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General trigger warnings for this story: Language, smut, mentions of rape, abuse, drug use/overdose, violence/death.

CHAPTER 75: GHOSTS OF MISTAKES PAST

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Sydney sat at her desk picking away at the strawberry parfait that Tig had gotten her for dessert as the after lunch lull in business dragged on, but she didn't mind - it stopped her from getting distracted by her brain that had been overrun by all of the shit that they needed to sort out, and they needed to sort out fast.

"Jesus, you get through all those orders already?" Gemma widened her eyes from across the room as she eyed Sydney's empty desk.

"Yes ma'am." Sydney mused, swinging in her chair from side to side.

"I wish the guys could work like that." Gemma scoffed as she looked out the door at the group of useless newbies that she'd hired out of desperation in the last few weeks.

"Me too." Sydney scoffed back, keeping her head down.

"You okay, baby?" Gemma squinted, noticing that even given the poor circumstances - Sydney seemed much less chipper than usual.

"Yeah." Sydney nodded unconvincingly. "Rough couple of weeks…" She shrugged it off even though rough didn't even begin to cover the shit storm that had been brewing - the second that one issue cleared up, a new one arose that was twice as bad.

"Tell me about it…" Gemma nodded as she got to her feet and made her way over to Sydney's desk. "Tig treatin you okay?" She asked quietly this time.

Sydney inhaled sharply as she looked up, expecting to see the infamously overprotective look on Gemma's face, but instead she saw softness - genuine concern. "He's the only thing treating me okay right now…" She chuckled humorlessly through the thick emotion that laced her somber tone before her head fell, looking down at his ring around her thumb. "I don't deserve him, Gem..."

"Of course you do." Gemma lifted her chin, looking into her eyes with a sincerity that nobody on this earth could match. "There aint alot of women that would say that about Tig, and there aint alot of women that Tig would care to hear that from."

"They're missing out." Sydney gave a small smile.

Tig stood in the doorway of the office out of their sight as he listened in with a giant smile on his face as he fought off his own emotions at the unexpected reassurance that his efforts were finally paying off… He was finally doing something right.

"They sure are." Gemma smiled back. "You tryin out some of that transparency?" She asked with a smirk.

"You really want me to say it?" Sydney rolled her eyes with a playful smile as her familiar smugness returned.

"Of course." Gemma grinned.

"You were right." Sydney drew out with mock-reluctance.

"That's my girl." Gemma chuckled, placing a kiss on her cheek underneath the dark bruising. "I'm gonna head to the hospital. You think you can hold down the fort for a bit?" She asked as she gathered her belongings.

"Yeah…" Sydney confirmed distantly as she stared out the window at the two disruptive mechanics racing around the garage with their heads down.

Gemma followed Sydney's gaze where she saw the blood-caked uniforms of her new workers that she hadn't noticed before - looking back to Sydney with a brow raised. "What the hell happened there?" She asked sternly.

"Just a little extra training." She explained cryptically as she stabbed a strawberry with her fork.

"How are my girls?" Tig decided that now was the best time to make his entrance - his voice cutting the tension as he held up a completed service sheet.

Gemma stared Sydney down for a few more seconds, letting her know that she wasn't getting off the hook so easily. "Good." She forced a smile for Tig.

"You headin out to see Abel?" He nodded to her car keys in her hand.

"Yeah." She smiled genuinely this time as the topic of conversation switched to her grandson. "He's comin home on Friday." She grinned.

"That's great, Gem." Tig smiled, pulling her in for a hug.

"Yeah." Gemma nodded as she returned the embrace, pulling away and looking between the bizarre couple that she still hadn't quite gotten used to seeing together yet. "No more funny business." She warned them, her stern gaze lingering on them as she took her leave.

Tig chuckled, a devious smile on his face as he watched Gemma waltz out to her car - turning back to Sydney once she was out of earshot. "How you feelin?" He nodded.

