You And Me And Our Boys Chapter 38, a sons of anarchy fanfic

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Jax had been on the road for over six and a half hours, he'd only stopped once to fill up his tank of gas, use the restroom and stretch his legs. He'd bought some snacks for the road, some energy drinks to keep him focused and awake, along with a couple of sandwiches and a big bag of chips that he'd been snacking on every now and again along the way.

About two hours ago, little flurries of snow began to fall, and at the time it had been nothing too concerning, but now as his eyes took in the sign that told him he was just two miles out before the next exit to Drewsey Oregon, it was starting to look pretty fucking bad out there.

For the most part, the highways and mayor roads had been treated decent enough for the oncoming storm to keep on driving, but the snow had been falling so much heavier now, and the temperatures had dropped dramatically too, bringing the wind-chill well below freezing at this point.

Overall, the combination of everything, the snow, the wind, the freezing cold was making it harder to see a whole lot ahead of him, but as long as the roads remained drivable, he was going to stay on and move on ahead.

Through it all, he tried his best to stay optimistic, even when he listened to the dooming outlook of worse weather yet to come the further he ventured east towards Idaho.

Clearly, she hadn't planned this all the way through, Tara thought to herself, her eyes glued to the road ahead of her. The snow was making it hard to see and the wind kept pushing the rental car towards the ditch along the road, and she found herself having to steer to the left just to keep the vehicle going straight ahead.

Right about now, dodging John's calls and knocks at the hotel room door didn't sound quite so bad when she could picture herself all bundled up in her warm hotel room bed, raiding the minibar for candy while watching some sitcom or rom-com on the TV instead of dealing with this nightmare on the road.

But she was too far in now to turn back around, leaving her really no choice than to keep on driving. There were only two possible outcomes, she'd either make it all the way home, or if the storm got any worse, she'd have to stop at some motel someplace and wait it out. Just when that thought crossed her mind, her car lost traction on the road and spun out on the slippery surface, presenting her with outcome number three; crashing and freezing to death.

She wasn't even going as fast as the speed limit allowed, but right now it didn't seem to matter as the car began to swerve every which way she didn't want it to go, before it slid off the road and came to a jolting abrupt stop after it slid down into the ditch. Oh shit!

Tara sighed, letting out the breath she'd been holding as she looked around the car first, then her surroundings outside. Thankfully, she hadn't actually hit the tree that leaned toward the car, she thought in relief as she looked back at it over her shoulder. But a heavy branch hung over the back off her rental car, and had probably left some scratches on the hood of the trunk, but no actual impact meant no airbags had gone off, so that was always a plus.

Snow was still falling mercilessly outside, quickly covering the windshield, and that's when Tara realized the windshield wipers had stopped working and the car had actually shut off on her altogether. She quickly reached for the key, turning it to start the car back up, and at first it sounded like the engine would turn over, but then it stalled and nothing else happened. She tried it several time, but always with the same outcome. Fuck!

Now she actually could feel a wave of panic coming on, and tried to reach for her carryon bag that had fallen to the floor in front of the passenger seat, some of its contents scattered all over the floor. But the seatbelt had locked in place and stopped her short from any movement, and she hurriedly unbuckled herself, before she awkwardly leaned down towards the passenger side of the car to gather all of the things that had spilled out of her bag.

She finally found her cell phone that had been wedged between the passenger door and seat, and stared at it as another rush of panic came over her when she realized she had no service whatsoever in this particular spot. Jesus Christ!

She reached up and massaged her shoulder, where the seatbelt had dug in just a little bit too hard when she began to lose control of the vehicle. She tried to think back on the little truck stop she'd passed a few miles back, wondering if she could walk that far. How many miles had it been? Shit, she really had no idea, it could've been two miles, or maybe fifteen ... ugh!

Tara pulled her fluffy oversized scarf out of the bag and wrapped it around herself, then pulled the latch that unlocked the hood before she opened her door and fought against the wind to get outside. She struggled, in her high heeled shoes to keep her footing, all in all she simply wasn't dressed for this kind of weather, but when she'd gotten dressed for the conference this morning, she hadn't anticipated this road trip to take place at all.

And then she'd planned to be on a plane several hours ago, which by now would've already landed safe and sound back in Medford, and before long she would've picked up her boys and be huddled on the couch with them under a blanket until Jax would get home and joined them too.

The thought of her boys and her man was what kept her fighting against the cold, when she examined the engine for any obvious problem. As a teenage girl, she'd spend countless hours sitting on the sidelines at T-M, pretending to be reading a book or doing homework, when she really was just ogling her hot blond boyfriend, while he worked on cars, bikes and the such. And right now she wished she'd just paid a little more attention to what he'd been doing, because she didn't have the faintest idea what she was looking at, or what could possibly be wrong.

Nothing stood out to her, and she feared it was something not engine related at all. The more she thought about it, the more she came to the conclusion that she'd probably damaged something in the undercarriage when she slid down into the ditch. Well, at least that's what she figured made the most sense. But what did she really know?

Tara slammed the hood back shut, and used the sleeve of her jacket to clear the windshield and the side windows that were facing the road off snow on her way to the back of the car. She tried repeatedly to open the trunk, so she could get some warmer clothing out of her suitcase, but to no avail. The branch of the tree that hung just an inch above her car didn't give her enough clearance to open it. So she aborted that mission as well, and quickly climbed back inside to hide from the cold wind.

Her whole body shivered, and at this point the interior of the car wasn't that much warmer than the outside anymore, but at least it wasn't windy or snowing in here. She readjusted the big oversized scarf around her head, and rubbed her hands together, hoping the friction would warm them, and wishing she would've brought gloves and a thicker jacket along too.

She checked her cell phone one more time, but there was still no service, so she wedged the device between her thighs to keep it from going too cold, since her battery seemed to be losing power already.

If she was going to freeze to death out here, she had truly no one to blame but herself, and all because of that idiotic idea she had had about surprising Jax by coming back early. Jax and her had been doing so good lately. He was more considerate, and loving, and she felt so much more comfortable around him in return. They had been on a steadfast path to regain their trust in each other, until this damn conference put a screeching halt to it all again.

