Chapter 12
A/N: Okay so I literally just posted Ch 11 and as I'm setting this chapter up, I realize that I pretty much combined the finales of Season 2 & 3. Sorry about that guys. But we'll make it work because as most of you know (my frequent readers), my stories tend to take over and develop a mind of their own.
Jess POV
I couldn't believe this. Hap was going to prison and I was going to be without him for over a year. However, he'd given me an option. He knew that I wouldn't be able to cope well with him being on the inside so, he told me that I could either go home or stay here with Ope (since he'd be running the club).
The next morning, we were all up bright and early. Clay had gathered everyone in the barroom so that he could announce what was going on. Clay climbed on a pool table, while Tig got everyone's attention. "I want to welcome you all to Club Reaper. I'm glad you made your reservations early 'cause as you can see, we are booked to capacity. You're here because you're family. And because SAMCRO takes care of its own. Next couple of days, this club's got some business to handle that could put our members and the people connected to us in…unfriendly situations. Now, chances are, nothing's going to happen, but people have already been hurt on my watch. And that ain't ever going to happen again. Nobody gets in. Nobody leaves without an escort. You got a safety concern, you talk to Piney. You got a comfort concern, you talk to my Queen" Gemma waved "Or my princess, Jess." He said and I waved. "Under this roof, you'll all be safe. Want you to make yourself at home. I love all of you." He finished before climbing off the table.
When Clay was finished, Ope and some girl came over to talk to us. "Hey Ope." I said.
"Hey Jess. Want you to meet someone. This is Lyla. Lyla this is Jess." Ope said.
Lyla immediately pulled me into a hug. "Ope has told me so much about you. I'm so happy to finally meet you." Lyla said.
"Yeah, you too." I said.
"Lyla and I have been seeing each other for a few weeks. She's been helping out with the kids too." Ope told me. The only thing I could do was nod.
A little bit later, Hap pulled me aside. "I need to talk to you about something." He said.
I crossed my arms. The last time he wanted to tell me something, it was to confess that he was going to prison. "What?" I asked.
"What do you think about me transferring to SAMCRO?" He asked me.
I looked at him shocked. I mean sure, we liked it here but Tacoma was our home. "Are you serious right now?" I asked. He nodded. "I don't even know what to say to that. Hap, SAMTAC is our home."
He ran a hand over his face and sighed. "I know, you're right. It's just…Clay needs numbers and Koz has decided to transfer." He told me.
I shook my head. "It'll never pass." I told him. I knew the history between Koz and Tig. It wasn't pretty.
"Why?" He asked.
"Koz and Tig's history for one." I said. He nodded.
"Will you think about it and we'll talk more before I go into Church tonight?" He asked. There was nothing to consider. I didn't want to leave Tacoma.
"Fine. I'll think about it." I said.
He smiled at me. "Thanks. I gotta run. Remember you go somewhere, take a prospect. Joey's here, so take him. Got it?" He said and I nodded. And with that he was out the door.
The majority of the day was spent sitting around while SAMCRO took care of business. Gemma and I mostly sat around drinking coffee. We sat mainly waiting to hear news about the guys. Every so often I would glance over and see Lyla with her kid, Kenny and Ellie. "How you doing with that?" She asked me, nodding towards Lyla.
I shrugged. "I don't know honestly. I mean, Donna and I were close. It's kinda weird seeing someone else taking care of her kids." I told her.
She nodded. "I know baby, but what I can say is…even though Opie loved Donna with all his heart, Lyla does make him happy." Gem said.
I smiled at her. "I'm glad. That's all I want for him." I told her and it was the truth. I looked around for a minute before I grabbed Gem's hand and pulled her with me back to Hap's dorm.
"What?" She asked me when I closed the door behind us.
"Hap told about the time he and the guys are gonna have to serve." I said.
"Baby, it's gonna be fine. Clay's already lining up protection on the inside." She told me.
I let out a sigh of relief, thankful that the guys would be protected on the inside. "Hap told me that when they go inside I could either go home to Tacoma or I could stay here with Ope." I told her.
"Baby, either way you know the club will take care of you while he's inside." She reminded me. I nodded thinking back to the first time Jax had been locked up in Stockton.
***Flashback … Jess POV 19 years old***
Jax and I had gotten into a fight about my family once again and he taken off in the middle of the night. I'd gone to bed thinking that he'd come home, wrapping his arms around me and apologizing and everything would go back to normal. Boy was I wrong. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning when I'd been woken up by someone banging on my front door that I'd realized that he'd never come home.
When I opened my front door, I was surprised to see Gemma, Clay and Opie standing there. "What's wrong?" I asked.
"Can we come in pumpkin…we need to talk." Clay said and I nodded.
Clay and Ope led me to the living room while Gem went to my kitchen. No doubt to probably make some coffee. Once I was sitting, I looked at Clay. "What's going on?" I asked.
"Pumpkin, Jax has been arrested." He told me.
"Okay…He's been arrested before." I said, thinking about the times I'd had to pick him up from Unser's cage at Charming PD. I noticed Clay's face and I didn't like the look. "What happened?"
He gave me some story about a brawl in the Hairy Dog with the Nords. The only thing I could do was nod. Clay told me that apparently my brother David, who was fresh out of the police academy was the one who'd arrested him and was trying to make an example outta him. Clay said that Jax was most likely gonna be doing some time, especially since he had a gun on him and it wasn't registered. I sat there and could feel the tears running down my face. Clay and Ope, but reassured me that while Jax was locked up that I wouldn't have to worry about anything. That I was family and they took care of family.
I didn't tell anybody about the fact that I was pregnant. Longest six months of my life. And when Jax finally came home, I didn't tell him about the abortion I'd had either.
***End Flashback***
"So what are you gonna do?" Gem asked me.
I shrugged. "I don't Gem. Most likely go back to Tacoma. I can't really be around Tara. You know that." She nodded. "Maybe I'll go spend some time with Hap's mom. She hasn't been doing too well lately." I told her.
She pulled me into a hug. "I'm sure he'd like that. Knowing that your taking care of business out here while he's in there." She told me.
"Yeah well I learned from the best." I said, laughing.
