Episode 2

Jax POV

After Jessie left, I climbed up to the rooftop and sat there. It was weird seeing her again. But the one thing that I couldn't get out of my head was why had she left Charming to begin with. Ope wouldn't tell me anything. Donna had gotten pissed when she found out that Jessie had left. Ma said that the only thing that she knew was that Jessie was gone and that she'd call when she got settled. Jess had made a comment about me cheating on her with Tara. Had Tara said something to Jess? I needed to know.

I climbed down from the roof and hopped on my bike. I drove over to Tara's house and knocked on her front door. "Jax. What are you doing here?" She asked me.

"Guess who's in town?" I asked her.

"I don't know." She said.

"Jess Hale" I said.

"Oh yeah. How is she?" She said, trying to play off the anger that I could see in her eyes.

"What'd you say to her?"

"What?" She asked me.

"Jess has it in her head that I was cheating on her with you. So, what did you say to her?" I asked again.

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't say shit to her." She said.

"Stay away from her. I mean it Tara. You might have some fantasy of the two of us, but guess what…It'll never happen. I told you back then that I loved her. I told you then that she was gonna be my old lady. I told you then that someday I was going to marry her. All of that is still true. We might have flirted back then. There might have been some kissing since you've been back but that's all it was. Back the fuck off." I said to her before I walked away.

I walked back to my bike and put my helmet on. I needed to see her. I needed to tell her how I felt about her. I needed her to know that Tara meant nothing to me. That Tara had some sick fantasy about the two of us that would never happen. I drove my bike over to Ope's and parked my bike on the street. As I started walking up the driveway, I saw the porch light cut on. When I got to the porch, the front door opened and Jess stepped outside. She looked incredible. She was wearing a pair of really short sleep shorts and a short t-shirt, that hung off one shoulder and it stopped just above her belly button. "Jax, what are you doing here? It's like two in the morning." She said.

"I think that I figured it out." I said.

She leaned against the front door. "Figured what out?" She asked me.

"Why you left? Or at least who wanted you to leave." I said.

"Oh yeah and what do you have figured out."

"Tara." I said.

"Oh yeah. How'd you get that?" She asked me.

"It was something that you said earlier. You thought that I was cheating on you with Tara. Why would I do that huh? Especially since we were about to move in together?" I said.

She crossed her arms making her shirt raise up a little. "Maybe you were getting bored. Maybe you thought that I wouldn't find out." She said.

She didn't really believe that did she? "Just tell me what she said." I said.

She let out a sigh. "She told me that when I was working and you weren't at the garage that you guys were together. That she was pregnant and that you were leaving Charming with her. That you guys were gonna be the perfect family." She said.

I stepped closer to her. "And you believed her?"

"What else was I supposed to believe Jax? You would never tell me what you were up to." She said.

I ran a hand over my face. "I'd been out looking at houses with Ma. The day before you left I'd finally found one. It's the one that I live in now. I kept thinking that you were gonna come back. That you just needed some time. That you'd come home and everything would go back to normal." I said.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" She asked me.

I grabbed her face with both of my hands. "Because I didn't think it was a problem. I didn't know that Tara was doing that shit." I told her.

She nodded. "I need to tell you something." She said.

I kissed her nose. "What is it? You can tell me anything. You know that." I said.

"I've been casually seeing someone in Tacoma." She said.

What? "Seriously?" I asked.

"I wasn't sure if I would ever come back and if I did I wasn't sure what I would come back to." She said.

"And now?" I asked her.

She put her hands on my chest. "Jax, I'm not in a place in my life where I want a relationship. Did I miss you? Of course I did. Do I still love you? Of course I do. I don't think that I'll ever stop. But I like my casual dating life right now. If you want me your gonna have to join in on that." She told me.

"Really?" I asked her surprised.

She nodded. "Jax, when I left here, I really thought that you had cheated on me and I was heartbroken. Just because things are cleared up doesn't just make that pain go away." She told me.