She cursed herself for being this stupid, downright reckless, for getting onto the road without calling or texting Jax, or at the very least letting Christy in on her plan to head home through the midst of this storm. So now, as that crucial mistake ran through her mind, she really had no other choice then to just sit and wait, hoping and praying that a car or truck would pass by soon, and that she'd spot it quickly enough to get out and get them to stop for her. Which was easier said than done, with the visibility around her declining with every passing minute. She turned her hazard lights on, thankful that they at least still seemed to be working. But she wondered just how visible they were if the car was slowly getting covered in another layer of snow again.

Jax had no choice but to slow down some, considering visibility had decreased even more. There had been a sign for a truck stop about ten miles ahead of him, and as much as he hated the idea of not making it all the way to Boise today, he knew that the smart thing to do was probably to make a stop and take shelter until the worst of this storm had passed.

To top it all off, out here in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by forests that seemed to stretch for miles and miles, cell service was spotty at best. And even thought there had never been an issue with either of the boys at preschool or daycare since he'd moved here, he thought how it would be just his luck that something would go wrong while he couldn't be reached and Tara was out of town too.

Or maybe it was just guilt that began to seep into his thoughts, wondering if he'd made a mistake after all, taking off like he had to surprise Tara. The boys seemed fine last night and this morning too. As a matter of fact, they seemed downright excited to be able to hang with their new friends today, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that maybe he should've put his own needs aside for the sake of theirs.

But as he pondered over that, Greg's words came back to him, easing at least some of that guilty conscience again when he remembered him saying that fixing your marriage was a crucial part of ensuring your kids' happiness too. Undoubtedly there was some truth to that!

Jax squinted to focus his eyes more on what was coming up ahead. The snow was mercilessly blasting against his windshield, obscuring the view while his windshield wipers worked overtime. He could see a Chevy truck coming to a dead stop in the oncoming lane up ahead, he noticed the hazard lights were flashing and he lowered his speed even more. Just as he was about to pass, he saw the passenger and the driver of the truck jump out and Jax rolled up to him, coming to a stop and lowered his window before he too turned on his hazard lights, as a precaution in case a vehicle should come up behind him.

"Everything alright?" Jax asked, he had to raise his voice, almost yelling over the sound of the wind blasting around them. After all, he was a mechanic, and maybe he could help with whatever the issue was. One good deed at a time, and maybe one day the good would outnumber all the bad shit he'd done to people.

"Yeah." The guy nodded, pointed to the other side of his truck, where the other guy had disappeared to, "Just checking on that car over there." he explained.

But between the snowy wind and the big green Chevy, the view of the ditch was hidden to him, and he honestly hadn't even noticed that there was a car at all.

He nodded, "Alright." and waved the guy off before he turned off his hazard lights and slowly let his foot off the breaks to let his truck start rolling again.

But as he began to drive off, his eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, watching as the two men helped someone climb out of the snow covered sedan. As for the car, there was nothing he could do, even if there was a mechanical problem, it would require a tow truck to get that thing back out of that deep ditch with all the snow around.

But then his eyes landed on her! He couldn't see her face, but even through the wind and the snow, he would recognize those curves, that body anywhere!

It was just a split-second, and he did a double take, frantically glancing over his shoulder now to get a better look, when his breath caught in his throat and he stomped on the breaks so fast that his truck spun out in the same moment he realized he wasn't just conjuring her up in his mind, he wasn't hallucinating.

Both his hands gripped the wheel and his pick-up truck was almost sideways by the time it finally came to a complete stop. His front end sat in oncoming traffic, while the back of the truck was still in his lane. Shit!

Jax quickly put the truck in reverse, his tires spinning as he straightened out while he backed up closer to the Chevy again, before he pulled off to the right and put the truck in park. He flicked the hazard lights on again, leaving the truck running when he bolted out and took off towards the green Chevy and her.

"TARA!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, as he fought the wind and the snow to get closer to her. "TARA!" He yelled again, and that moment of panic he'd felt disintegrated again when she stopped and turned her head in his direction this time and he could actually see her face. His own head was spinning now with questions though. Why was she here? How did she end up in that car in the ditch? Was she alright?

A few more quick strides and he was by her side, wrapping her in his arms and her smaller form shivered against him, hiding her face in his chest from the cold, "Jesus Christ, babe, you're freezing."

"Hey lady?" One of the guys that had helped her out of the car spoke up, "Are you okay? You know this guy?"

"Yes, ... thank you." Tara still shivered when she glanced back at him and nodded. "He's my husband." She added, before Jax had a chance to chime in.

"Thanks, for helping her." Jax had his arm still wrapped around her, but held one hand out for the guys to shake, "I appreciate that."

Both men took quick turns shaking his hand and nodded at him, before one replied "No problem." And then they headed back to their own truck without another glance back.

Jax grabbed her bag from her and draped it around his shoulder instead. With his arm wrapped around her, he tried to usher her back to his truck, but she was shivering so much and slipped in her high heeled shoes, that he simply picked her up and carried her the rest of the way.

He let her back down just long enough to open the door and then picked her back up and hoisted her inside. He reached past her shoulder to the backseat, grabbing the blanket he'd kept back there for the boys, shook off some leftover crumbs, then tucked it around her before he dropped her bag by her feet, quickly shut the door with a loud bang and rounded the front of the truck to climb into the driver side.

"Babe?" He said and she opened her eyes to look up at him from beneath the scarf, "Are you hurt?" It just now dawned on him to ask, while he turned the heater on full blast, adjusting the little vents to point in her direction before he turned his attention back to her.

Tara slightly shook her head, "No, just ... cold." She still shivered. "Jax, ... where are my babies?"

"Our babies are fine. They're staying the night with Christy. Don't worry." Jax sighed in relief and leaned over to her, pulling her hands to him and rubbed his bigger hands around hers to warm them, before he raised them up to his lips and blew against them repeatedly, his hot breath warming them almost instantly.