"Better now." She smirked flirtily around her fork as she let her eyes slide over her man - tall, dark, and handsome - where he stood smiling proudly before her. "Are we taking the bike to go and see Rosen?" She asked hopefully - testing the waters to see where he was at with letting her sweet-talk him.

"No." He shook his head with a discerning smile.

Sydney rolled her eyes, letting her lips jut out in a pout as she turned her attention back to the healthy dessert that she'd been trying to get through.

"Yeah, yeah. I got something to make up for it." He rolled his eyes. "How's your thing?" He nodded to her unfinished parfait.

"My thing is fine." She giggled, wondering what he planned on making up for a rideless evening with.

"It's not fine." He shook his head. "If it was fine you woulda finished it by now." He raised a brow knowingly.

"I just miss my normal food." She sighed as she set the yogurt down on her desk. Usually it wouldn't have been an issue, but too much of what she enjoyed had been forcibly compromised lately.

"Would it help if I made dinner tonight?"

"I don't know about that." She snorted playfully.

"Alright well I'll get you some ice cream in case my cooking aint up to par." He smirked.

"Okay." Sydney perked up as a grin spread across her face.

Tig shook his head with a chuckle when her liveliness returned at the sound of ice cream - leaning down to peck her lips before he got back to work.

"Tiggy!" She whined when he dove for her still bandaged lip, pushing him away playfully.

"I don't care." He grinned, wrapping his hand around her neck to keep her in place as he planted his lips on the corner of her mouth that was unscathed.

Sydney grinned at his solution, feeling her stomach fluttering under his grip - smoothing her hands up his chest as she parted her lips and kissed him back passionately.

"I thought I said no funny business?" The pair jumped, turning with wide eyes to see Gemma standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

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"Hey." Jax looked up from Abel with a smile as Tara entered the room where he was rocking his baby boy, needing some much needed time with his son to help calm him down after the morning he'd had.

"Hey." Tara forced a smile as she felt her heart tightening in her chest as she gazed upon the sight that she spent so many years dreaming of… The sight that was about to be taken from her. "Um." She cleared her throat, unable to stall any longer as Wendy stood waiting just outside of the door. "Someone's here to see you." She forced as much enthusiasm as possible into her tone.

Jax scowled when he saw the uncertainty across her face, getting to his feet with the baby in his arms as he waltzed towards the window to see his ex-wife. "You do this?" He looked back at Tara with a brow raised.

"She came on her own." Tara shook her head, feeling a twinge of hope when he looked more displeased than excited.

Jax nodded, setting the baby down into his crib before heading out the door to greet his visitor.

Wendy's heart was pounding so fast that she worried it would burst right out of her chest as Jax came into view in the window, then those blue eyes landed on her - the blue eyes that she'd missed even more than she missed the dope... She shook the thought away. Today was a good day - a day that drugs were not going to ruin for her the way that they'd ruined so much before.

"Thanks." She gave Tara a knowing smile as the pair walked out into the waiting room where she was leaning against the wall.

"You're welcome." Tara gave a friendly smile, looking around awkwardly before taking her leave.

"Hey." Jax greeted her coldly. "You left rehab?"

"No." Wendy rolled her eyes with a smile. "I'm moving into a sober living house in Lincoln Village on Sunday." She nodded somewhat shamefully. "I have forty-two days." She added, hoping to make him - and her subconscious - realize that she was serious this time.

"That's fantastic." Jax smiled.

"Yeah." She smiled awkwardly, looking down at her boots.

"You look great." He told her sincerely.

"Thanks." She chuckled nervously as even more discomfort set in.

"Where you stayin? Until Sunday?"

"Uh." She stammered. "I brought my bags to the house..." She admitted with a grimace. "I'm sorry Jax, I just didn't know where else to go. I have to stay away from my old crowd and I don't have any money for a hotel-"

"Hey, it's okay." He shook his head with a smile. "It was your house, too."

"Jax, it was your house - I just lived in it." She sighed with a knowingly smile.

"Well we changed the locks." He dug into his pocket and pulled out his keys.

