Jax Teller, eighteen years old the sexiest man in all of Charming, California. He had the best-looking girl, Tara Knowles, all to himself for the last four years. However, now that high school was over, Tara was leaving or medical school. She would have done anything to have Jax leave with her. She wanted him out of SAMCRO; she wanted them to have their own family. But he said no. Jax couldn't turn his back on the club, not after all the family had done for him and Gemma since his father's death. No, he had to stay in Charming. Jax had to become a member of the club, his prospect days were almost over.

The Harley-Davidson Dyna pulled into the airport parking lot, no doubt getting everyone's attention. Jax carried Tara's one bag to the gates and gave her one last chance to change her mind.

"Tara, are you sure you have to go?" He dropped the bag at her feet and begged her to stay.

"I have to get out of Charming, Jax. I don't understand why you won't come with me."

He didn't want to have this fight again. Over the several days, the once happy couple had done nothing but fight and make-up. They rarely left Jax's bedroom. He wouldn't end things with a fight.

"It doesn't have to be like this," he told her, "You go do what it is you want to do. I love you, Tara, but I can't leave the club. If you're making me choose, it's not going to be you, Darling."

"Yeah, you've made that perfectly clear," she said, her tone irate. Tara snatched up her bag and turned her back on the boy she loved, and on Charming. She was better than this town, better than SAMCRO, and she would prove it to everybody.

"I'll miss you, Babe," he said in a whisper as he watched her board the flight.

Tara was taking his heart with her, even if she didn't know it. Jax was crazy in love with that girl, he did all he knew to do to show her what she meant to him. But he couldn't leave the club. The brothers needed him. Charming needed him. He was raised to be loyal to the leather vest. If Tara couldn't understand that, she wasn't the girl for him, at least that's what Gemma told him.

Gemma never did care for Tara. The day she met Jax's girlfriend, she warned him that he would have his heart broken When Jax let high school and Tara began looking into colleges, Gemma knew their love story would end sooner rather than later.

Jax watched the place take off before he drove away. There was a part of him hoping she would get off the plane. He knew from the moment he saw her that she would be his wife one day. Now, with Tara on a flight to New York, Jax had to bury his feelings and get back to work. Club duties didn't stop because of a broken heart.

"She's gone?" Gemma questioned when she heard the office door open. She knew the sound of Jax's bike.

"She's gone," he said. He kissed his mother's cheek and grabbed a beer from the fridge.

"I'm sorry, Baby. Maybe it's for the best. She was holding you back."

Wanting to change the subject, he brought up their job for that night. Clay wanted Jax and Opie to ride up to Redding. They had a contact there about guns who had shorted the club close to two grand. It was up to Jax to solve the problem. This would be his first kill and Opie was the only one he could be honest with. Jax was scared out of his mind, but this is what he had to do to earn his place in SAMCRO. This murder would be his ticket out of the prospect life.

"You'll be fine," Gemma promised, "Just remember to always look a man in the eyes with you pull the trigger. Don't think too hard about it."

Easier said than done, Ma.

Jax wasn't himself the rest of the day. Everyone could tell yet they said nothing. They knew that Teller temper well enough to understand the boy needed space. He dealt with things on his own. Today, he just happened to take his anger out on the Harley that had been sitting in the shop for two weeks. Another link to Tara, he thought. He kept putting off the repairs to hang out with her. Now she was gone for good and he was left with this piece of leaking rust. Why the guy didn't scrap it, Jax didn't bother to ask.

He worked on this bike until Opie arrived for their trip to Redding. The sun was setting but the evening was still warm. He had made the right choice by wearing the t-shirt instead of the long sleeves that she had picked out for him.

The boys said their goodbyes and headed out on their bikes.

"You alright, Man?" Opie asked before they left.

"Great. She's just a girl," he shrugged, "I'll find another one," he was unconvincing, and he knew it, that's why he drove away before his best friend could call him out on it.

"Not like her," Opie said to himself, then followed alongside Jax.

Redding as about an hour drive for the guys and they loved every second of it. Something about riding a Harley in the Spring evening made them both feel free. That's what Jax needed, freedom. When he was on is bike, he didn't have to think about anything He almost didn't miss Tara's arms around his waist. With every gust of wind, he almost couldn't smell her freshly washed hair and lavender scented body wash. Almost counted for nothing, though.

When they arrived, the man-if you could call him that-was sitting outside smoking a cigarette. He saw the Harley's pull up and knew what fate he had. He should have known better than to steal from Clay Morrow and the Sons.

"I can get the money," he said before Jax's fist met his mouth.

Jax didn't hold back. This guy was his personal punching bag. Everything he felt about Tara came out as blood and bruises on this guy's face. Jax beat him so badly he became unrecognizable. Opie used all his strength to pull Jax back, to get him under control, but it did no good. Jax couldn't be stopped. He pulled out his gun and fired three bullets into the skull.

"So much for being okay," Opie said, hoping to bring Jax back to reality. "What was that?"

"Clay wanted him dead. He's dead. I'm a Son now."

That was the firs time Opie saw the darkness in Jax. John Teller would never kill, nor order a kill, that's not why he started SAMCRO. After JT toed, Clay and Gemma changed everything. Opie no longer wanted to be a part of it. He would ride things out with Jax for a little longer, but no way in Hell would Opie become a Son.

"Let's go home," Jax said, ripping the cross necklace off the dead body.

Opie had no words. Truth be told, he was scared to say anything. He saw this darkness in Jax's eyes, this fire that burned with every pull of the trigger. He wanted more, he didn't want to stop killing. Opie knew when to keep his mouth shut.

Back in Charming, Clay was waiting at the club house for Jax. He wanted to toughen the boy up, strengthen that spine of his. Sure, things had changed from when the club first started, but Clay was about making money and having power. He wanted to show Jax how a real man takes care of his family. SAMCRO would belong to Jax someday, and Clay had to make sure the kid was capable.

They pulled into the parking lot, but Opie stayed on his bike. "I'm gonna take off, Jax. I want to see Donna tonight."

"You two doin' alright?"

"I love her," he grinned, "I told her yesterday that I wanted to marry her."

"And she stuck around?" Jax teased, but he was happy for his friend.

"She did," he laughed, "She might be pregnant, we'll find out for sure on Monday."

"That's great, Man. I'm happy for you both," Jax hugged hum then headed inside the club house.

Clay was sitting at the head of the Reaper table. "Is it done?" He was prepared for a fight, he didn't think Jax could kill anyone.

Jax dropped the bloody necklace onto the table. "It's done," he took a seat next to Clay.

"Good boy. You're a man now, Jax. Your life is about to change."

Neither of them could begin to imagine how right Clay had been that night.