Then he pulled all of her in his arms again, he just couldn't believe she was here. His hands tucked on the blanket, wrapping it more tightly around her while he held her, before he drew back just enough to kiss her.

But startled, he drew back again, mumbling against her lips, "Fuck, your lips are cold."

"I know." She mumbled in reply and leaned closer, pressing her lips to his again, liking the way it warmed not just her lips. Oh, how she'd missed him!

Jax's hands reached up to her face, angling her head just the way he wanted her to deepen the kiss, his palms warm against her cold cheeks.

But before the kiss could turn even more passionate, they were interrupted by a big semi-truck that sped past them, and rather reluctantly Jax came up for air, smirking back at Tara and how her cheeks were already slightly flushing. "We need to get off the road. Out of this fucking storm."

"Yeah." Tara nodded towards the road ahead, "There's a truck stop a couple miles that way."

"Right." Jax nodded, remembering the sign and reached around her to put the seatbelt on for her, so she could stay wrapped up under the blanket. He placed another quick kiss against her lips before he sat back and put his own seatbelt on, not taking any chances with how bad the roads were.

He put the truck in gear and pulled back onto the road, the snow seemed even heavier now than it was before.

"You can barely see anything out there." Tara commented, her eyes glued to the way ahead of them.

"Yeah." Jax nodded, "It's going into white-out, where you can't even see what's right in front of you." He explained, but then turned to look at her for a split-second, "Wanna start telling me how you ended up in this, ..." He gestured with his hand to the snowy surroundings outside, then added, "... with that car in the ditch?"

Tara cleared her throat, she was beginning to feel much better as she was thawing out, but still decided to give him the abridged version. "The storm hit, conference ended early, but there were no outgoing flights, so I rented a car."

Jax shook his head, "You thought driving home in this weather, in that piece of shit sedan was a good idea?" There was obvious concern edged in his voice now that he had a moment to think.

"Do not start with me, Jax." Tara said warningly, sounding already frustrated, she was so not in the mood for a lecture from him.

But she couldn't stop herself from adding defensively, "It was slim pickings at the car rental place ... and I wanted to get home, to surprise you."

When Jax remained suspiciously quiet now, Tara glanced over at him, "What about you? Care to explain how you ended up here?"

Jax swiped his hand down his face in a fruitless attempt to hide the smile that crept onto his lips, "Took the day off, ... wanted to surprise you too." He dared a glance in her direction now, and when he saw the big smile that was now displayed on her face too, he no longer tried to hide his own.

Tara raised her eyebrows and shook her head mockingly. "So you're lecturing me about driving through the storm, when you were literally driving towards it." She replied sarcastically and smiled even more when he didn't reply right away.

She watched him bite his lip in another vain attempt to not smile even brighter, before he finally said, "Guess when it comes to each other we both got shit for brains, ... all common sense goes right out the damn window."

Tara sighed and nodded along to that statement, then she folded the blanket back a bit, and sat a bit straighter now before she reached over to him, running her fingers along his cheek, "You shaved." Then her eyes flickered up to his beanie, and she pushed it up just enough to reveal some of his shortened hair, "And you cut your hair." She gave him a scrutinizing look now, "Why? I mean, what happened?"

"I'm not sure." Jax shrugged his shoulders, then dared to look back at her, "Guess I just needed a fresh start." He glanced back at her for a quick second again, gauging the look she was giving him, before focusing back on the icy road ahead, "You don't like it?"

"I like it." Tara replied without even having to think about it, and smiled. "It reminds me of the day you proposed to me." But then her hand went back to his jawline again, "But I do miss the beard."

Jax reached up and grabbed her hand, moving her fingers from his hairless chin up to his lips and kissed them, "It'll grow back before you know it." He winked with a smirk, and for a second considered telling her about the reaper too, but then decided he'd much rather show her then tell, so he remained quiet about it for now.

They drove in silence for a couple of minutes, her hand in his as the storm grew even angrier around them.

Tara pushed the blanket down to her waist and actually opened the zipper of her jacket a bit now, and turned the heater down too, feeling much better and definitely warmer already. She reached down and rifled through her bag until she found her cell phone, but when she saw it was completely dead now, she turned her attention back to him, "Is your phone working?"

"It wasn't earlier." Jax reached in the inside pocket of his jacket, pulled it out and handed it to her.

Tara turned on the screen and frowned, "No service."

"It's probably just the storm, babe." Jax tried to placate her, when his eyes flickered to the clock on his dashboard. "It ain't even three thirty yet. The boys are still at school and the daycare, and they got Christy's, Jason's and Misses Ellie's number ... It'll be fine." He gave her a reassuring look and when Tara nodded in agreement he added, "And I'm sure they've got a payphone or something we can use at that truck stop."

"Right." Tara nodded, and handed his phone back to him, before she folded her arms in front of herself.

Another couple of quiet minutes past between them, when Tara said, "Meeting up with you out here ... by chance." She looked over at him and when he looked back at her, she asked. "It's a bit strange, don't you think?"

"Yeah. It is!" Jax nodded, undoubtedly agreeing with her. 'A bit strange' was the understatement of the year. What were the fucking odds?

He suddenly let out a small, almost inaudible chuckle and Tara looked back at him, confused but amused by his little laugh, "What's funny?"

"I was just thinking ..." He looked back over at her, smiling brightly, "... how this reminds me of one of those god-awful chick-flicks you like to watch."

Tara smiled, thinking about what he'd said, "Are you talking about my Hallmark movies? The ones you said you hate, because of the has-been-casting and the oh-so-predictable ending?"

"Yeah, those." Jax agreed, and grinned, "But what I really don't like is that the guy ends up with just a kiss at the very end, no T and A whatsoever, none ... I mean, for Christ sake, throw the guy a bone, and at least give him some head." He looked over at her, a big toothy smile on his face. "Shit, I should get some head just for having to watch him not getting any."

Tara laughed out loud at that, "I think the T and A, the giving head it's all implied ... you know, after the credits roll."

"Yeah. I bet." Jax mockingly agreed, but dared a look back at Tara, who was watching him with scrutiny now and he couldn't stop himself from asking. "What?"