"I know. I've just missed you so much. And your outfit isn't exactly helping right now." I told her.

She uncrossed her arms and put her hands on my shoulders as I went to grab her hips. "What? This old thing?" She said with a smirk.

I leaned in and kissed her. God! The kiss we shared earlier was nothing compared to this. Earlier was the need to have her touching me. Now…now was the need for me to show her how much I loved her. I gently pulled her closer to me. I felt her deepen the kiss. She wanted this just as much as I did. But I also knew that it would not be a good idea for me to take her right here on Ope's front porch. Soon though…soon I would have her.

I felt her pull back. "I should get to bed." She told me as I rested my forehead against hers.

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow." I told her before backing away. I watched her walk back inside.

I started walking back down to my bike. "You know, you really did a number on her." I turned around and I saw Ope standing in the garage.

"I didn't mean to. I hope you know that." I told him.

"Man, she's my best friend. Sometimes more so than you are, but it took me forever to get her to tell me why she'd left Charming. At first, she said that she didn't want to cause problems. Then when she finally told me… I was ready to beat the crap out of you. It wasn't until about six months ago that she finally told me that Tara had threatened her. The only reason that she does the casual dating thing is because she's afraid of getting hurt. I don't know who the guy is…she won't tell me. But what I do know is that someone needs to break through that wall of hers." Ope said.

"I'm the one that put there…I'll be the one to bring it down." I told him.

"Just don't hurt her again." He said and I nodded.

The next morning, I pulled up at the cemetery with the rest of the guys. I watched Jess climb out of the limo with Mary, Kenny and Ellie. I walked over to her. I held my arm out for her. I walked her to her seat in between Ma and Ope. I stood behind her. I put my hand on her shoulder to let her know that I was here for her if she needed me. The service had been beautiful. Donna would have been happy with it.

After the service, Ope was heading back to the clubhouse where most everyone was gathering. Mary said that she was taking the kids home. She asked me to keep an eye on Jess. I told Ope that I'd bring Jess to the clubhouse. I knew that she'd need a few minutes. I found her walking a little ways over, most likely to her mom's grave. I slowly walked over to her. "Do you think that she'd be disappointed in me?" She asked me without looking at me.

"No. I don't think so. Honestly, if she knew your family like we do, she'd probably be thankful." I said.

She laughed. "Your probably right." She said.

"Everybody is heading back to the clubhouse. You can ride with me." I told her.

She nodded. We walked towards my bike. I handed her my helmet. She looked up at me. "Jax?"

"Yeah?" I said.

"Show me the house." She said.

"Are you sure you want to see it?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since last night." She said.

"Alright. Let's go." I said.

We drove through Charming and I could feel her tighten her arms around me. I'd always loved having her on the back of my bike. It made me think of the first time that I'd taken her for a ride. We'd ended up at the streams.

***Flashback***

I'd taken Jess for a ride on the back of my bike. Of course I knew that her Dad would flip out if he found out but she'd been so upset when she showed up at the clubhouse that I just couldn't resist. I drove us out to the streams. I parked my bike under a tree and killed the engine. She climbed off and handed me my helmet. "It's beautiful." She said looking around.

"Yeah it is." I told her. "I come here when I need to get away and clear my head or just think." I told her.

"Thanks for bringing me out here." She said.

I knew this was it. Jess was it for me. I'd fallen for her hard and fast. "Jess?"

"Yeah." She said as she turned around.

I didn't wait for her to say anything else. I closed the remaining distance between us and I grabbed her face, crashing my lips to hers.

***End Flashback***

When I pulled up to the house, Jess climbed off the back of my bike and handed me my helmet. She stood there for a minute just looking at the house. "This is it?" She asked me.

"Yeah. What do you think?" I asked her.

I looked at the outside of the house for another minute or two. "I think it's perfect." She said.

"Really? You like it?" I asked. She nodded.

When we finally made it to the clubhouse, Jess headed inside to get a drink. I hung around outside for a while. "What are you doing?" I heard.

