THIS CHARMING LIFE

The blood of our children

Omniscient narrator

Clay wandered the halls of the Saint Thomas like a gale, sweeping away his presence with all that crossed his path.

Gemma saw him arrive before Jax, who was still sitting on the floor, his hands covering his face, trying to understand how his happy existence had given such a radical twist in a short time. As soon as Morrow's shadow fell on him, Jax lifted his head and sat up, ready to face the fight he knew would take place.

There was never any peace when they met.

-Where is she?

—They're taking care of her. They've taken her to the OR, through that door. —Gemma came over and touched Clay's shoulder, trying to appease the fury she guessed in his gaze. —She's getting the best care, Tara is doing everything she can to save both of them.

—So Tara, huh? —With his hands on his hips, Clay took a few steps toward Jax, who was still silent. —Is my daughter's welfare in the hands of that resentful ex-pussy of yours? Why not let her bleed in the middle of the aisle directly? It would be more humane!

—Tara is a professional. —Jax clenched his jaw, finding himself obliged to defend a situation that for him was not ideal either. —The shit between us ended a long time ago.

But Clay held up his hand, shutting out a few words that didn't matter to him at all. He smiled, staring at the ceiling, but it was not a nice, friendly gesture. When he looked down again, he pointed at Jax with a trembling finger and came so close that he almost hit his chest with the force of his reproaches.

—It's all your fault. You destroy everything you touch.

—Clay!

—This is between the boy and me, Gemma, you don't get involved. —Returning Jax all his attention again, Clay lunged. —This is what you do, isn't it, son? —You fancy a woman, put her in your bed, and don't stop until there is a creature on the way and both end up on the verge of death. Is that how you like relationships, Jax? Bathed in blood?

—Don't call me son. —Jax pushed himself away from the wall, positioning his body right in front of Clay, resisting the clashes and ready to return them. Longing for a fight that would take out all the anger that was consuming him. —And stop talking, because you don't know shit about all this.

—Oh no? Let me refresh your memory: Wendy, Aurora... and Tara, if she had not been so smart as to leave Charming years ago. Two of three, Jax, so tell me, don't I have reasons to blame you for what's going on? You're the direct responsible, and if she can not get over this...

—What, Clay? Will you take the advantage to take me to the table and take the patch off me? Will you use Aurora's misfortune to get me out of the club as you obviously want?

—Stop it, you two! —Gemma stepped in, but her words were worthless. The screams grew louder and louder, and neither of the two men present was ready to bend his arm. —Jackson, this does n't help! Think about your child.

—He doesn't think, Gem. That is why we are in this situation. —Clay pointed to him, once again, pushing his accusing finger against Jax's shattered countenance. —Why do you do it, son? Is it out of vanity? Do you pretend that the broken family that you suffered as a child can recompose itself by leaving sick children and mothers destroyed in your way?

—Stop calling me that!

Jax raised his fist and smashed it against Clay's cheekbone, which lost a step and nearly lost his balance. Touching his face, Morrow soon returned the affront, hitting Jax right in his right eye. He was less able to respond, and ended up on the floor, at the scream of Gemma, who dared not interfere now that the physical blows had arrived. At any moment the safety of the hospital would appear and then everyone would have even more problems to deal with.

—Do you know who I can call daughter? Aurora. She's mine, Jax. My daughter.

From the floor, Teller gave a nasty grin. He spat in the direction of Clay's boots and made great efforts to get up without lowering his guard.

—And you think you can forbid her to be with me just because you want to? You've only been his father five fucking minutes, Clay. And she told you once, you have no right to interfere with anything she wants to do. —He took off his cap with one hand, his hair disheveled. —Get out of our lives. Aurora loves me, she belongs to me, and her place, is with me. Even if you don't like it, you will not be able to do anything to separate us.

—You think I cann't do anything? —Again that smile, which spoke of cards under his sleeve that he had not yet used. —Blood is deeper than semen, Jax. I may not have been Aurora's father all his life... but I'm already here.

Jax threw back her head and struck her chest with his finger.

—I am also here. And right now, she's carrying my blood inside her.

Clay gave a cynical smile, empty of empathy. He lowered his head slightly, and put on his sunglasses to hide the cold glow that was beginning to fog his eyes.

