smart ass," Gemma scolded. "You know what I'm talking about. You don't put up with shit from anyone, and you don't let anything stand in the way of what you want. That's what it takes to be an old lady, you know. Maybe you're not the same as the rest of us; you've got more expectations. But you found the right Son for that – he's got more to give than the rest of them. All I'm saying is, go back there and face what happened. It's not going to be undone, and I don't think you'd want it undone anyway."

Austin looked to the man lying in the hospital bed. "Maybe one part of it. All right, I'll have Juice take me to get my clothes and stuff."

"Good girl. I'll call you if anything at all changes, okay?"

Austin nodded. "Okay."

She kissed Jax's cheek before she left; even knowing she wouldn't get a response, it was difficult to leave. She glanced at Gemma once more and then met Juice in the lobby.

"Hey," she greeted him.

"Hey, Aus. You holding up all right?"

She shrugged. "As well as can be expected, I suppose. You mind taking me by the apartment to get some stuff and take it to the clubhouse?"

"Of course, no problem. You want to go now?"

"Sure."

Austin followed him out to the parking lot and got on the back of his bike. They'd have to go by the lot to get the van, but that was all right. At least it would delay going to the apartment a little bit.

Luann was speaking with Opie and Clay in the garage, and Austin noticed Juice was distracted by the younger woman standing with her.

"Juice?" she questioned.

"I'll be right there," he said, his tone denoting the distraction in his eyes.

Austin shrugged and headed for the van. She watched as Juice called out to the girl whose features were washed over in realization before she ran to embrace him. Austin smiled; she didn't know the back story there but it was nice to Juice seem so happy to see a girl. She'd seen that look in her direction before, from Jax. Yes, they fought a lot, but it was because they were both stubborn and opinionated. And she'd given anything to fight with Jax right about then.

A few minutes later, Juice got in the driver's seat and started the engine. Austin studied his face and didn't like what she saw.

"You look pissed off," she commented, immediately up in arms. "Who was that girl?"

"Relax," Juice replied as he pulled off the lot. "I know her from back east."

Austin raised her brow. "And?"

"Look, Aus, you gotta keep this between you and me for a little bit, okay?"

"Fair enough."

"I know her from back home. Her parents moved from Boston to Queens when we were ten. We were pretty close and … anyway. She's working for Luann now."

Now Austin understood why he was so upset. "I'm guessing she's not usually clothed when she's working?"

Juice shook his head. "No, she's not."

"What's her name?"

"Grace. Look, we really don't have to talk about this."

"All right, but just remember … I'm here if you need to talk."

"Thanks, Aus."

They rode the rest of the way in silence. Juice's mind was on Grace and Austin's was on Jax. When they arrived at the apartment, some of the men were moving furniture into a trailer.

"We've got a storage unit for you until you find a new place," Bobby told her. "How's Jax?"

"About the same," Austin sighed. "We're still waiting for him to wake up."

Bobby put a hand on her shoulder. "He's going to be all right."

"They keep telling me that," she said. "We came to get my clothes and a few other things. I'm gonna stay at the clubhouse until I can find a new place."

"All right. We haven't gotten to the bedroom yet. Thought maybe you'd like to pack your own … unmentionables."

She actually managed a laugh on that one. Bobby hugged her briefly before releasing her to go upstairs and pack.

.:.

"So this is home again, huh?" Kip smiled from the doorway. "Same place, different room."

Austin turned around from where she was putting clothes away and nodded. "Yeah. I figure once Jax is home, it's not like we're going to spend nights apart except when he's on the road."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. You need anything?"

Austin sat on the bed, hating the fact that tears were welling in her eyes. "What the fuck, Kip? I never cried before I came to Charming. Now it's all I fucking do."

"Are you pregnant?" Kip joked as he sat next to her.

Austin rolled her eyes. "You're not funny. No, I just … I came here to start over. I'm not a bad person, but I'm not exactly the most upstanding citizen either, you know that. I just thought coming here, working with the FBI, I'd be able to find my start somewhere else after everything shook out here. But then I got here and being around my brother again, being part of a family for the first time in my life – even when Miranda was with my stepdad, it never felt like a family, no matter how nice he was to me. I feel horrible saying that, I mean, the man taught me all I know about cars. I would be a lot more fucked up if it wasn't for him. All I'm saying is, I got more of a start than I bargained for."

"And Jax?"

Austin sniffled. "I definitely wasn't expecting Jax. I guess I should have called you before I came out here so you could have warned me."

Kip chuckled. "Even with a warning, you would have fallen for him, Aus. I know you and I know Jax well enough to know you two wouldn't be right for anyone else. Even if you're constantly at each other's throats."

"Yeah, you're right about that," Austin laughed. "You know, before the cops and the medics showed up the other night, he told me he loves me."

"Jax told you that?"

"Oh, come on. He thought he was dying. Give the guy a break."

Kip hugged his sister and kissed the top of her head. Maybe he wouldn't have expected Jax to say the L-word first, but he wouldn't have expected Austin to either. That's how their relationship worked – they figured out how to compromise with each other.

"What was that for?" Austin asked when he pulled away.

Kip shrugged. "I'm just happy that my little sister found someone who'll take care of her."

"When are you going to find a girl, big brother?"

"Now who's being funny?"

