"Here you go, John," Thomas' voice was tight as he placed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in front of Chibs' son. The cook was gracious enough to allow Thomas and Will the run of the kitchen. The events of last night had shaken the staff, but Jax and Tara were well-loved and well-respected repeat customers. Favors as simple as these were easy.
"Thanks," John murmured. Thomas looked at the young man. At fifteen, he was almost as tall as Thomas, but he was reed thin. There was no fat on him, just elegantly stretched muscle. His face was still boyish, but the beginnings of Chibs' well-defined jaw were apparent. His midnight black hair fell over his wary and grieving dark eyes. Thomas could feel the pain pouring off the kid, and his heart immediately broke for him.
Will watched as Thomas busied himself by pouring the boy a glass of milk. It was the first time he'd really seen any interaction between Thomas and a kid. It warmed his heart. Thomas hovered carefully, making sure John was comfortable. Even though he knew the kid less than an hour, Thomas' fatherly nature had made its presence known. Will welcomed it. He'd often dreamed of the day he and Thomas would marry. Even though Will knew children were a much-wanted part of his own future, he worried that Thomas wouldn't feel the same. He was incredibly relieved to see this side of his beloved.
"Is there anything I can do?" Will quietly asked. John's almost ebony eyes were huge as they stared at the older man. Will could see the remnants of tears on John's alabaster skin. The poor kid's eyes were teary and bloodshot as they spoke volumes. Can you bring my dad back? Can you stop this pain? Can you make this horrible nightmare go away?
"No, thank you," John answered. "The sandwich is plenty." It was actually the first thing he'd eaten since he heard his mother's sobs. He was in the kitchen when the phone had rang. He heard Althea pick it up, but he busied himself with a late night snack. When he heard Althea's tears, the snack was forgotten, and he went to investigate.
The two bedroom house John and Althea shared was a modest one, but it was well-kept and extremely clean. As John crossed the kitchen and entered the attached living room, he saw Althea leaning against the wall. She shivered as she cried, and immediately John knew something was terribly, terribly wrong. Althea Jarry was not a crier. She was an amazing sheriff, and she even though she was a strict mother, she was kind and loving, but the one thing Althea wasn't was emotional. John could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen his mother cry. The previous night was one of them, and he'd never forget it.
He watched as Althea hung up the phone. He watched as she began to sink to the floor, but she looked up, and seeing John standing before her, she stopped. Her sepia eyes overflowed with tears as she stood upright and walked towards him.
"What's wrong, Ma?" John heard his voice crack as he spoke.
"It's Da, Johnny," she quaked. "I just got a call. We have to get on a plane and get to North Carolina. Your father has been shot." Her lips trembled and tears began anew. "He's gone, baby. I'm so sorry."
"He's—dead?" Shock pulsed through the young man's heart as he stared blankly at his mother. Althea nodded. The irony didn't escape her. Chibs had lived through a Glasgow grin at the hands of Jimmy O'Phelan, countless near-death experiences through SAMCRO and the IRA, and it was a bullet at a wedding that ended it all. The thought was both heartbreaking and infuriating.
"Yeah, baby," Althea whispered. "Your Da is dead."
John didn't scream or rage. Silent tears traced his cheeks as his mother held him. They rocked back and forth as the truth settled in his mind. His heart felt as if it had been ripped from his chest. Nausea churned in his gut as he processed the reality of it. All emotion and sensation had left it. Numb was an appropriate word to describe John Jackson Jarry. Even now, with Thomas and Will standing near him, he felt utterly alone, but the loneliness didn't even register in his brain; he was too busy trying to breathe.
Althea Jarry would have been relieved to see her son eating. She worried that he was going to grieve his way into oblivion. Even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was a reminder to survive. Survival was the only thing on her mind as she discussed Chibs' burial arrangements with Jax and Tara.
"There's a plot next to Opie and Donna," Althea's voice was ragged with too many tears. "Chibs bought it long ago."
We canna live forever, Althea love. The words stabbed her as she thought of him. She wagered the pain would always be there. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.
"Do you need help with the arrangements?" Tara asked. Althea's eyes opened as she shook her head.
"I'm figuring that out now," Althea responded. "I have to tell the club, but I'm going to do that once we determine how to get Filip back to Charming. I don't know how I'm going to do it—I just keep wishing this wasn't real. I wish I could take it all back. I wish I didn't have to be alone."
"You're not alone," Tara stated. She grabbed Althea's hands. "You have us. Jax and me."
Althea pulled her hands away. "What can you do? Can you go back to Charming? Let everyone know you and Jax are still living? That's ridiculous."