—Are you sure? Because I think that... is very close to change. But calm, if we're lucky, we'll just need a little child's coffin, instead of two.

Blind with rage, Jax tried to run into him again, but Gemma used all her strength to stop him. He whispered words of calm to his son, claiming that if he was arrested for scandal he could not be present for Aurora, and gave Clay a look of reproach that he cared little about. Leaning against the opposite wall of the hallway, Morrow checked the clock and crossed his arms, looking toward the closed doors impatiently.

—You're enjoying all this, aren't you? Cleansing your conscience, throwing a shit over me that you have been carrying for a long time.

—Be very careful what you say, Jax.

—Or what? Will I have an unfortunate accident, just like Donna? —With a jerk, Jax let go of Gemma's arms, raising her shoulders and looking at the man in front of her with all the contempt she was able to show. —You can say whatever you want, Clay, and blame me until that old dry heart of yours stops beating, but the two of us, it's not me who kills women.

Morrow brought his hand to his back, causing Gemma to scream, however, instead of finishing that scene with the expected bloodbath that Clay had promised if that theme would come out again... he just dropped his arms, looking around the hall with indifference.

—You know what, Jax? It's possible that in the end of all of this, I don't have to interfere to end this... stupid romance that you and Aurora have. Maybe it's herself, when values her situation, who decides to leave you for good. After all, she has my blood. —he gave Gemma a single gesture, without changing the smug expression on his face. —Let me know when she can receive visitors. And tell Aurora that her father has been here.

Then he turned and left the hall without looking back.

Aurora PoV

The first time Jax and I slept together, it was not exactly an act of love.

With this I do not mean that there were no feelings between us at that moment, but that night was more an act of animal passion, something wild. We had sex with all the ingredients that comes with a long awaited first time. For many reasons, we had delayed the moment and when it arrived ... we took it as a career in the background, as a means to hug each other and not let us escape.

No previous dates, too much flirtation or soft romance. Straight to bed and from there, everything started. He liked to say that we had sealed the deal, and possibly he was right.

The fever that Jax had caused me had not dissipated with time, as it had to happen to other couples, quite the contrary. Eventually we fell in love, but our intimacy continued to be as potent as that first time, causing us to meet, touch, or smell the other's trigger an explosive reaction each time we were together.

I was surprised to feel the desire to vibrate through my blood, even lying on the hospital bed, full of pain, bitterness and devices connected to my battered body. Jax opened my flesh like a sharp knife, for many reasons that went beyond love.

The fear we shared. The anger and reproaches, the things he did and I accepted, the absences ... everything kept our flame out of control, destroying everything in its path.

I turned my head on the pillow, and I saw him go inside. The door of the room closed behind him and he was slowly approaching, with that gaunt way of walking that characterized him so much. He wore a black sweatshirt under his cut and a dark cap on his head. As I drew back my visor, I could see a dark shadow beginning to show under his right eye, which would soon be completely purple.

He sat down on the chair next to my bed and took my hand. I made no attempt to move, but I let him bring my fingers to his mouth and kiss them. He stroked his cheek with my hand, nailing at me incredibly sad and full of rage blue eyes.

—Babe... —he whispered hoarsely, saying nothing more.

Voices were still heard behind the closed door of the room, but I did not ask whether the fight had ended on its own accord or because someone had mediated. I did not care... actually, at that moment I felt like an empty shell that someone had left forgotten, lying in the street. I could not find emotions or feelings inside me, however much I wanted to look for them.

Slowly, for every slight movement made me uncomfortable, I touched with my fingers Jax's face, which remained still, grateful that I would finally touch him of my own free will. I licked my lips, moistening them to try to find the mood that would lead me to say a few words.

—Who did that to you? — asked in a muffled voice. The vocal cords burned me when I used them, after a long silence.

Jax denied in reply, leaning closer to the bed to support her arms.

—It doesn't matter. —His fingers found my disheveled hair, and began to comb it affectionately. —Aurora, listen to me, no matter how bad it seem... you and I are going to get out of this. Together, okay? You have to trust me, babe. I need you to put all your faith... and your confidence in me. Believe that I can solve it.

—Together?

—Just you and me —Jax repeated, firmly, illuminating a face that was set with dark shadows. I had seen that expression before, and had never foretelled anything good. —I'm going to fix this, Aurora. I promise. I'm going to give you a wonderful life.

