"Do you think he's going to wake up, Jax?" Tara's voice was a mixture of fear, sleep deprivation, and genuine wonder. They stood at their son's bedside, waiting for Hannah to be wheeled up. Dr. Parker had dialed back the drugs that had kept Abel sleeping. So far, he remained deeply embedded in his coma, leaving Tara to think the worst. She knew, better than anyone, the longer Abel slept, the worse it would be.
"I don't know," Jax said, hands deep in his pockets. Tara looked at her husband, amazed at how much the summer had aged him. The blonde hair had highlights of beautiful white, and the crinkles around his gorgeous blue eyes stayed, even when he wasn't smiling. "I guess all we can do is hope."
"I think we're running out of that," Tara mumbled as tears caught in her throat. Jax, unsure of what to do, wrapped a cautious arm around his wife. His eyes roamed his son's sleeping form. One would ever know the struggles Abel Teller had endured. He looked healthy. His cheeks were rosy, and he breathed evenly. He'd lost some weight in his prolonged sleep, but he still looked good. He didn't look like he had a heart condition, and he definitely didn't look like the son of an addict
It was hard to believe that Wendy's heroin addiction forced him into the world early; still, the heart defect inherited from Gemma's side of the family had done him no favors. Still, he fought. He grew. Hell, with Tara as his mother, he thrived. Abel had so quickly become a man, and Jax couldn't believe how much he'd survived.
You're so much like me, Jax thought with a mix of pride and sadness. Abel hadn't had more than a cold since they'd arrived in Silver Spring, but the minute Hannah disappeared, he was lost. His body shut down, and Abel was reduced to nothing. Jax's eyes flicked back to Tara. The older Teller had learned long ago that Tara was the air in his lungs and the beat of his own twisted heart. Without her, he wouldn't fare much better than his son.
"Please don't say that, babe," Jax rumbled. "He has every reason to live. Hannah and the baby are back, and they're healthy. Ophelia is gaining strength every day. The majority of our Charming family is still here, and we are-"
"So close to everything falling into place," Tara finished with a whisper. "But Jax, we felt the same way when we got to Silver Spring all those years ago, and look at all that's happened. Hell, we still don't know what exactly happened with Hannah and Opie—I mean, there's no trace of Lucius-and the girls haven't even left the hospital since they waltzed into the Silver Spring PD. Every single day, we lose leads. Every single day, whomever wanted to fuck us is still able to fuck us."
"That's why we have Tig and Althea," Jax argued. "Althea is brains, and Tig is the muscle. Thomas has, to everyone's shock, been a huge help with that, as has Will. We're safe for now."
"For now," Tara bit back. "We're back to for now. How long does Johnny have to grieve for Tig without his mother present? Let's not forget that Tig is over sixty and has Happy running SAMCRO in his absence, and as for Thomas and Will, I sure as hell don't want them to have to protect us. We were supposed to have found the source of the problem and eliminated-"
A quick knock on the door stopped Tara mid-sentence, and before she could finish, the door opened and Hannah entered. Sitting within the confines of a wheelchair, she looked healthy and radiant. She was recovering well, and her OB was confident she'd be released within another day or so. There's no point in even letting her go, Tara thought. She won't leave here without Abel.
Hannah's gray eyes lit up the minute she entered the room. One hand rested on her now visibly protruding belly, and the other held what appeared to be another stream of ultrasound photos.
"Here you are, Miss Hannah," a robust voice filled the small space. Tara smiled. Iris. The statuesque ebony beauty wheeled Abel's wife into the room. Hannah looked up at Iris and grinned. Iris clicked the wheelchair brakes into place and moved the legs to the side, allowing Hannah to stand. Tara's eyes lingered on the bump that protruded outward. Hannah's cradled her baby protectively, and wistfulness swept over Tara. She just couldn't wait to meet that baby.
"Thank you, Iris," Hannah said sweetly.
"You're welcome," Iris replied. She nodded in Tara's direction with a broad smile. "Miz Tara."
Tara nodded back, beaming for a brief moment. Jax caught the look between the women and couldn't help but smile. For a second, Tara looked like she used to: carefree, happy. That was the Tara of spring's end. Jax questioned whether or not he'd see that side of Tara again before autumn came. He wondered if he'd see that side of himself as well.
"Thank you, Iris," Tara said quietly, and the ultrasound tech left the room with a cordial wave. Hannah approached them, and Jax pushed a chair in her direction. Hannah sat and offered a strand of ultrasound photos to Tara. Tara unraveled the strand, eyes nostalgic as she did so.
"Another good report," Hannah stated. "They're looking at releasing me tomorrow."
"That's awesome," Jax replied. "We can get you settled at the cabin. Maybe then Jack—"
"I'm not going to any cabin," Hannah interrupted softly, but her tone was firm. "I'll be here, at Abel's side, until he wakes up."