"Like Jax said, our cover is blown. There will be no more Witness Protection. "
"It doesn't matter," Althea retorted. "You don't belong there anymore."
"Like hell we don't," Tara all but growled. Jax's eyes widened with surprise. "I walked away from Charming eighteen years ago to protect my family, but obviously, that doesn't make a difference. If I'd know that it'd eventually come back to haunt me, I would have stayed and faced it head-on. I thought we made a clean break. Clearly, that wasn't the case."
"So now you're just going to throw it all away?" Althea questioned. "You could always find another place to hide. They'll help you." Her brown eyes were anguished and tired. "This isn't the first time someone's cover was blown, Tara."
"My kids are adults now. How do you propose we get them into WitSec? What about Will Latrie and Hannah? They're involved in this too, as are Hannah's parents. What do you propose we do, Althea? Bring them all along? That's not conspicuous at all."
"I'm just trying to protect your family, Tara," Althea said quietly. "Filip would have wanted that."
"Chibs would want us to do right by you and John as well," Jax's voice broke in.
"Have you not stopped to think about the club?" Althea fired back. "Filip and I were the only ones that knew about you and Tara, and now you want to waltz in and tell everyone you've been alive this whole time?"
"Althea, you have to understand—"
"No Jax, I don't have to understand. Bobby is seventy-eight years old and his heart sucks. Tig will have to step into Filip's place, and Happy will be VP. You walking back into their lives isn't what anyone needs. It's just added stress."
Jax could not be deterred. "Look, I know you lost the man you loved, but I loved him too. As much as I want to protect SAMCRO, I want to find the bastards that took Chibs away from us."
"You've been gone eighteen years, Jackson," Althea spit. "Chibs was gone from you long ago. Don't the last few weeks fool you. There's no way you—"
"No way that he could what?" Tara interrupted. "There's no way my husband could grieve like you do? You couldn't be more wrong. Chibs was his brother long before he was ever your man. It doesn't matter how many years have passed; when Chibs showed up on our doorstep, it was as if eighteen years disappeared, and they picked up exactly where they left off."
"Aren't you worried about your family?" Althea asked. Tara's eyes flashed with frustration. "Aren't you worried about what will happen?"
"Aren't you worried about yours?" Jax replied. "It doesn't matter if we're here or in Charming, someone is after us, and they will find us all. You're more vulnerable, because all you have is a SAMCRO connection you can't even make public. Tara and I have a huge family. If anything, whomever is doing this will expect Tara and I to go to Charming. If we don't go with you, then we're luring them to North Carolina, to our family. If we go with you, they're going to follow. I'm sure you can pull some strings and have them protected while we're gone, am I wrong?"
Althea balled her hands into fists. Deep down, she knew Jax was right. It really didn't matter where Jax and Tara were; these people had managed to kill Chibs at Abel's wedding. The perpetrator was dangerous, no matter where the Tellers landed. He was right; there were plenty of favors she could call in. She had connections everywhere. That part would be easy. Maybe if you'd listened to me, Filip, and let me use my connections long ago, you would be alive. Fuck, you were a stubborn one, content to handle this mess alone. You wouldn't let me do anything. You should've never come here. She fought tears as she wondered what would've happened if she'd listened to her instincts. I'd rather have you mad than dead, Filip.
"I can," Althea said. She felt her resolve crumbling. "But I can just as easily ask them to protect John and me too."
Jax's nostrils flared in frustration. "You don't get it, do you? I want to go. I want to say goodbye to this man. He died protecting my family. The least we can do is go back and lay him to rest." Jax's lips quivered and his voice almost broke with that sentence. Tara reached out and grabbed his hand. The fear that lingered in her no longer mattered. She knew her husband needed to return to Charming, and a tiny part of her wanted to return to Charming too.
"Fine," Althea relented. "You're not going to take no for an answer. You're going to come no matter what I say, right?"
Jax nodded.
"Fine. I'll talk to my people and arrange protection for your kids." It was settled. Jax locked eyes with Tara. It was hard to believe that the woman sitting by his side was the woman that, just a few hours ago, feared going back to Charming. He thought Tara would fight. He was surprised to find the fear and anxiety was gone, and in its place was a hardened, sure-footed resolve. Did seeing Althea change your mind? Or was it John?
The door to the room creaked open. Jax, Tara, and Althea turned in the direction of the sound. Hannah stood in the doorway. She hadn't changed or done anything with her hair, and Tara noticed a slight greenish tinge to her complexion. Poor thing, Tara thought, The stress must be killing her. Tara stood and walked towards her daughter-in-law.