I smiled, not expressing any kind of emotion with the rest of my face. Without joy or rejoicing. I did not feel protected by his words, nor did I believe in his good intentions, because I couldn't.

—And how are you going to fix it, Jax? —I clapped my tongue, resting my hands on my belly, exhausted from all that situation. —With Glocks? Or AK? Is that how you're going to fix it?

—Babe, please... please don't do that.

—And how long will it take you to pay for that solution this time? Fourteen months? Two years?

—Aurora, please. —He put a hand through his eyes, snorting concealed behind his fingers. He looked around for a second, perhaps fearing that some curious ear would have heard my words. —You're not the one talking, darlin'. It is the pain and the rage. I understand, I feel it too. You're angry and you need to hit something. I get it. I know. But don't say those things... because that is not gonna happen. I'm not going to walk away from you, Aurora. I'm not going to jail again. I love you.

We both knew that was a promise he could not make.

—When the doctor took me to the operating room... I heard you talk to Gemma. —I waited for the tears to return to my eyes at that moment, but it did not. As I said before, I could not feel anything at all. —You swear to God, you would leave me.

I had learned to recognize Jax's nervous gestures. I knew when he was angry, when he felt worried and also when he was regretful of something. He played with his cap, until he turned the visor back to his eyes, giving that face that I loved so much more shadows than it already looked. He hesitated slowly, but firmly, and once more, leaned forward, seeking to make his whispers completely audible to me.

—I made promises to God because I was terrified of losing you, Aurora. I was afraid and said things I could never have done. —God didn't do his part... so I'm not going to give him anything. —He clasped our hands, and the cold of his rings set in my skin. —Don't worry about it, forget it. I will not let you go. Nothing or nobody, it's going to separate us.

—You say that because it's what you feel... or because your constant need to take the opposite of Clay?

I looked at the ceiling, wondering how many people would have heard my father and boyfriend screaming horrible things in the halls of the Saint Thomas. I had not heard it all... but Jax's bruised face and how little I had gotten through the door had been enough. Gemma had made Clay come and he had sought who to blame for my situation.

Maybe, because he was worried about me, or maybe, as a new excuse for rebelling against Jax. I hated being the pretext of the two to attack each other like fighting dogs, but that, I suppose, was one of my functions within the vicious circle of people with different interests that we had created.

At that moment, more than humiliated, offended or embarrassed, I was in a state of dangerous stillness. If Jax had agreed to my suspicions, if his love had been nothing but smoke and whatever I wanted to be with me would have been to harm Clay... I don't think it would have affected me. I could not be rational at the moment.

The chair creaked as Jax sat up. His two hands, large and hardened by a lifetime of hard work, in every way, took my face. He turned my head around to look at him. He was serious and also ... hurt. My cold words, my accusation veiled about the possible falsity of his feelings, had penetrated deeply into him.

—I killed a man for you, —he said in a whisper, so close that I felt his warm breath and the smell of tobacco emanating from his lips. —Nothing says endless love like capital crime.

—Would you do it again? —When he heard me, his blue eyes were fixed on me expectantly. In my mouth, coming out of nowhere, was born a question that we both had been waiting and fearing for a long time. —Will you kill for me again, Jackson?

Then, as his head moved to nod, his lips formed a single word: Yes.

Without doubting, without considering why I needed to get that promise from a moment where the pain and grief spoke for me. Jax confirmed what I already feared, he gave life to my greatest fears, and yet... I wasn't afraid to understand that this was serious. That was real. I knew he was capable of doing it. I knew he would do anything for me, not caring if it was fair or necessary. He would not mind the price to pay. For him, that I wanted to take revenge or simply find some comfort to my anger, it did not matter. He would not ask me for reasons. He would not ask questions.

He would act according to my wishes, because he loved me so much that nothing else mattered to him, and although to be aware of it must have frightened me, all I did was turn my head to the ceiling and close my eyes, impassive.

I had the answer I expected.

Note: This is a future chapter. It is a moment that occurs after chapter 1. It has an initial part narrated in third person, and another, from the vision of Aurora. I'm really enjoying this story, and I hope you do too. Please, if you like, share your opinions with me, thank you!