A/N - As promised - plenty of Jax and Tara! Ta daa! There's lots of stuff coming up, so get vocal, I'd love to hear your thoughts, suspicions, demands and requests as well as feedback, I'm that kind of writer, I want to shape it to you too! Just don't forget, the path is never what you expect it to be ;) S x

Tig bounced gleefully down the stairs back towards the main bar. Jax had been doing a decent job of making conversation with Nero to cover for Tig's investigation but it was clear they were running out of topics. Tig's return was a welcome relief to both of them, although Nero was curious as to what he'd been looking around the club for. He crossed his arms and looked at Jax with suspicion.

"Don't you trust me, mano?" he asked, waving his hand towards Tig. Jax smiled.

"I don't trust anybody," he replied with an easy cool in his tone. "Don't worry, you're not the only one."

Nero chuckled, not sure if he should be insulted or honoured by Jax's grand statement. Eventually he just blew the air out of his cheeks and shoved his hands in the pockets of his cardigan, standing up on his toes before sinking back down into his heels.

"I got nothing to hide," Nero said. He looked at Tig for a moment and Tig gave him a little conspiratorial wink. A little secret back-scratch never hurt anyone, he was sure of that. Jax flared his nostrils as he thought on it before taking Tig's word and nodding.

"Nina was at the club last night," he said, as if trading some sort of information. "Chibs made sure she had somewhere safe to stay overnight."

Nero gave him a tight smile. "Appreciate that," he said. "She, uh, she's not so impressed with the whole, you know, companionating thing." He looked around Diosa with pride in his eyes, he loved the business he had built and what it had taken to show his commitment to cleaning up his act.

"They don't always get it," Jax said supportively. "But just give her some time."

"Just take care of her for me if she's round your place?" Nero asked. Jax never really heard weakness in his voice, but he could now. It was clear that Nero cared very genuinely for his daughter, even if they had been estranged. "That girl, she's my life."

Tig tried to suppress a smile, he'd be doing everything to take care of her. Jax extended his hand to Nero and they shook before sharing a rough hug.

"You have my word," he said. "We both know how this works, we're in it together."

Gemma waited silently on the staircase until Jax and Tig left Diosa. She listened for the sound of the Harleys to fade into the distance before venturing down into Nero's line of sight. He groaned with relief, rubbing his hands through his hair before putting his arms around her, pulling her close.

"That was a close one, mama," he said with a tired chuckle. "Don't want to upset your boy."

"You can thank Tig for that," Gemma laughed, stroking his cheek before separating and helping herself to an orange juice from behind the bar. "Seems he's smitten with one of your girls."

"I'll have to thank him," Nero smiled. Gemma clamped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing at that.

"You won't want to," she said challengingly. "Something about your daughter?"

Nero felt his heart sink into his chest and he glanced back at the door Tig had left by. The thought of any of them going near Nina upset him, but Tig had always had a very dark, negative energy around him, one that Nero was wary of.

"That his trade?" he asked bluntly. Gemma nodded.

"Just a date," she said softly, resting her hand on his arm. "Give him the go ahead and we're covered." Nero didn't look convinced and Gemma frowned, her hands on her hips as she looked at him. "Come on, what's the worst that could happen?"

Tig escorted Jax back to his place before leaving him to return to the club. Glancing at his watch, Jax was relieved to see it was already lunchtime and Tara's car was parked in the driveway. Halting the bike at the curb, he hopped off and strode purposefully up towards the house. Even just that few hours felt like too long, he'd missed her, he'd missed his boys. Any time away from them always made him more passionate about his next chance to see them.

"There you are!" he beamed, grabbing Abel and tossing him up in the air. Abel squealed with pleasure as Jax helped him up onto his shoulders and trotted around the house like a pony, making Abel laugh as he tugged on his father's long hair. Tara laughed as she glanced up from making sandwiches in the kitchen.

"You're in a good mood," she said, eyeing him. Jax swooped in and pressed a long, lingering kiss on her cheek until Abel yanked at his hair. He neighed and snorted like a horse in Tara's ear before galloping around the room and tossing Abel down on the couch and tickling him mercilessly.

"I got my team around me," Jax said proudly, looking up at them all. "My beautiful wife, the mother of my two gorgeous sons. What's not to like?"

He pressed a kiss on Thomas' head as he passed him and, prising the butter knife from Tara's hand, pressed her back against the counter. He kissed tenderly along her neck to the top of her spine, making her shiver with delight at the sensation. Tara murmured happily at the feeling and leaned back into him.

"I have to feed the boys," she whispered as Jax rubbed his hips up against hers.

"I'm hungry too..." he teased, his lips grazing her ear as his hand snaked around her waist, slipping just into the band of her pants. Tara giggled and glanced back over his shoulder.

"Jax, the boys."

Jax sighed, she was too good at being a mom to ever get to be his wife. He watched as she carefully spread some tuna paste on the sandwiches and smiled, leaning on the fridge.

"Why don't you make normal sandwiches?" he asked "PB and J, like most kids have?"

"Because I'm a doctor," Tara said, eyeing him. Jax shrugged.

"I ate PB and Js every day for my entire childhood and-"

"Look how you turned out?" Tara grinned as she cut the things into triangles and plated them. She put Abel's on the table for him and gave one to Thomas to chew on before cutting off an edge and feeding it lovingly to Jax. He winked and pulled up his shirt, showing off his perfect six-pack. Tara laughed and gave him an approving pat on the stomach, there wasn't an inch of fat on the damn guy and she had to be grateful for that, that was for sure.

"I'm not so bad," he murmured, hooking his fingers into her belt hooks and pulling her to a grinding halt against him. Tara gave him a playful, disapproving look.

"If it was up to you, they'd survive on cookies and milk," she said. "And so would you, there'd be no abs then, Mr Teller."

"Good job I've got you then, Mrs Teller," he beamed, enveloping her in his arms and squeezing her tightly. "I swear, I don't know what I'd do without you, Tar. We go together, like-"

"Peanut butter and jelly?" She knew it was a hint, reaching to the back of the cupboard she pulled out his favourites and made him a sandwich too. Jax looked as thrilled as a child in a candy store to see her give in and meet him half way. "You sort out your business this morning?"

Jax nodded and put his hands in his pockets as he watched her. "Yeah, just some stuff with Nero and my Mom that needs handling. Just another thing slotting into place," he added as she pushed the plate into his hands. Tara smiled.

"Seems like a lot of pieces," she said, the tiniest slip of concern in her voice. "You sure you're in control of everything?"

Jax laughed at that and gave her a sticky kiss. "I'm the king of Charming, baby. I've got control of everything."