"What's wrong, Hannah?" the older woman asked. Hannah shook her head. She was visibly distraught. Her hand trembled as she raised it to her head.
"I'm sorry to barge in like this," Hannah apologized. "But I needed someone."
"Where's Ad—Abel?" Tara asked. Part of her wanted to laugh. She always tried not to slip up with their names before, but now, she still used their WitSec names. The irony was too much.
"He's trying to go after them," she said. Her silvery eyes matched the clouds outside.
"Who?" Tara asked.
"My parents," Hannah stated sadly. Her eyes welled up with tears as she looked up at her mother-in-law. Sympathy rushed over Tara.
"Honey, we are all leaving today," Tara whispered, but all it took was one look at Hannah's face, and Tara knew it was so much more than that.
"Yeah, but—" Hannah stumbled over her words. "They didn't even say goodbye. I tried to talk to them—and Daddy just ignored me. Mama wouldn't even talk. They just walked away like—like I didn't even exist. Adam—I mean Abel—was pissed. He's going after my dad."
"Fuck, not again," Tara cursed. "Jax!" Jax turned around and glanced in Tara's direction, but she was already running out the door with Hannah hot on her heels. Jax jumped from his chair and followed, unsure of what's going on. Althea remained behind, unsure of what to do.
Tara made it outside as James and Sarah Sinclair waited for their chauffeur. Of course you'd have a damned driver, Tara inwardly seethed. Pretentious fucks. After James and Victor's altercation earlier, Tara had no desire to deal with either James or Sarah. Abel stood before them, his face a mask of righteous Jax Teller anger. His nostrils flared, and his teeth clenched. His chest was puffed up, and his fists were clenched and ready to fight. Tara's heart beat faster. Adrenaline pumped through her veins.
"You can't even say goodbye?" Abel yelled. Tara's stomach lurched. God, another fucking fight. We're never going to be allowed back here again. "You're just going to throw Hannah away, all because of my family?"
James Sinclair said nothing. His face was swollen and purple as a result of Victor's punches. His left eye was almost swollen shut, and he looked awful. Sarah Sinclair didn't look much better. Even though her face was free of bruises and cuts, her eyes were red and swollen. It was obvious she'd been crying. Her face was makeup-free and blotchy. They were far from the powerful and regal couple from the night before. Tara now realized the happy couple picture they'd painted over the last seven years was nothing but a façade.
"She loves you!" Abel all but screamed as he stood face-to-face to with James Sinclair. Tara heard Jax behind her, and she watched helplessly as he flew by her.
"Get out of my face," James warned.
"What are you going to do?" Abel challenged. The sky was darkening, and the thick humidity precluded a storm. In the distance, Tara could see flashes of lightning. The wind picked up and ripped at her clothes.
"What are you doing, son?" Jax asked. He stood by James and Abel, and unlike his son, he was nothing but calm.
"I'm trying to figure out how my wife came out of this bastard," Abel yelled. "I mean, you and Mom just drop this shit on us, and instead of being sympathetic or worried about this is hurting us, he turns his back. Hannah doesn't deserve this. She didn't do anything wrong."
James and Sarah remained silent. Tara searched for their car. Please let that driver hurry the hell up.
"You can't even utter a word?" Abel's chest was touching James' chest, and Tara heard Hannah whimper next to her. Tara pulled the girl in close. Hannah was trembling terribly, despite the heat.
"Get. The. Hell. Away. From. Me." Each word that fell from James Sinclair's lips was a tight staccato. Abel didn't listen. He just moved closer. Tara recognized Abel's sarcastic grin. She'd seen Jax smile like that on many occasions.
"Or what, doc?" Abel countered. "You gonna throw me to the ground like you did Victor?"
"Abel, back up," Jax ordered. Abel ignored his father. The fury was too great; Abel was incensed that Hannah's parents would behave this way. In the seven years he'd been in Hannah's life, he'd never once seen this side of them. It was as if they were different people. Everything about them had changed.
"No," Abel whispered menacingly. "I want to know why."
"You really want to know?" James asked. A cold, calculating grin spread across his lips.
"Yeah, I do," Abel replied. Tara breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the car approach over the hill. Hurry up, she urged.
"I don't associate with trash," James whispered. "And when Hannah chose you over us, she chose trash." It took everything Abel had not to punch James. He backed up as if he'd been burned as Jax's palms twitched. Both Tellers wanted to deliver a beat down of epic proportions.
"You don't associate with trash?" Abel repeated.
