Chapter Eleven

Nicole sat at the picnic table with Gemma, Unser, Thomas and Abel. Gemma and Nicole had made a good dent in billing and scheduling but when Unser had called for lunch Nicole was more that ready to take a break, she was starving.

With Abel on her knee Nicole took a bite from her sandwich when she saw a car pulling into the lot. Shit she muttered under her breath.

"You said a bad word." Abel spoke from her knee.

"Yes Aunty Nicole did. Im sorry." Nicole caught Gemma's eye and nodded over to the car. Both women watched as Wendy step out of the car.

"I'll handle this." Gemma spoke getting up from her seat before Nicole could say anything else.

Nicole watched as the two exchanged a few words before disappearing into the office. Nicole looked back at Unser. "Can you handle the two of them?" Unser nodded.

Nicole opened the door to the office to see Gemma and Wendy sat on the couch. "Everything ok in here?"

"Yeah baby we're good."

"Look I should go." Wendy spoke getting to her feet. Nicole could see that she was clearly nervous and that made Nicole nervous.

"This about Abel?"

"No." Wendy answered quickly. Wendy hadn't expected Nicole to here, she didn't want to bring her in on this lie.

"She was attacked." Nicole looked back at Gemma as she pointed to Wendy's neck. Nicole eyes returned to Wendy. She took in the marks and they reminded her of her own, the ones Happy given her. She glanced at Gemma and all she could think of was Fuck you getting in my head Gemma.

"Are you ok?" Nicole asked looking back at Wendy.

"Yeah, I just...he just threatened to come after me. I was looking for Jax...I know he is pissed at me..."

"Look why don't you go back to the boys." Nicole nodded. Normally she would have pushed to stayed but Nicole needed some fresh so she left.

It was another 5 minutes before the two came out of the office. Unser had taken the boys over to the swing set to play, Nicole had not gone to far. In fact she had stood right outside the office. Nicole was confused but just as she was itching to get back in the office door opened.

Wendy spared a smile to Nicole before rushing to her car. Nicole did miss how she spared a glance to the swing set where Abel was.

"She really wanted Jay?" Nicole asked to her Aunt

"Yeah, why?" The last time Nicole had seen Wendy was when she cornered her at the clinic where she was moments away from aborting her unborn baby. Nicole saw the pain and the hate in Wendy' eyes and Nicole fully understood it which is why she was so surprised to see Wendy running to them for help.

"Doesn't matter. So you going to tell Jay?"

"Maybe. Told her to stop by my house later." Nicole looked confused at her aunt. "She ain't packing." Now Nicole understood.

"Just be careful ok."

"Sure sweetheart, never fully trusted the junkie whore anyway." Nicole shook her head with a smirk before heading back into the office.

Jax stared at the bullet holes in the window. What should have been a simple meeting, signing papers and finalising his business arrangement with Colette and Barosky had turned into a shoot out and he was pissed.

Jax looked back at Barosky. Perks of having an ex bent uniform on the side was that he could control the police and the ambulance services meaning it took the heat off the situation and for that Jax was grateful as the club didn't need anymore heat with the school shooting.

"Hows your guy?" Nero asked as Barosky came to stand with him and Jax.

"Three bullets in the back how do you think he is?" He looked to Jax. "Was this you?"

"Could ask the same question." Jax retorted standing his ground neither of them were innocent men.

"A witness got a partial plate on a white Mercedes. One match. Amir Ghanezi." Hearing the name Chibs spoke over Jax's shoulder.

"Torture porn scumbag."

"I thought that was handled?" Barosky asked Jax, annoyance clear in his voice.

"It was."

"Well lets find out." Barosky spoke "I know a guy"

"Of course you do." Jax muttered under his breath. He looked back at his brothers. "We finish this today, for Opie, Lyla." They all nodded in response. It was then that his eyes caught Colette. He could see that she was clearly shaken by the events.

"Hey." He spoke softly as he closed the gap. "Do we need to give you a ride to your place?"