"Oh yeah, I know." She chuckled. "The painters left the back door open."

"I'm hardly ever there anyways if you wanted to stay until you check in." He slid off the silver house key and handed it to her. "Besides, we're bringin Abel home this weekend."

"Really?" She exclaimed excitedly before her face fell quickly. "What about Gemma…" She realized sadly.

"Eh, don't worry about Gemma. I'll handle it." He shrugged, hoping that what Gemma had done to Wendy the first time was enough - especially if she wasn't planning on sticking around.

"Okay." A smile spread across her face as her eyes lit up - this couldn't have been more perfect timing; a taste of what their family would be like to keep her on the straight and narrow.

Jax nodded, his own smile forming over her excitement. "You wanna see him?" He nodded back to Abel's room.

"Please." She nodded eagerly.

"Alright, come on." He turned towards the door.

"Jax, wait." Wendy winced as she planted her feet firmly on the ground, remembering all of the things that she'd learned in rehab - things that she needed to practice in order to stay clean, and honesty was one of them. "I saw him already today… I'm sorry - I just couldn't wait… I'm sorry." She repeated as she wrung her hands.

"It's alright." Jax shook his head understandingly. "You wanna see him again?"

"I really do." Tears came to her eyes as he showered her with kindness, with acceptance - all things that she didn't feel she deserved.

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"Tell Rosen to meet us here." Tig told Clay as he pulled the van onto a residential street.

"Here?" Clay scowled in confusion before he spotted the ice cream truck - rolling his eyes as he flipped his phone open.

"Inconspicuous." Sydney grinned from the backseat before hopping out and bounding off towards the line of neighbourhood kids in front of the white truck.

"Guess her leg's healing up okay." Clay chuckled as Tig smirked at his President bashfully, getting out to follow her.

Clay stayed in the van for a few minutes as he waited for Rosen to arrive, smiling as he watched Sydney and Tig playing with the large group of kids while they waited for their ice cream. But the rare moment of blissful ignorance was cut short when the silver Mercedes pulled in front of him - reminding him that in this life, business was never finished.

"Am I missing something here?" Rosen scowled as he stepped out of his vehicle, scanning the extremely unfamiliar meeting place for the outlaws.

"My new guy's got a bit of a sweet tooth." Clay chuckled.

"New guy?" Rosen's scowl only deepened when Clay smirked, following his nod to the beautiful blonde girl that was standing next to Tig. "Damn." He chortled. "This might be the smartest thing you've ever done." He shook his head with a smirk - he wouldn't have thought for a single second that the short girl was with them, and he had a feeling that was exactly what Clay had wanted.

"I knew that I liked you, Jason." Clay grinned, clapping his hand over his suited shoulder and leading him over to where Sydney and Tig were waiting with multiple cups full of ice cream.

Sydney smiled politely at the men as they approached, handing Rosen the cup of vanilla while Tig handed Clay the cup of chocolate - watching as the dark haired man looked around at the array of exciting flavours before looking back down at his. "I guessed." She deadpanned, a smirk coming to her face as he raised a brow before taking a bite.

"Jason, this is Sydney. Sydney, this is Jason." Clay chuckled, introducing the two.

"Nice to meet you." Sydney gave a flirty smile as she held out her hand.

"Pleasure's all mine." Rosen chuckled, shaking the woman's hand with a grip much lighter than hers - another thing that he didn't expect. "I see you're fitting in well." He smirked as he looked over her red and purple face which was still painfully stunning, despite the bruises - not wanting to imagine the power that her beauty could hold on a good day if this was how strong it was on a bad day.

Tig and Clay both felt their faces fall as the man drew attention to Sydney's injuries - something that she had just assaulted two other men for doing - waiting nervously to see how she would react.

"Tits were a bit of a giveaway… Had to blend in somehow." She winked.

The patched members both breathed a sigh of relief - not missing as the lawyer's eyes fell to the cleavage that was bursting from the little black top that she was wearing. "What do we know about Bobby?" Clay brought the attention back to the matter at hand, eyeing Rosen pointedly.

