Kit hadn't felt real fear like this in a long time. She followed Jax down the ladder to the clubhouse and saw the damage that had been done. There were bullet holes all along one wall and broken glass littering the floor. People were bleeding and crying everywhere. All Kit could think of was Rachel. She pushed through everyone and finally spotted her cousin sitting on the ground, alone with her head down to her knees. Panic flooded through her body as she ran over to her, praying she wasn't hurt.

"Rach, are you okay?" Kit asked, frantic.

Rachel looked up and hugged Kit tightly without any hesitation. Her heart was racing. She was taking big inhales but shallow exhales. She was shaking. She was having a panic attack. She felt herself calming down as Kit rubbed her back gently. Everything going on between them the past few weeks didn't matter. Rachel couldn't imagine her not being here now.

"It's over, Rach. You're safe, you're fine," Kit told her softly. She looked around and saw that despite the assault, most people were okay or hit with minor injuries. It wasn't as bad as it looked. She heard the sirens getting louder outside as police and ambulances approached. "Is Juice okay?"

Rachel nodded, her breathing evening out. "We just walked in from outside and the firing began. If it had been a minute later…"

Kit released her and looked at her face. Her mascara was all smeared. "It's going to be okay. Everyone who's hurt will go to the hospital and the guys will figure this stuff out." She really couldn't think of the poor souls who were outside when the drive-by happened.

"How can you be so calm?"

"I think I'm just in shock. You're okay and that was my biggest worry." She didn't see Jax or any of the other Sons. Gemma and some of the other old ladies were floating around though, trying to make sure everyone was okay and helping where they could. "Where is Juice?"

"He went with the others, after the shooters." She hugged Kit again. "What if he gets hurt? I can't deal with this Kit. It's too much. It's one thing to know he's out there but now he's after people who obviously want him dead. What if he doesn't come back?" She was getting worked up again.

Kit kissed her head. "Rach, he's going to be fine. He's with his brothers and they won't let anything bad happen to him. He's tough, babe. You know that." She sat Rachel back on the floor. Kit needed to get her home. Being here with all the anxiety in the air was making her worse. She got her a bottle of Jack from the bar and ordered Rachel to drink some to calm her nerves.

The police arrived and the circus began. They began taking names and questioning witnesses while the ambulances took away the wounded. Coroners took the dead. Four hang arounds, one of them a potential prospect, had died. Bobby was hit in the shoulder but he would be okay. The girl he had on his lap did not fare as well and had undergone massive blood loss. She was rushed to ICU. Opie was also hit pretty bad and was off to St. Thomas too. Kit had heard one of the girls saying they needed to bring Lyla clothes in the hospital because hers were covered in Ope's blood. Kit was almost glad she was planted inside on the ground with Rachel. It almost made it less real, less intense. She didn't know how she would feel if she actually saw Opie or any of the other people who were seriously injured.

A slew of other people were hit or grazed by bullets and/or cut by glass from the broken windows. The hospital would be having a crazy night. Luckily, most of the Sons had gotten away and were able to go after the shooters. To say everyone was shaken up was a major understatement.

Gemma looked over at Kit and Juice's girlfriend, Rachel, sitting on the ground across the room. They hadn't moved since before the police got here. Rachel had her head on Kit's shoulder, eyes closed and an open bottle of Jack Daniels in her hand. It looked half-empty from her vantage point. The matriarch walked over to check on the women.

"She okay?" she asked, looking at Rachel with real concern in her eyes. She liked this woman, especially for Juice. His last girlfriend was certifiably insane so Rachel was definitely a welcome change. She was a sweetheart who always volunteered to help where she could. It had been rough for her to fit in here in the beginning but she had come around.

Kit stroked her cousin's red-brown hair gently. "Just had a little too much to drink. All she needs is a bed and she'll be fine."

"I'm going to the hospital to check on the boys. You should come by. I know it'll mean a lot to Jax," Gemma told her.

"So, I do you one favor and suddenly you're on my side?" Kit asked her, coming across a lot more snarky than she meant. "Sorry, that's not what I meant. It's been a long day and an even longer night. I've got to take Rachel home. I think it might be best if I stay with her. She was pretty hysterical before. We can come by in a few hours once we know a little more."

"Do what you gotta do," Gemma said, a little prickly.

She understood that this situation was difficult but if Kit couldn't handle a little blood, then she was with the wrong guy in the wrong club. Pushing through and being strong was what being an old lady was all about. This club was a family. They'd just bled together and now they would heal together. By not going to the hospital, Gemma saw Kit as not being someone who could handle that kind of lifestyle and relationship. If Jax was serious about her, he would need her at the hospital and she just wouldn't be there.