"Well, if this reminds you of that, me being the damsel in distress, you being the poor guy who's not getting any ... are you saying you're not content with just that kiss?" Tara asked, now no longer smiling as soon as the words had left her lips. And suddenly she questioned her own sanity, wondered to herself why she'd said what she did. Why lead him down towards this conversation again?

"Babe." He replied, sounding way too serious all of a sudden, "Look, I'm content with whatever you're content with. The ball's in your court ... it's been in your court since I showed up at your door. You decide if this show stays PG, or ... gets a new rating, alright?" He answered with a string of metaphors and looked back at her for a few seconds, until she nodded in agreement, looking just as serious as he'd sounded.

A beat or two past, and despite the blizzard like conditions, Jax could begin to make out the faint lights of vehicles at the approaching truck stop up ahead. Even in the light of day, they were glowing like Christmas lights way off in the distance, and he glanced back at Tara who was staring lost in her own thoughts out the passenger side window. Penny for your thoughts, babe!

In an attempt to lift the mood again, he smirked and looked back over at her, "But should you feel the sudden urge to wanna blow me in some show of gratitude for rescuing you from freezing to death, I'd be a willing recipient. Hell, I'd even reciprocate."

"Teller!" Tara's voice sounded outraged, and she looked back at him now, her mouth agape pretending to be offended. She shoved him playfully on the shoulder, which resulted in both of them laughing out loud as the lights and the outline of buildings ahead of them grew even closer.

Another couple of minutes and they finally pulled into the truck stop. There was a gas station, a bar and grill named rather unoriginally 'Saloon', with 'The Stag Horn Motel' attached right beside it. They both glanced at the oversized 'Motel' sign, perched high above the lot, and Jax can't help himself but look at Tara just to gauge her reaction, but she's staring straight ahead, not letting her feelings show.

It's not even four in the afternoon, so it isn't dark out yet, the snow making it seem even brighter now that they're no longer surrounded by threes on either side of the two lane road they had been traveling on.

Jax's eyes flicker to the red lit up 'no vacancy' sign, and he can't hide the frown for a moment, but he swipes his hand over his face anyways trying to conceal it, when he continues to pull further into the lot. So much for his pipe dream!

He finds an empty parking spot near the entrance of the bar, and pulls in right beside a parked police car.

He glances over at Tara for a second, "Ready, babe?"

She nods her head and reaches for the door handle, but then Jax stops from opening his door when he sees the cops step out of the bar and head towards their car right beside his truck.

Jax shares an unsure look with Tara, but she just smiles at him, slightly shaking her head at his continued disdain and distrust towards any men in blue, and a moment from long ago comes back to mind ... Relax, we're civilians!

She leans closer to him, reaching out and framing his face with her hands to pull him in for a kiss, which he gladly reciprocates. A welcome distraction and by the time they both pull back, the police car has long disappeared.

They stepped inside the bar, the heat in here is cranked up and in stark contrast to the freezing wind blowing right outside these doors, and up on looking around they're surprised that the place isn't as crowded as the full parking lot outside would suggest.

"Hey, folks." A skinny blond with tattoo covered arms greets them as she steps around them, an empty serving tray under her arm. "Just to let you know, state police were just here. They're closing the roads."

"I figured, it's pretty bad out there." Jax replies. "Any idea for how long?"

She shrugs, "They said it's a full-on blizzard. Plows can't get through 'till the morning." She starts clearing some glasses of a nearby table but looks up at them as she continues. "So batten down the hatches and pull up a stool, 'cause you're probably going to be here all night. I know I will." She adds the last bit with a unmistakable tiredness to her voice.

Jax and Tara step further into the room, towards the actual bar where the woman has stepped behind now, and Tara finally pipes up, "Do you got a phone?"

"Oh, yeah." The blond woman nods her head down a hall to the right of her, the left of them, "Pay phone's in back by the can."

Jax starts heading in that direction, when Tara stops at the bar, approaching the woman once more. "Since it looks like we'll be spending the night, do you mind if I give my kids' babysitter the number to here, you know, just in case of an emergency?"

"No, honey." She replies very sweetly and grabs a napkin. "I don't mind." She adds as she quickly scribbles down the number and hands it to Tara.

On the way to the phones, Jax finally fills Tara in that Greg and his wife will have the boys for a play date first, then Christy and Jason will have them the rest of the weekend. So they take turns, he calls Greg up and gives him the number to the bar, and then Tara grabs the phone and calls Christy, leaving the same number with her as well.

Tara disappears in the bathroom, while Jax returns back to the bar, taking a seat on one of the stools.

He lazily lets his eyes drift across the 'Happy Thanksgiving' sign that's still hanging on the wall, high above the glasses and liquor bottles, and he has to smirk a little considering it's almost Christmas now.

"Hey, can I get you a drink?" The skinny blond reappeared behind the bar and asks him.

"I'm okay." Jax answers at first, but the barkeeper won't let up.

"Ah, first one's on me. Call it the snowstorm special." She gets two shot glasses out and begins to pour. She nods at Tara who's coming down the hallway towards them, "For you and your wife."

"Oh, we'd love a drink. Thank you." Tara replies as she drapes her bag and jeans over the back of the barstool before she takes a seat right beside him, and Jax does a double take, looking her up and down.

Tara bites her lip, trying not to laugh at the stunt expression on his face, the so obvious over-protectiveness of his that's shining through. She pulls the glittery top, that's easily long enough to pass as a dress, further down on her thighs, still trying to ignore him and his disapproving expression.

"You're welcome. Here you go." The bartender says as she places the two shot glasses in front of them with a smile, before she disappears once again to tend to her other customers.

Jax turns towards her now, "What are you doing?" The look he's giving her speaks volumes and he doesn't need to further explain that he's talking about her change or lack of clothing.

"My jeans are still wet. And it's so warm in here." Tara tries to explain, but Jax clearly isn't amused. She leans in closer to him, flirtatiously looking up at him now while she curls her arm around his bicep, "You're acting like I'm naked or something?" She's still wearing her jacket over it, and she can just picture him lose his shit if she dared to take that off too.