"She should stay here, my guys will look after her." Baroksy barked from behind Jax. Jax watched as she just nodded. Clearly there was something between the two he noticed it the first time he had saw them together but it felt a bit different now. Although Tara was back now there was something there, something between them so Jax wasn't leaving her just in the hands of some bent police men.

"Juice, hang back here. Watch her."

"Was I talking to myself." Baroksy snapped.

"Just in case your guys get an actual police call." Nero spoke with a laugh trying to ease the tension.

"Don't fight over me boys. My daddy told me I wasn't worth it." Her comment made Jax smirk.

"I'll check in later." Jax spoke as he started heading to his bike.

Nicole was working her way through billing when Thomas started to cry. Gemma was with Abel so it was only her and Thomas. Pushing away from the desk Nicole took a seat on the couch as she took Thomas out of his car seat placing him on her knee.

"What's a matter? You hungry?" She asked to Thomas even though there was no way that he was going to answer.

She rummaged in the baby bag and found a bottle and some water. "hmmmm..." She looked to Thomas. "You know what im supposed to do with this?...No me neither." Nicole sighed and Thomas just cried louder. She tried to calm him but she knew that he was picking up on her own stress because all Nicole could think about was her unborn child and how she clearly wasn't ready fort this. Before Nicole started to shed her own tears the door to the office opened and both were relieved to see Tara.

Nicole shot to her feet, Thomas still cradled in her arms. "Hi." Nicole spoke trying to choke back her emotions. She quickly handed Thomas to Tara. Tara immediately started rocking Thomas and Nicole watched as the tears slowly calmed.

"You ok?" Tara asked as she adjusted Thomas on her hip.

"Yeah, um, actually I need to head off." Nicole grabbed her bag off of the desk she had been working at.

As she turned back to face Tara she could see a little hurt. This was the first time that she had seen Tara since her release. She looked different and it wasn't just the fact that her hair was shorter, there was a dullness behind her eyes, Nicole knew it all to well. She saw it in her own eyes when she was released from Juvie. She came to stand in front of Tara. No matter what she thought about Tara and the things she had done to Jax but Nicole always knew she was a good mother.

"Im glad you're out T."

"Thank you." Tara responded shocked by Nicole attitude towards her.

Nicole gave her a kiss on the cheek, "You're a great Mom, don't forget that."

Before Tara could say anything Tara watched from the doorway as Nicole rushed off.

"Is that Nicole leaving?" Tara looked to Gemma who had now joined her with Abel.

"Yeah she said she had to go. Is she ok?" That was a question that Gemma was asking herself but Tara didn't need that worry.

"She fine. Just like these two little ones." Gemma pulled Abel close causing him to laugh and Tara to smile at them both.

"Thank you for looking after them today."

"Of course."

"Come on lets go home." And with that comment Abel ran over to their car while Tara put Thomas back in the carseat before following Abel. Gemma walking alongside her.

Gemma wondered if she should ask but after her conversation with Nicole today about Wendy and it got her thinking.

"Hey can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You and Jax ever talk to Wendy about that whole guardianship thing?"

"No not really, we got a little pre-occupied." Gemma opened the door so that Tara could get Thomas inside the car.

"Yeah I guess. If you need any help with these two.."

"Thanks Gemma." Gemma could tell that Tara was holding back.

"You ok?" Gemma asked concerned was Tara secretly reconsidering this guardianship thing.

"Yeah. Can I tell you something but you promise to keep it a secret?"

"Secrets are what I do." Yes they were was all Tara could think about.

"I'm pregnant. About 8 weeks."

"Oh my god that's wonderful news." Gemma hugged Tara. "What did Jax say?"

"I have only just had it confirmed. I'm going to tell him tonight."

"He is going to be thrilled."

"I hope so."

"This is just what we need." Gemma spoke as she embraced her daughter in law once again. And with that hug Gemma didn't notice that

Nicole walked into Diosa. She was heading home but somehow found herself here. She looked around before finally seeing the person she was looking for. Smiling she walked over to her tapping her on the shoulder making her turn around.

"Nicole."

"Hey Lyla."

"Is everything ok?"

"Can we talk?"

"Of course."