Gemma watched Kit haul Rachel up and out of the clubhouse immediately after Sheriff Roosevelt gave everyone the go ahead to leave. She just hoped she remembered to deliver those damn letters in the morning.

Kit looked at her phone vibrating in her hand. It was Jax. She had just gotten home with Rachel and put her to bed. The weight of the whole night had hit her hard when she was by herself. She could have died tonight. Rachel could have. They were just lucky. In her heart, Kit knew that this stuff didn't happen regularly and that tonight was an exception but there was a nagging thought in her brain that opposed that. She liked Jax but he came with a lot of baggage and risk. Did she want that in her life? In the end, her heart won out and she answered his call.

"Hey," she said into the receiver.

"How are you doing?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"I'm fine, just a little shaken up. What about you? Did you catch those fuckers?"

"Yeah, but I need you to do me a favor. I wouldn't normally ask but Juice is with us and this will go faster if you do this. Can you run some names for us, check out the affiliations of these shit-heads?" he asked.

Kit got up and grabbed a pen and some paper. "Give me the names and I'll call you back with some answers."

As she got the info, she knew she was getting herself deeper into things with Jax and this club by agreeing to do this. Before, all she was sure of was that she liked him. He was a little dangerous, tough, sexy, and he made her feel safe. But now that danger was real and the risk of being with him was stark and she couldn't ignore it anymore.

They said their goodbyes and Kit put each name into the police database on her laptop. The group of names Jax gave her were a mixed bag of small time criminals that had been in and out of prison. None had any significant connections to any major gangs in the area. It was likely that someone had hired them to do their dirty work. But there was one person that stuck out. She called Jax back but got Juice on the pre-pay instead.

"Henry Turner, the tall one with the scorpion tattoo on his neck has a brother connected to the Russian Mob out of Vegas. He was never affiliated formally with them though. Those other guys all have records for petty crime and have each done time somewhere but there's nothing of note really," she told him. She had a really bad feeling about this.

"That's something to chew on." He paused. "How's Rachel doing? I felt terrible leaving her there but we had to go before the cops came."

"I get that. It was just really scary. You should come and see her when you're done out there. She's…she's just not okay."

One of his brothers called out to him in the background. "Thanks Kit," he said and hung up.

Kit closed her laptop. She felt like Alice, that she had fallen down the rabbit hole. What had she gotten herself into with Jax? Before her thoughts could get the better of her, she crept into Rachel's room and got under the covers with her. They could get through this together and her neurotic thoughts could wait for the morning.

Jax pulled up to Kit's house around dawn. He was exhausted. He'd been up all night and they weren't really any closer to figuring out who attacked the clubhouse. The small Russian connection wasn't solid and Clay wasn't willing to sour the huge deal the club had with the Mob on a whim. It could be a coincidence. They wouldn't act until they knew anything for sure.

After calling his mom and finding out what the status was on the wounded, he decided that he was no use to anyone unless he was at least a little rested. Opie was stable and would be okay but he was pretty banged up. It would take a few weeks to fully recover. Bobby was fine and would be discharged within a couple days. One of the croweaters had pulled through too but besides that, five people were dead and a lot were wounded. He was thankful that he happened to be on the roof with Kit, that they both made it out of this thing unscathed.

Gemma also warned him about Kit's attitude. She didn't think she was cut out to be with him. He dismissed it though. Sometimes you had to take yourself out of the club mentality. Kit was probably just scared when she split and no one should fault her for that. Not everyone could be as strong as Gemma.

Jax knocked on Kit's door and waited for her to come down. The shooting was terrible for everyone but he didn't want it to scare her away. He cared about her and even though he wasn't sure where this was going, he didn't want it to end yet. A minute later the door swung open. Kit was still wearing the clothes he last saw her in and she looked just as tired as he felt. She stepped aside wordlessly to let him in. He pulled her into his arms and just held her for a moment.

She squeezed back tightly. "Jax…"

"I know."

"We need to talk."

"We will." It was a conversation he was dreading. He could see the fear and confusion in her eyes.

Kit wasn't sure how she felt about him anymore but she was glad he was here. She led him up to her bedroom where they both crawled into bed. She went into his arms and they both fell asleep quickly, yearning to forget last night for a few hours.

A/N: Sorry for long delay. I was having some computer issues/am getting ready to move soon so pretty hectic. Anyway, hope you liked this. Let me know what you think. I know it's a bit short but more to come real soon! xo - A