He glances at her, making a obvious show of looking at her long bare legs, "You are showing a lot of skin." Before his eyes drift across the rest of the bar, trying to see if she'd caught anyone else's eye in this little get-up of hers. But he's glad to see that everyone's either too drunk already, too busy making-out, or too engaged in conversation to even bother looking their way. But if he's happy about it, it's not showing on his face.

"I've seen plenty of girls over the years, at the clubhouse and at Diosa, wearing a whole lot less than this, Jax." She replies back with conviction ... she was in no way dressed inappropriately here. As a matter of fact, she wouldn't be sitting here like this, if she hadn't thought she looked kind of cute in it.

Alright, she's got a point, Jax concedes in his mind and he does smile a little now, but his words that follow contradict his facial expression, "And they were all trying to sell something, babe. Their lack of clothing made them a walking billboard, an advertisement. Announcing, I'm for sale!"

"Fine, whatever." She replies now and shrugs her shoulders, sounding every bit like a teenage girl instead of a woman in her early thirties. She's done arguing, but either way she's not going to slip her cold wet jeans on again regardless of what he says, he'll just have to deal with it. And then she adds, with a tad of disappointment in the tone of her voice, "I really thought you'd like it."

"I do like it." Jax now replies, and gives her another once-over, a cocky grin on his lips now. "You do look smokin', babe."

"Then what's the problem?" Tara inquires, searching his face when she asks further, cocking her head mockingly to the side, "Is there a rule against old ladies looking hot? God forbid we give the Croweaters a run for their money."

Now Jax actually chuckles, "Babe, you give those Croweaters a run for their money any day, even in your surgical scrubs."

She smiles at that obvious attempt at a compliment, her cheeks flushing a little, and he places a kiss against her temple, then his lips are near her ear, "Look, the problem is that I don't want some guys getting ideas about you." About what's mine!

His right hand drops down to her leg, fingers seductively caressing the inside of her thigh, "And this top, or dress, whatever it is, it doesn't leave much to the imagination."

Now Tara took a look around the bar, more for show to drive home her point, "Nobody here gives a shit, Jax. So can we just sit here, have some drinks, maybe some food later, and just make the best of being stuck here? And I'll promise as soon as those jeans are dry, I'll put them right back on."

She smiles up at him then, meeting his eyes and he lets out an exasperated sigh, conceding before they both lean in for a kiss. He let those fingertips of his caress her thighs some more, warming her up from the inside out, blood rushing to all the right places.

They stop kissing when the bartender comes back around, so they both finally reach for their shot and drown it at once. Tara scrunches her nose at the strong burning sensation and Jax can't help but grin a bit at the expression on her face. Lightweight!

"You two haven't been married long, have ya'?" The bartender wipes the counter down in front of them, when she asks.

"Why'd you say that?" Jax asks back in return instead of answering the question.

"You still got that newlywed glow going on." She gestures with her hand around them, as if the glow she was referring to was something tangible, something you could see with the naked eye, maybe even touch. Then she folds the rag in her hand into a neat square, while watching the couple share a amused look between them. "And you're still giving each other the fuck-me-eyes! That usually passes after you're married for a while."

At that, they both smirk at each other for a long moment, as if they've just been caught doing something naughty.

And now Jax flat out lies, "Yeah, I guess we're pretty new at it." His eyes flicker from Mandy to Tara, then down to his wedding band. And he wonders if it's really a lie, considering this is the first time they're really trying to make this marriage thing work, away from the Club and Gemma?

"Ahh, thought so." She replies, content that she seemed to have gotten it right. "You're not from around her, are you? I don't remember ever seeing you in here before." She asks next.

"No." Tara replies, shaking her head. "We're originally from California, little town called Charming. But -."

"But we live in Medford now." Jax adds for her, his hand curled around her thigh now.

"Well, my name's Mandy, and this is actually my bar." She gestures with her hands about the place.

"I'm Tara." Tara says and gestures to him beside her, "And this is my husband, Jax." Jax nods his head at her.

She looks at them and repeats, "Tara and Jax, got it." and pours them another shot.

Suddenly she's on a roll to share some of her story while she's busying herself filling two clear pitchers with beer from the tap, "I'm from around here, lived here all my life. Got this bar in the divorce." She chuckles. "Never used to come in here when he ran the place, but now I love it!"

A woman across the room, obviously drunk already, suddenly yells out, slightly slurring, "Hey, Mandy!" Jax turns his head just to get a quick look, but Tara doesn't bother, she just takes the second shot that Mandy has put in front of her, while the woman continues yelling, "Now, how about bringing us some more pitchers, huh?"

Mandy smiles and casually nods towards the woman, "My ex-sister-in-law, Tricia." She picks up the pitchers and rounds the bar, passing by Jax and Tara and stops for a quick moment, looking at Tara, "Listen, honey. You can pick the guy. You just can't pick the family."

Tara and Jax glance at each other, a knowing look in their eyes as Mandy walks away, and Jax reaches for his second shot, drowning it as quickly as the first. Isn't that the truth!

A beat or two passes silently between them, when Jax slides off of his chair, "I'm gonna head over to the motel, and check if they really don't have a room for tonight?"

"Okay." Tara nods, and leans in when he does too, to kiss him before he turns and heads out the door.

Mandy returns and nods at the door that's falling shut, where Jax had just walked out, "I didn't cause any trouble with that comment about family, did I?"

Tara shakes her head, "No, you didn't. He's just checking on a room."

"Don't think he'll have much luck there." Mandy answers and walks away again with two drinks she'd just poured.

The rooms have all been taken, so they remain in the bar, but eventually settle at one of the tables in a corner. The lights are dimmed here, it gives it the appearance of a bit more privacy away from the bar, and the chairs are a bit more comfortable too.

They call Greg to make sure he got the boys home without any issues, even talk to them for a moment, but both Abel and Thomas are too busy playing to give their parents the time of day. Tara's a little sad about it, but Jax finds comfort in the fact that the boys seem so happy to have made some good friends to play with.

