Chapter 3

Jax woke up alone in Charlotte's bed making his way to the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee from the warm pot she'd left for him. Smiling when he saw the note left on the kitchen counter. "Had an early shift see you later at dinner" she had also included a hand drawn smiley face at the bottom of the note.

Charlotte had become his confidant these past months since his official split from Wendy after their failed reconciliation. She'd been his go to, never judging just listening. The sex thing between them hadn't happened until 4 months ago she'd come to the club house looking to escape reality for the night. She'd lost a patient to an OD it had triggered memories of Wendy. Jax and her had drunk until both had forgotten Wendy completely, then fell into bed with each other in the dorm room at the clubhouse. Jax had woken up alone that morning as well. Charlotte had insisted it was a one-time thing. But a week later she'd had a broken hot water heater needing help and they ended having sex in her kitchen. This time she kicked him out after. But they soon fell into a routine they'd come to each other when that itch between them needed to be scratched.

It was one of their clubhouse trysts Wendy had walked in on that caused the permanent rift between the two sisters. Charlotte had made her intentions known from the beginning she didn't want anything serious she didn't want to be an old lady. She knew he would be with other women, and she was free to do what she wanted in her own sex life. Between her job and not wanting additional attachments Jax was the only one she'd take to her bed. It had been easy between them, always honest, nothing complicated.

Charlotte knew every one of Jax's dirty secrets. Sometimes he'd omit things if he didn't want her worrying but if she called him on his bullshit, he usually ended fessing up. She'd never given him advice on what he did in the club just a listener letting him talk through his shit.

Jax was the same for her, he knew about her past trauma with the death of her parents. How many times had she'd wanted to just bail out of Charming away from Wendy leaving all the hate between them behind. But Charming was her home it made her feel closer to her parents closer to her childhood that had been sweet and simple until the death of her parents.

Charlotte walked into the locker room at St Thomas, nurses and doctors shuffled about changing, hitting the showers either starting their day or ending it. She was just putting her stuff away, when she turned around, she saw Tara getting ready for her day. Charlotte tried to sneak past her wanting to avoid everyone today she had too much on her mind to deal with anyone else's problems.

Charlotte was just opening the door to leave when she heard Tara say "Charlotte?"

"Tara, I'm in a hurry."

"That's okay I'll walk with you." When they were in the hall walking towards the ER Tara continued. "I'm sure you heard about Wendy."

"Yep, told you she didn't need a friend just her next fix. I guess she found one of her junkie buddies to bring it to her."

"I don't think it was one of her friends."

"You look like you have your suspicions as to who it was. So out with it." Charlotte said.

"Wendy was fine out of detox she was remorseful wanted to stay clean for Abel. The nurses station said Gemma was the last visitor they saw."

"You think Gemma pumped Wendy full of crank?"

"No, I don't think she'd go that far I think she brought it to her."

"Then Wendy made that decision on her own. She had a choice either Abel or get high she chose drugs. It's nothing new for her."

"She's your sister Charlotte!" Tara exclaimed.

"No not really, she hasn't been a sister to me for years she doesn't give a shit about me or anyone else. She's just a selfish junkie whore." Charlotte retorted walking faster leaving Tara behind.

Charlotte stewed over her conversation with Tara most of her shift. On her lunch break she let it boil enough and she made her way to the maternity ward. When she entered Wendy's room, she saw her sister deep in sleep, standing over Wendy contemplating what to even say. After a deep breath Charlotte said under her breath "You're not going to fool me again. I'm not falling for it this time. Selfish stupid bitch." She was headed to the door when she heard Wendy speak.

"Charlotte" Wendy's voice came in a hoarse crack.

Charlotte turned around but kept her distance. "Yeah."

"What are you doing here?"

"Just seeing if your still alive."

"Still here, what do you want?"

"Wanted to know why you can't ever get anything right. You can't even OD right."

"There's that sharp tongue of yours."

"What do you want me to say, you tried to kill your kid. You're disgusting."

"You still fucking my husband?"