"You heard me," James growled. Tara watched with bated breath as the car pulled in front of the house. Judging by the expression her husband's face, the conversation was not going well. She watched as Abel backed away, his hands raised in surrender. Abel's aggravation was plain; that didn't change. She watched as James and Sarah pulled their bags toward the car. The chauffeur got out the car and loaded the bags. As the doctor and his wife got into the car, Abel and Jax made their way towards Tara and Hannah. The car silently slipped away, its taillights faded in the distance.
"I'm sorry, Hannah," Tara said as she kissed the girl's forehead. Hannah said nothing; she just watched as her husband and father-in-law approached.
"It's okay," she said quietly.
"No, it's not," Abel stated firmly. "It's not okay. Your dad is a piece of shit."
"Son," Jax began, and Abel held his hand up.
"No Dad," Abel said. "Don't try and sugarcoat it. Don't tell her it's gonna get better. It may not." Jax nodded. His son was right. James Sinclair was a tricky son of a bitch, and the events of the last twenty-four hours had taken their toll on everyone. Maybe James would see the error of his ways. Maybe he wouldn't.
"What are we gonna do now?" Hannah asked. Just like Abel, her whole world had completely crumbled. Just a day ago, her parents seemed happy, and she was a bride. Just a day ago, everyone loved one another. They were a family. Today, she was still a bride, but she was basically, for all intents and purposes, an orphan.
"We're going to go home, Hannah," Abel said. Gently, he pulled his wife from his mother's grasp. "We're going to pack our things and go back to the apartment. Fuck the honeymoon in the Outer Banks; let's just stay home and relax. You can't be traipsing across the state like this, especially with the baby—" Abel stopped talking as Hannah closed her eyes. They'd discussed this the night before. They wanted to wait until everything calmed down before they said anything.
Tara's mouth opened in shock as she listened to Abel stop himself. Her hazel eyes were glossy as she looked to Jax. He'd heard it too.
"What did you say?" Tara gasped. "Did you say baby?" Jax moved towards his wife, an idiotic smile plastered on his face.
"Yes, he did," Hannah sighed with a wary smile. "I'm pregnant-eight weeks. I just told him last night—before all the screaming."
"I'm going to be a grandfather?" For once in Jax Teller's life, he was humbled. His best friend was gone. His kids knew the truth about them. His entire life was in complete and total disarray, and insanity reigned, but in the midst of all that, a new, tiny life was created. My first grandbaby, he thought. His eyes drifted to Tara. She was open mouthed and speechless.
"Please don't tell anyone else," Abel requested. He was upset that he'd let their secret slip, but the look on Jax's face was priceless. "We don't want anyone to know until we know everything is okay. With all the chaos, we just want everything to be good before the family knows."
Jax nodded in agreement. " We won't say anything." He enveloped Abel and Hannah in a tight and loving embrace. "I'm so fucking happy for you." That bright, beautiful grin was infectious, and before they realized it, both Hannah and Abel were smiling too. Only Tara was quiet.
"You okay, Mama?" Abel asked. She nodded and tremulously smiled.
"Of course I am," she whispered. "I'm just—shocked, that's all. It's a lot, you know?"
Hannah nodded. "I do know. But I also know that I'm going to need you, now more than ever. You may just be the only grandmother this baby has." That statement caught Tara off guard, but she knew it was true. With a gentle smile, she embraced Hannah.
"And I'll be the best grandma I can possibly be," Tara whispered. The sky had turned bleak and rain began to fall. As Hannah and Abel rushed inside, Tara and Jax followed. As they entered the chateau, Tara stopped at looked at Jax. He stared back at her. He was beautiful; there was no denying that. He didn't look anywhere close to what a grandfather should look like, but she thought, she looked too young to be a grandmother. Abel and Hannah walked upstairs hand-in-hand. Both Jax and Tara turned and watched as they walked away.
Everything became real. They were going to Charming. They were going to be grandparents. There was a whole new realm of insanity ahead. Tara slipped her hand in Jax's.
"We're going to be grandparents," Tara whispered incredulously.
"I know," Jax whispered back.
The whole thing was surreal. Tara never imagined being a grandma, and for a moment, she wondered why. It was then that the reason appeared, clear as day. She'd never imagined being a grandmother because she'd never thought she'd live long enough to see her grandchildren grow. She realized now she wanted nothing more than to see that. That baby was the only thought that registered in her mind as she prayed.
Please God, let them be safe. Keep Jax and I protected as we make our way to Charming. I have to come back to them. I have to see that baby be born. As Jax's fingers tightened around hers, she prayed harder.
Please God, let me live long enough to see that little one come into the world.