They order some food and more drinks. Both getting a burger with fries and a couple of beers. And they sit and talk, teasing and laughing, picking at their fries, eating slowly, relaxing and enjoying each other's company and conversation.

Tara sits across from him, she's taken off her high heeled shoes, stretching her legs out, careful to have her dress pulled down as far as it goes, with her bare feet propped up on the chair beside him. And while they talk, Jax absentmindedly rubs his hand up and down her calves, slowly, soothingly, over and over, and she's secretly glad that she took the time to shave that morning.

They sit and talk about everything and nothing, and for the most part keeping the conversation lighthearted. Growing a little restless now as time keeps ticking away, and Jax stubs out his cigarette in the ashtray sitting on the table between them. He exhales the remaining smoke out of the side of his mouth, and smiles at her before he nods towards the small and completely empty dance floor in front of the little stage. "Wanna dance?"

Tara glances over her shoulder, at the dance floor, then at the oversized, more modern looking jukebox near it, before she returns her attention back to Jax and nods, "Yeah, I'd like that."

He stands and holds out his hand for her to take, helping her come to a stand too. She doesn't bother to put her shoes back on, remains barefoot instead, and to top it all off, she now shrugs out of her jacket too, revealing the low-cut bare back to her dress, but it does cover the crow, just barely though. While she does this, her eyes are never leaving his in a silent challenge, daring him to say something as she leaves her jacket draped over the back of her chair, right on top of the jeans that are probably bone dry by now.

But Jax doesn't say anything this time, he just smiles and shakes his head, clearly amused by her defiance, and he sort of chalks her behavior up to alcohol by now ... after all, she's had a couple of shots and some beers too.

They walk together to the jukebox, looking over the digital selection. She's lazily resting her head against him, his arm draped around her neck, while they take their time looking over what seems like a endless list of songs to pick and choose from.

Eventually they pick something slow and romantic, just a handful of songs, some of them ballads, most of which represent remnants from their youth. Brian Adams. Goo Goo Dolls. Bon Jovi. Coldplay. Edwin McCain.

So they begin to dance away another hour under the cliché looking spinning disco ball, slowly and carefully starting with Brian Adam's 'Please forgive me', and followed later by his song named 'Heaven'.

Tara is dancing barefoot, while Jax carefully moves them around the dance floor, barely moving their feet as they wordlessly listen to those old tragic love songs that seemed to be so popular back during their teenage and young adult years. And by miracle he not once steps on her naked toes, while the last beats and words to Bon Jovi's 'Never say goodbye' croon throughout the place.

They'd be lying if they said, it doesn't take them back in time for a moment when these old familiar songs play. Yet truth be told, this wasn't the music Jax had liked, or if he did, he never would've admitted to it back then, but he chose them now because he knew that Tara used to like them, and they had the right beat to slow dance too, so that was another obvious plus.

Looking back though, Jax recalls making love to her to these songs more than they'd ever actually danced to them. He smiles when the memory of a mix-tape he'd made for her comes back to him for a quick moment.

And now, with her in his arms, nothing else on his mind, he actually finds himself listening to the lyrics, taking them in and how heartbreakingly the emotions in them ring true now that he's old enough to appreciate them. He's thinking to himself how fitting some of the words are when Edwin McCain's 'I'll be' ends, and the starting beat to Bon Jovi's 'Lie to me' begins to play instead.

Rumor has it that your daddy's coming down
He's gonna pay the rent
Tell me babe, is this as good as life is gonna get
It feels like there is a stranger standing in these shoes
But, I know I can't lose me, 'cause then I'd be losing you

I know I promised, baby
I would be the one to make our dreams come true
I ain't too proud of all the struggles
And the hard times we've been through
When this cold world comes between us
Please tell me you'll be brave

'Cause I can realize the danger when forgiveness fades away

If you don't love me, lie to me
'Cause, baby, you're the one thing I believe
Let it all fall down around us, if that's what's meant to be
Right now if you don't love me, baby, lie to me

Pour another cup of coffee, babe, I got something to say to you
But I ain't got the winning ticket
Not the one that's gonna pull us through
No one said it'd be easy, let your old man take you home
But know if you walk out on me
That, darling, I'd be gone

If you don't love me, lie to me
'Cause, baby, you're the one thing I believe
Let it all fall down around us, if that's what's meant to be
Right now if you can't love me, baby, lie to me
Baby, I can take it

It's a bitch, that life's a roller coaster ride
The ups and downs will make you scream sometimes
It's hard believing that the thrill is gone
But we got to go around again, so let's hold on

Go on, lie to me

Baby, I can take it

C'mon, lie to me

Jax's right hand has been splayed out across Tara's back pretty much the entire time they've been dancing tonight, he wants to but refrains from grabbing her ass, just let's his hand slip as low as her crow. His other hand has been holding one of her hands against his chest, right by his heart, while they gazed at each other every now and then, getting lost in each other's eyes like some love-drunk teenagers.

He remembers reading somewhere once that dancing was one of the most powerful aphrodisiacs that wasn't a controlled substance, and right now, he couldn't agree more. Over the last hour, the sexual tension between them has risen with every look and every touch and every step.

Throughout the dance, they've kissed, or rather brushed their lips over the other's lips and skin ever so softly, leaving goose bumps in their path. Her breath caught in her throat every time Jax pulled her even closer against him. And a few times his lips are near her ear, humming or even singing along to the song in a low whisper, causing her heartbeat to quicken each time.

But right now, as the last couple of beats of the song is playing out, Jax's lips are on Tara's neck, she can feel his warm breath while he's placing sweet sizzling kisses against her delicate creamy skin there. And Tara actually has her eyes closed, lost in the moment, her heart beating wildly in her chest at the sensation his lips leave on her skin and the need for him that's pooling in her core.

Then the song completely stops, and when no other one starts to play they realize it's the last one they'd paid for. Jax stops kissing her neck and meets her eyes, lust and need flashing back at her behind blue orbs, before he takes her by the hand and leads her back to their table off to the side.