I turned to look around and saw my mother. "What do you mean Ma?" I asked her lighting a smoke.

She stood up from the picnic table and walked over to me. "I mean, that girl didn't come back to rekindle anything with you, let alone play house." She said.

"Ma it's not like that." I told her even though it was lie.

"Jax, when she left she was broken."

"I know Ma. We've talked. She casually seeing someone back at SAMTAC."

Jess POV

When I walked into the clubhouse, I scanned the room. I walked over to the bar. "Whiskey and Coke." I said to the bartender.

"Well if it isn't Little Jessica Hale." I heard behind me.

I turned around. "Hey Lu. How are you?" I asked her. Luann had been Gemma's best friend for as long as I could remember.

She stepped closer to me and gave me a hug. "I'm good sweetheart. Sorry you had to come home under these circumstances." She said to me.

"Thanks Lu." I said, taking a sip of my drink.

When I finished talking to Luann, I saw Kozik talking to Clay. I walked over to them. "Hey I didn't any of you were coming?" I asked Koz.

He put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. "He sent me for moral support." Koz said.

I rolled my eyes. Of course Hap sent him. Those two were thick as thieves. Clay started laughing. "He must be worried." Clay said casually.

"Usually is." I said. I made my way outside and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I quickly dialed his number. "You're in trouble." I said when he answered.

"I'm guessing that you just found out about Koz?" He asked me.

"Yeah. I don't need a babysitter." I said.

"That's not why I did it." He told me.

"Okay then why?" I asked.

He sighed. "I can't be there with you right now and I know how much you love Ope and Donna. I just wanted to make sure that you had a shoulder to cry on should you need it." Hap said.

"You know, when you put it that way it's actually kind of sweet." I said.

"Don't tell anyone. It'll ruin my rep." He said and I laughed. I sat there on the picnic table and talked to Hap for a bit before Ope walked out of the clubhouse with his kids. I hung up the phone and gave Ope my attention.

"I'm gonna take the kids home. You staying or coming with me?" He asked me.

"I think I'm gonna stay for a bit." I said and he nodded. I sat there and watched Opie load his kids up in the truck before pulling out of the lot. Ope was a good dad. And he was my best friend. I couldn't imagine going through what he was going through. Losing the person that was supposed to be your other half. It made me think about what I wanted in life.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sight of a familiar car. I couldn't believe that she had the nerve to show up here. I stood up from where I was sitting, flicking my cigarette and walking over to her. "What the hell are you doing here?" She asked me.

"I'm here to mourn the loss of a friend. What about you?" I asked her.

"I came to check on Jax, you know since we were together last night." She said trying to provoke me.

I nodded. "Right. So it must have been my imagination that Jax came by Ope's last night to make out with me then." I said and she glared at me. I glared back at her. We stood like that for a few minutes until I heard Jax's voice.

"Tara! What are you doing here?" He asked her, coming up to stand beside me.

"I came to make sure that you and Opie were okay." She said.

I smirked at her. "Don't worry, I can take care of my boys." I said.

Jax threw his arm around my shoulders as I heard the Clubhouse door slam shut. Then I noticed Kozik come and stand beside me. "We got a problem?" Kozik asked.

"Nothing I can't handle." I said.

"Jax can we talk?" Tara asked him. "Alone."

"No. We have nothing to talk about. I told you to stay away from and from Jess. You aren't welcome here." Jax told her.

Tara glared at me one last time before she got in her car and sped off. I turned to face Jax. "What was that about?" I asked Jax.

Jax ran a hand over his face. "After we talked last night, I went by her house and questioned her. I knew that something was off when I told her that you were in town. She denied having anything to do with our breakup but I could tell that she was lying. So I told her to stay away from the both of us." Jax told me.

I started shaking my head. I couldn't do this. The first night that I was home he'd gone to see her. I turned towards Kozik. "Give me a ride to Ope's?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Sure thing." Kozik said and led me over to his bike.