Austin smiled and picked up her keys. "I'm going back up to the hospital."

"You want a ride?"

Austin shook her head. "No, I'll take the Charger. Thanks though."

"Hey, Aus?"

She turned around at the door. "Yeah?"

"I know you've got Jax and I'm really happy he takes care of you and all. Just … don't forget you've got a brother, all right?"

Austin smiled. "Never."

.:.

Gemma was standing outside of Jax's room, cell phone in hand, when Austin arrived. Gemma looked up and disconnected her call.

"I was just calling you. He's awake," Gemma grinned.

Austin grinned as well, rushing into the room. The breathing tube had been removed, and Jax was staring in the general direction of the TV but didn't seem to be watching it.

"Hey there, handsome," Austin greeted quietly as she approached his bedside.

Jax turned his head and smiled. "Hey, beautiful."

"How do you feel?" she asked, lacing her fingers through his.

"I'm a little sore, but other than that I feel better than I did when I got here."

"That's good," Austin smiled. "I was really worried about you."

"I told you I wasn't going anywhere."

She nodded. "I know. So, all of my stuff is in storage, except for my clothes and the clothes you had at the apartment. I moved those to your room at the clubhouse."

"That'll work for now. We'll find a place soon. Gemma told me you got hit."

"I'm fine. Just a graze."

"It's a good thing you already killed him, or I'd have to do it."

Austin smiled. "No, we're in the clear. Feds came and talked to me the night it all happened. Self-defense is a beautiful thing."

"Yeah, it is," Jax smiled, reaching for her cheek. "You gonna kiss me now or you gonna make me wait longer?"

Austin giggled and leaned over the bed rail to kiss him. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me, too." He sighed and looked up at her. "Doctor said I can go home in a couple days if all stays well."

"How long till you can … well. Let's just say this sick patient business is all very enticing."

Jax licked his lips and smiled. "I'll probably need a nurse when I go home. Maybe we should hire one."

"Just try it," Austin dared him, narrowing her eyes.

Gemma came back then with a nurse who needed to check Jax's incision and sutures. Austin sat back, all the while keeping the smile on her face. Now that she knew Jax was going to be okay and Lance and Dougie were both dead, there wasn't much to worry about. Clay might bring up the shit with the manuscript again one day, but she was going to enjoy some happy times while she could.

"What are you thinking about over there?" Jax asked.

Austin smiled. "How much of a pouty baby you're going to be when you get back to the clubhouse."

Gemma laughed. "I know that's right."

Jax rolled his eyes. "You two can't gang up on me. That's not fair."

"Don't worry, baby," Gemma told him. "You know that you're going to get spoiled. Between your mother and your old lady, I think you're going to be just fine. And you know the boys are going to want to have one hell of a party once you're up to it."

"Any excuse to drink, that's for sure," Austin added.

Jax rolled his eyes again and took every joke they had in stride. He was alive, Austin was alive, and everything was going to be all right. Just like Austin, his mind wandered to Clay and his knowledge of JT's manuscript, but, looking at his mother and the beautiful girl he got to call his, he didn't care just then.

.:.

Five days later, Jax got to wake up in his own bed in the clubhouse with his old lady next to him. The doctor had warned him that any type of naughty was going to have to wait at least four weeks, but Jax didn't mind. He had a new appreciation for Austin after the whole scenario with Lance and Dougie. Not only because they had both made it through with their lives and whole, but the way she had handled it. Looking back on it, if she had done it the same way without the club, she still would have been in the same place. Except, maybe not beside him in bed, and that was something that he wouldn't change for the world. What was important was that Austin knew how to take care of herself, with or without him.

"You're kind of creepy when you watch me sleep, you know."

Jax smirked. "You're so cute when you sleep though. You know, before you wake up and open that mouth."

Austin took his joke for what it was and giggled as she reached out to pinch him. Jax caught her by the wrist before she could be successful and pulled her on top of him.

"Kiss me," he begged.

"We're supposed to be behaving ourselves," Austin said as his lips neared hers.

"Teasing is underrated," Jax told her, capturing her mouth with his.

Austin giggled again and accepted his kiss. She'd never been much for teasing before but with Jax, she would take as much teasing as he was willing to give.

A knock on the door interrupted them; Austin groaned as she rolled back to her own pillow. Jax bid the visitor to come in. They were both a little surprised to see Piney walk through the door just a few seconds later.

"Sorry to barge in like this," he apologized. "I just needed to talk to the two of you and thought it was best to do it before the place was really crawling."

"What's going on?" Jax frowned.

"I've got something for you," Piney told him.

Austin thought maybe she should take a hint. "I better get dressed for work."

"No, you stay," Piney ordered. "John Teller was my best friend before he died. There wasn't anything John knew that I didn't know. Guess it was pretty natural that when Gemma found that manuscript in your room and brought it to Clay's attention, he came to me to find out what I know."

Jax sat up a little straighter. "You know about that?"

"Not only do I know about it, but I have another copy." He dropped a thick brown envelope on the bed. "And now you do, too."

Jax and Austin exchanged surprised glances. This could cause a world of trouble – trouble they thought would be farther off in their future.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are great, and you really encourage me to get chapters out faster. I'll post the epilogue to this story in the next few days, and then Juice's story will be next, so be on the lookout for that. Thanks for reading!