But this time, she doesn't sit across from him, instead he pulls her onto his lap, before their mouths greedily find each other, getting lost in a scorching kiss. Her hands clinging to the fabric of his shirt, pulling and tugging on it, wanting him even closer, until she simply wraps her arms around his neck instead. If she was wearing her jeans right now instead of this short dress, she'd probably be straddling him by now, but dressed like this it seems inappropriate to say the least.

As for Jax, his hands are wrapped around her, holding onto her hips, and It takes all the will power he can muster to not let a hand slip lower, beneath the hem of her dress, to not let his fingers travel along her bare skin between her thighs. But he knows he can't do that here, not here out in the open, in public ... at least that's what he keeps telling himself, when he reaches up and frames her face instead. A mere attempt to busy his greedy hands otherwise, when he angles her face so he can kiss her more passionately, allowing his tongue to explore her mouth more deeply.

They're too consumed by each other that they don't even register the sound of someone loudly and repeatedly clearing their throat nearby, until that person actually speaks up.

"Excuse me, Lovebirds." Mandy says out loud now, trying to get their attention, but there's a hint of amusement in her voice.

They reluctantly pull away from each other, lips slightly swollen from kissing, and turn their heads in Mandy's direction, just now realizing that someone has turned some more music on again, some country ballad playing in the background.

Then a quick flash of panic crosses Tara's face, when she thinks that this is about their boys. That something has happened, and someone has called about Abel and Thomas. But before she can even say anything, Mandy speaks up.

"You two were interested in a room, right?" Mandy asks, looking from Jax to Tara and back again.

"Yeah." Jax nods when the words register with him, "Definitely." And Mandy can't help but smirk a little at the way his eyes flicker to Tara's for a fraction of a second after he'd already answered, as if to look for her approval after the fact. How cute!

"Well, it's your lucky day." Mandy replies short.

"I thought they were all booked up." Tara can't help but ask, wondering out loud, and a little scared at the implication of having a room to disappear to now.

"They had a room with a broken heater, but the handyman was able to fix it." Mandy explains. "He's clearing out of there right now. It'll probably be about fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. I'll let the manager know to hold it for you." She points her thumb over her shoulder in the general direction of the motel, before she spins on her heels and walks back to the bar.

The spell they had been under was broken now, but that lasts only for a moment until they look back at each other, almost sheepishly, with heavy lidded bedroom eyes, and flushing cheeks. Their lips drawn to each others like magnets once more, lost in yet another scorching, forceful kiss.

Tara's hands are slowly slipping from behind Jax's neck down his chest, he's wearing one of his blue plaid shirts, her personal favorite because it matches his eyes, and she can't help herself but begin to playfully unbutton it. He's just too overdressed for how warm it is in here, wearing this shirt, but she's surprised to realize after the first button that he's not wearing his usual white t-shirt underneath.

And for all his protesting earlier, he surely has taken a liking to her dress now, and the way it's allowing him to run his hands over the bare skin on her back, her arms, and her legs too, making her shiver in delight when he does so intentionally slow.

So now she longs to do some of the same to him. Wants to feel some of his bare skin beneath her own roaming hands. And preferably now, right here, sort of out in the open where she still considers it save, in a public place, before they get to the room where every touch becomes so much more complicated.

She finally gets the last button on his shirt undone. With the way she's sitting on his lap, she's pretty much obscuring the view from any potential onlookers, which makes it all the more exciting that nobody knows what she's doing. They're still kissing when she slowly slips her hands beneath and over his bare chest, his nipples. Deliberately taking her time, letting her fingertips slide across his skin as lightly as a feather, enjoying the way it coaxes a small moaning sound from him against her lips.

She's encouraged by the way he kisses her even more passionately now, and she gently glides her hands down his chest, over his abdomen, tracing the defined lines of his six pack and stops at the waistband of his boxer briefs, before she teasingly slips just her fingertips inside, without exploring much further.

At that Jax pulls back from the kiss rather abruptly, not enough that she can look him in the eyes, but just enough that their lips part and he can speak. His breathing is just as labored as hers, and his voice sounds almost rough, lazed with lust, "If you keep this up, babe, we won't make it to the room."

It's a warning, no doubt, and his lips are back on hers, devouring her mouth before she can even try to decide how far she's willing to take this tonight ... not just out here, but also in the room.

And the fact that that thought even crosses her mind in the heat of the moment, pretty much already tells her what she needs to know. So her fingers slip from his waistband again, and her hands instead just slide around his waist, towards his back so she can just pull him closer. Hug him, hold him against her instead of driving him insane, like he was doing with her.

But then she stops completely, her hands flat against his back, not sure what it is exactly what she's feeling under the palm of her hands. His skin here feels unusually rough, harsh beneath her touch, almost like sandpaper, actually more like he's covered in scabs all over. She quickly pulls away from the kiss and looks back at him, meeting his eyes, and she's sure that his confused expression matches hers to a T.

"What happened to your back?" She asks, too dazed and maybe a little bit too tipsy to make sense of it, before her hands leave his back and start tugging on his shirt, to get a look for herself.

But Jax grabs her hands, putting a stop to it. "It's nothing, babe." He says, not meeting her eyes now, still sounding gruff, like he'd had one too many whiskeys, but she knows he hasn't had any.

This isn't how he wanted to show her, how he wanted her to find out.

"Bullshit." Tara quips back, and forcefully yanks her hands out of his, lifts the back of his shirt, twisting her body around his to peek beneath it before he has a chance to stop her.

"Jax." She says his name, not believing her own eyes. This can't be real!

But even in the dimly lit room there is no doubt and she can see as clear as day that the reaper is gone. Disappeared. Covered up. Blackened out. And the implications of all that hits her like a ton of bricks, knocking the wind out of her. She sits back up just as quick and stares back at him, and this time he does meet her eyes.

She has so many things clouding her mind right now, but she asks the most obvious first, she's got to start somewhere. "When did you do this?"

"The first night you were gone." He replies sounding rather solemnly, trying to gauge her reaction.