"I think that's a bad idea," Jax stated. "I think you should leave Abel to us and get some rest. You have to think about the danger. Lucius is still out there, as are the bastards that are employing him. You're in a fucked up place, honey. We didn't keep you safe enough before. We have to now. I'm not taking another chance. You need to rest. You have to think of the baby."
"I've been resting for months now," Hannah shot back. "You're not going to stop me from staying here, Jax. I love you and the family so much, and I am grateful for your protection, but Abel is my husband. We've been married for less than a few months, and he's—he's here. In a hospital bed. Y'all have cared for him since I've been-" She trailed off, choking up. Tears fell down her cheeks.
"That wasn't your fault, baby," Tara said as she kneeled by Hannah. "Jax is just trying to keep you safe, that's all."
"I know," Hannah's voice shook as she spoke. Her silvery eyes met Tara's with heartbroken defiance. "But that doesn't change anything. I'm staying. I'm not going anywhere."
"You're going to the cabin, Hannah," Jax stated firmly. He wasn't yelling.
"No, I'm not," Hannah retorted. Where Jax was quiet, Hannah's voice raised.
"Yes, you are," Jax's lips tightened into a thin line. "We can't afford to keep you here right now, not with Lucius lurking about."
"What do you mean, you can't afford to keep me here?" Hannah questioned. "If anything, keeping me here allows you to not spread security so thin."
"She has a point," Tara stated. Her hazel eyes gazed up at him questioningly. Jax inhaled deeply through his nose and bit his lip. He didn't want to acknowledge it, but they were right.
"I'm not going to walk away from him, Jax," Hannah said. "Just like you wouldn't walk away from Tara." She locked eyes with her father-in-law. "Just like he wouldn't leave me."
"Who am I leaving?" a voice quaked sleepily. Hannah and Jax turned their eyes to Abel's bed. His eyes were open. Tara then turned and saw her son's eyes, while not wide and super alert, they were clearest, most beautiful blue she'd ever seen.
"Abel?" Jax's voice cracked. Without even thinking, he went to Abel's bed and bent down, weeping openly. Tara stood, her legs shaking, as did Hannah. The women watched while Jax held his son, moved by the moment. Despite each one's yearning to do the same, they allowed Jax his chance to love Abel.
"Dad," Abel croaked. "What's wrong? What's going on? Where am I?"
"You're in the hospital love," Tara whispered from behind Jax. "You had a heart attack. You had another surgery, and Dr. Parker put you in a coma to protect you."
"Mama?" Abel sounded childlike again for a moment. Jax moved away and allowed Tara to be seen. She moved towards him, her face soaked with tears. "How long have I been out?"
"A few weeks," Tara answered honestly. "It's been the longest few weeks of our lives. They've been backing off your meds to bring you out."
"I guess it worked," Abel said with a sleepy smile. "I'm up." The smile then immediately faded. Tara watched as memories began to flood him. He glanced around the room, but all he could only see his parents. "Hannah? Oh God, Mama, is she still-?"
"I'm right here, baby," Hannah spoke up. It was now Tara's turn to move and let Hannah through. Like Jax before her, she walked towards the bed. Tara saw Abel's eyes widen as he took in her changed form. She bent and laid her head on his chest, sobbing. Now on autopilot, she crawled into his tiny bed and wrapped herself around him. Instinctively, one hand went to her hair, the other went to her belly. He was shocked to see how much she'd grown.
"I must've been out for a while," Abel said with a careful, gentle smile. Everyone laughed softly at his joke.
"You were," Hannah said with a smile. "But you woke up just in time. Your daughter will be very happy that her Papa is awake."
"Daughter?" Jax crackled. Again, tears filled his eyes. He glanced over at Tara, who stood, dry-eyed, smiling ear-to-ear. "You knew?" He whispered happily in her direction.
"I didn't, until about five minutes ago," she said honestly. "It's clear as day on the ultrasound. I averted my eyes before, but I couldn't look away now."
"Were you going to tell me?" Jax turned and looked at his beautiful wife.
"I guess we'll never know, will we?" Tara smiled broadly.
"There it is," Jax said quietly with a grin that mirrored his wife's. He grasped her waist and pulled her close.
"There's what?" Tara asked.
"The smile I've been waiting for all summer," he replied, rocking as he held her. "I thought I wouldn't ever see it again." Before she could question it, Jax forgot where he was. Overcome with emotion, he kissed Tara gently.
"Get a room, you two!" Abel quipped from his bed. They broke apart, blushing. As Tara turned her eyes to the boy she'd saved and raised, her heart felt full for the first time in ages. Everything was coming together. Abel still looked somewhat tired and weak, but he was awake and alive. Hannah was at his side, and Tara knew her granddaughter was kicking around too. Tara was almost content, but if the past had taught her anything, it was to not expect miracles. She always erred on the side of caution. It kept her on her toes.
Still, standing in Jax's embrace, staring at Hannah and Abel, it was impossible for Tara to not allow herself some happiness. As she looked on, she knew that, no matter what hell it brought at times, she was unbelievably blessed to have these people in her life. Maybe miracles could happen, after all.