Jax lent against his bike. They handled the issues of the day, the guy who had shot at them today was the brother of the sick bastard that had hurt Lyla. Apparently they thought that the Sons had killed him.

They had roughed him up, destroyed their studio but there was no order to kill and Jax knew that Tig was the man left behind. He had asked the question and Tig had denied killing him. Now Jax wasn't bothered the man deserved to die for what he did to Lyla and all those other women but right now Jax didn't need to trouble.

Which is why he sat where he currently was. He hadn't heard anything about Clay, so right now Jax didn't know what was going on, didn't know if he need to pull on the loyalty of his brother and send Nicole in or if he was in Stockton and then Jax needed something else.

Hearing the car approached Jax stood as he watched August's car come to a stop and get out. They approached one another, shaking one another's hand in greeting.

"I havent heard anything from Stockton."

"Clay is still alive." August confirmed. Jax nodded.

"Im taking your mentors lead. Shedding the thing that brings us heat."

"Guns?"

"Yeah. I thought Clay was going to rat but now he's landed back in Stockton I know that hasn't happened. But Clay...Clay has the IRA ties. I might need him to help navigate what could be a very messy breakup." Jax watched the anger grow in his eyes. "I want him dead just as much as you trust me. But this is business and a smart play."

"Smart for you but that compromises me, send the wrong message." August snapped.

"I want to resurrect CaraCara, it was my porn business." He watched August shake his head. "I know it's not your usual business but it brings good money, especially to a silent partner."

"Ok, I'll get Clay protected for now, but if I do this I need something for you."

Jax knew this was coming. He had pushed back for as long as he could but Tig needed to pay his debut and Jax was finally out of excuses.

He handed August a piece of paper with an address.

After what had happened today Jax had asked Tig to return to the porn studio pack up all the tech equipment. Jax told him to wait there until the prospects showed up with the van, but they were never going to show. August and his men would instead.

Wendy stood in Gemma's kitchen, she had come as instructed. Gemma had disappeared for a moment only to return with a hat box. This wasn't the first time that she had seen this hat box.

"So any more trouble?" Gemma asked as she placed the box on the table.

"Scumbag didn't come by work. Have you talked to Jax?"

"It's not a good time." Knowing of the pregnancy now, the last thing Jax needed was Wendy coming back into their lives. Gemma walked over to the hat box and opened it pulling out a gun. "Here."

"Gemma." Although she knew how to handle one Wendy was never a big fan of guns.

"Till this guy is shut down, you need to protect yourself?" Gemma could see her reluctance. "He's probably just noise, you show your protected you'll probably never see him again."

"Unless he pulls his own trigger"

"Then you pull yours first." She closed the gap between "This has no serial numbers." She showed Wendy. "This could never be linked back to you. Keep it in your bag." Wendy accepted the gun. Changed it from hand to hand to hand to feel the weight.

"Is it Kahr?"

"Yes."

"How's the recoil"

"A little snappy." Gemma admitted as she handed her a pack of bullets. "Look if you need anything you call me ok. When the time is right we can speak to Jax, but as I say it's just not the right time."

"I understand and thank you. Do you think we need to worry about Nicole, she was there today."

"Nicole is fine, nothing to worry about." At least Gemma hoped.

After meeting with August Jax had gone to check on Colette. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but her fucking Barosky wasn't it. So as he walked into his house and his cell rang out and he saw her name flash on the screen he cancelled the call.

Just like every other days was feeling it was long and complicated. Walking over to the fridge her grabbed a beer. Taking a swig from the bottle he notice a piece of paper lying on the table. He picked it up but there were only three words that stood out for him... Pregnancy test, Positive

Setting his beer on the table he grabbed the piece of paper and headed to their bedroom. There was a low light and when he entered he saw Tara at the head of the bed a book resting on her knees. She paused upon his entrance and upon return he held up the paper he had found, the paper she had clearly left out for him.

Tara didn't know the words, giving everything that has happened was happening between them she thought just leaving the paperwork would be easier. She watched as he held the paper unsure of the reaction and as he approached her her uneasiness grew but then he sat before her and spoke.

"I love you."

Unable to speak Tara embraced her husband hoping that this would make everything better.