She hesitates, a sudden lump in her throat that she tries to swallow away, but it's hard and her voice takes on this very high pitched tone when she asks, "Does this mean?" Tears are already pooling in her eyes, and spill the moment when he nods along with his reply.

"Yeah. I'm done with Sam Crow!" He says, then she starts to cry and he pulls her in his arms smiling now. "Those are happy tears, right? He mumbles against her temple. "Or are you crying 'cause it looks like shit?"

A sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob escape her throat, before she nods her head. "Happy tears." She confirms. "I love it." She adds, her voice still sounding unusually high as she continues to cry.

"I told you I was out." He reminds her, but truthfully he can't blame her for not taking him by his word months ago. He's broken too many promises in the past, how was she to know he really meant it this time.

But she nods her head, "I know, you did." She allows him this moment of I-told-you-so, and won't dwell on the many times he's said it and didn't follow through. Her heart is so full of love for him right now, but it's also sad because she can't remember the last time she truly felt this way.

"Your room is ready." Mandy has stepped up out of nowhere to inform them, and disappears again just as quick.

They share a long look as Jax begins to button his shirt back up, neither of them really sure what comes next, what will happen next.

The thought of sharing a room, or more precisely a bed, after all this made Tara nervous, and even Jax was a bit anxious. Mostly because he wasn't sure where Tara stood at this point, where her head was at. Was the reaper being gone enough to have her trust him again?

He didn't know and the last thing he wanted to do was sabotage the progress they'd made because he couldn't control his urges.

All bundled up again against the cold wind and snow, after paying their tab at the bar, they venture outside.

He grabs his duffle bag from the backseat of his truck on the way to the front office to check in and pick up their room key.

They step quietly into the room, noting that it still feels cold, but the buzzing of the heater lets them know it's working and will surely warm the room up soon enough.

Jax puts his bag on the ground, and Tara does the same with hers, watching him close and lock the door behind him before he turns and steps back into the room. They stand rather awkwardly facing each other now, and for a moment neither is sure what to say, or if to say anything at all. Isn't this the part where they're supposed to be all over each other?

He watches her fold her arms in front of herself, and it's pretty much her way of starting a lecture or building a wall of some sorts around herself again. He knows this, and he wants, no, he needs to put a stop to it, because he wants and needs her ... needs her to let him back in! So on a whim he decided to let it all out, tell it like it is, again ... after all, in the past, his most poignant speeches have never been planned out before hand, and neither is this one.

"Look, I know you deserved better -". He starts but Tara is quick to interject.

"Jax." She says, but he interrupts her in return.

"Just let me say this, babe. I swear it'll just take a minute." He's pleading with her and when she nods, he leans back against the edge of the dresser, bracing his hands to the left and right of him, the look in his eyes a mixture of regret and determination directed at her, "You deserved better than what you got with me, Tara. And when I first showed up and you told me you met someone, moved on, I wish I could be the kind of man that's humble enough, mature enough to say Congratulations, or comment what a great guy he is, what a lucky guy he is, and that I hope you'll both be very happy. But how do you look at the woman you love and tell yourself it's time to walk away? I can't. I won't."

Jax shakes his head along to the words, "That will never happen.'Cause it would just be another lie. And I'm not gonna lie to you anymore. This thing of ours, our marriage ... I know what I've done. I broke your heart a thousand different ways, and, god, I am so sorry for that. But something changed now. Me. I know how to love you now. That man you always wanted me to be - I am that man! And I can be a husband now, and I can be a father. And I can give you everything that we were always meant to have if you just let me."

He can see the tears welling up in her eyes at his words and it gives him the courage, or maybe it's desperation, to take the few steps towards her and frame her face, looking down at her. "I need you more than you need me, trust me, I know that! But no one could possibly ever love anyone as much as I love you, babe."

He brushes her long brown hair out of her face before he reaches down and grabs her hands tightly in his, raising them to place a kiss against both. "It's you and me, Tara. That's how it's supposed to be. You know that. It's Abel and Thomas and you ... and me." He leans down now and kisses her, his lips brushing softly, sweetly against hers. Then his hands are reaching back up to frame her face once more, and to wipe the tears from her cheeks that have spilled now, when he pulls back again from the kiss, his eyes searching hers, waiting for her to react, ... say something, or do something.

Tara wipes at her eyes, before she looks back up at him, giving him her full attention. She smiles through the tears, letting out the breath she'd been holding, embarrassed by how much he gets to her, trying to play it off, "Wow, that was some speech."

She suddenly feels so incredibly nervous to be this close to him. She loves him so much, and everything he's said it's everything she's always wanted to hear. And her heart is beating out of her chest, while she's trying to figure out what to say in return now.

"My speech was a lot shorter." She adds, trying to attempt to sound lighthearted when she asks. "Wanna hear it?"

Jax nods his head in agreement, but she can see the insecurity in his eyes reflecting back at her, because he has no clue what she's about to say, and she realizes that her badass biker, cocky Jackson Teller is just as scared and nervous as she is.

But then her heart is in her throat now, and for a moment she's not sure she can actually get the words past her lips, because she knows they'll change ... everything.

Tara's heart is beating so fast that it makes her breathing sound almost labored. She summons every ounce of courage she possesses, and bites her lip, trying her best to channel her inner seductress, when she lets her hands glide down his chest.

She keeps eye contact with him and she knows he's still waiting for her to speak. But when her hands reach beneath his jacket, and start tugging to loosen his belt, his eyes cast down for a fraction of a second to see what she's doing, but then he quickly looks back up at her, blue eyes shining back at her and a sweet smile spreads on his face when the realization hits him what is happening in the same instant when Tara finally says, "Love me, Jackson!"

Author's Note: Sorry for the longer wait, but this chapter gave me a hard time for some reason. It's my longest chapter yet, so I hope you enjoy it and appreciate it enough to leave a few words with your thoughts about it. Thank you so much for continuing to read my story. xoxo, Skater

P.S. If you want a sort of visual for this chapter, as to what Jax and Tara are wearing, what the bar looks like, the snowstorm, the motel room even ... then look up images/clips from the movie 'Deadfall'. The look of that movie heavily inspired this chapter.