"Soon to be ex-husband, and absolutely I am and loving every minute of it. And if you weren't such a junkie you would have kept him."

"You know he fucks other people, right? You're not special Charlotte, I know you think because you've built this perfect little life that you are but not to him."

"I don't care who he fucks as long as it's not you. You'll never get this family back you'll never get him back." Charlotte yelled opening and then slamming the door behind her.

She stormed back to the ER taking a deep breath and plastering a fake smile on before entering her next patient's room. Charlotte made it through the rest of her shift emotionally raw and physically drained. She made her way to the NICU, to Abel's room, this was her routine she'd pop in and see him before and after every shift. Seeing him calmed her and made her feel connected to the world. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw Jax through the window sitting in the cushioned chair by Abel's incubator. She crept in the room quietly not wanting to disturb Abel, waved to Jax and whispered "Hey."

He returned her smile and soft tone "You done for the night?" She nodded, walking over to him setting her stuff down on the floor. She took a seat on the floor resting her head on his knee. "Rough day?" he asked, his ringed fingers going to her hair lightly stroking it.

"Yeah" she sighed as she let one small tear escape her eye. "I saw Wendy."

"Yeah, how'd that go?"

"As expected, I said horrible things, she said horrible things. I let her get to me."

"Sorry darlin." They sat together in silence, the only noises coming from Abel's many monitors. "I saw her too, let her see Abel."

"Why did you do that?" She asked looking up at him. "Don't you hate her for what she's done?"

"Maybe there's too much hate going around. She's going back to rehab, maybe it'll take maybe it won't. Shit Charlotte I don't know I'm just trying to take responsibility for some of this. I bailed on her and bailed on him, I should have known she was using again. Maybe she wouldn't have if I'd been there."

"Are you sorry you left her?" Charlotte asked, dropping her head back to his knee.

"No, Wendy and I would have never worked out. I'm sorry that I was an asshole and that she felt she couldn't come to me, I should have been around, gone to doctors' appointments shit like that."

Charlotte asked in a barely audible voice "Are you sorry we got together?"

He nudged her with his knee making her look at him he wiped away the stray tear that had fallen when she asked that heavy question "God no Charlotte, never think that. You and I work it's simple between us no lies no drama. I need to be simpler in my life. Are you sorry, sorry that being with me burned that final bridge with Wendy?"

Charlotte shook her head no "No, Wendy burned us a long time ago. Being with you wasn't about hurting Wendy. I'll throw it in her face to hurt her but that's not why I'm with you. I need to be simpler in my life too. Do you think I'll turn into Wendy someday?"

"Absolutely not, you're not Wendy and she's not you. You'll never be Wendy. Is that what has you worried about the future?"

"Sometimes, like I wonder when it became too much for her, why she chose the drugs."

"She chose that path that's her story not yours" he said giving her a small kiss on the lips. "Come on we better get going Gemma will have my ass if we're late."

Charlotte sat next to Jax at the large dinner table full of patched members and family. When she looked uncomfortable Jax would give her hand a slight squeeze under the table. She started to relax as dinner was served and started laughing along with the rest of the table at Tig's stories and jokes. When there was a lull in conversation Jax spoke up putting his arm around Charlottes shoulder "I have some news" he said with a smile "Well Charlotte and I have some news"

Charlotte looked at Jax wide eyed, asking in a whisper "What are you doing?" Her breath increasing and face turning flush as all the attention was turned on her and Jax.

Jax winked at her "Letting Gemma make our decisions. You good?"

Charlotte returned his smile "Yeah" she nodded back to him.

"Charlottes pregnant we're having a baby." He announced, gasps were heard around the table then cheers and applause soon followed. Jax kissed Charlotte on the cheek as she accepted the congratulations.

Charlotte locked eyes with Gemma, nervous and tense the older woman hadn't responded yet but Charlotte relaxed when she saw a wide smile cross Gemma's lips as she stood up from the table "A baby that's wonderful sweetheart." Gemma said coming over to Charlotte to wrap her in a warm tight embrace. "Just absolutely wonderful."