Sydney's lips curled up as she watched a blush creep up the lawman's neck, snapping his head away from her and turning back to the man who signed his cheques.

"U.S. Attorney won't disclose the name of the witness because of security issues."

"No ideas?" Clay raised a brow.

"Well I didn't say that…" Rosen cringed. "I talked to Bobby last night… He says that Stahl knows there was a third man there, and she knows that it was Jax. Bobby says that anyone who saw him could never have ID'd Jax."

"Only one other guy knows that Jax was there." Tig reiterated.

"That's my guess…" Rosen shrugged. "Looks like Opie Winston is turning."

Sydney felt Tig's hand tighten around hers in frustration as he looked away, grinding his teeth as he contemplated the predicament that they were in because of that rat bastard.

"So what am I supposed to do if they cut Opie loose, huh? Why would they let him come and plead his innocence to the club." Clay stopped, placing his hands on his hips as he tried to cover all of his bases while he could - because he knew that as soon as the ball got rolling, he would have to act fast.

"To get more information." Rosen opened his mouth, but Sydney's voice came out instead. "Prove that it aint just hearsay to try and get him and his family out of a shit situation."

"Exactly." He nodded to the smart girl. "If I was going to cross-examine, I would argue that Opie is just a criminal who's lying to get a cushy deal - might need more evidence to get witness-protection."

"So you think they'd wire him." Clay surmised.

"All they'd need is for Opie to get Jax talking about the alleged Hefner kill and it's a lock."

"Jesus christ..." Tig sighed. They were fucked no matter what.

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Gemma finally arrived at the hospital, eager to see her grandson and spend what she hoped would be a few hours of pure bliss - no clue worries, no battered employees, no police raids. But she was greatly mistaken in her wishful thinking when she passed through the waiting room and approached the closed door where she saw Wendy sitting with Jax while she held their son, her grandson.

She stomped away, heading out into the hallway where she seated herself in an upholstered lounge chair and tried to catch her breath. How? How did more problems just keep piling up? How was she supposed to deal with all of this at once?

"I'll be right back." Jax sighed, heaving himself up when he saw the flash of two-toned hair after feeling the penetrating gaze of his mother, heading out into the hallway where he found her waiting for him with her legs crossed.

"Little family reunion?" She raised a brow.

"How long you been watching?"

"Since 1978!" She got to her feet.

"She just wants to hold her kid." Jax defended the mother of his child as his own mother approached him angrily. "You of all people should get that." He tried to reason with her.

"You think she has a right to hold that baby?" Gemma scoffed.

"As much of a right as I do." Jax admitted. "Look mom… I wasn't shooting crank, but I bailed on that kid too." He paused as he watched her reaction - staying silent while she clearly tried to ignore the sense that he was making. "I'm making up for that now. She just wants the same chance."

"She clean?" She asked the bare minimum in an attempt to appease her son.

"Yeah." Jax nodded. "Checking into a halfway house on Sunday. I told her she could stay at the house until then."

Gemma didn't say anything, she let her eyes do all the talking as she gazed upon her son wearily, wishing that he had inherited her heart instead of his tender father's.

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Tara had finished her rounds throughout the neonatal and pediatric wings, making her way back to her favorite patient in hopes that seeing him would help to lift her spirits while he still could. But she arrived just in time to see Wendy and Jax through the window where Wendy sat in the rocking chair, feeding their son while his hand sat comfortably on her knee and her hand sat comfortably in his. She felt her heart sinking as she stood cemented in place - unable to move or take her eyes off of the beautiful family… The beautiful family that belonged to her.

Gemma made her way back to the neonatal wing after a stop at the cafeteria for some much needed coffee, stopping in the doorway to the waiting room where she saw Tara gazing upon Jax, Wendy, and Abel - a picture perfect family that she was sure had to be crushing the doctor's heart. She crossed her arms as she contemplated the situation, realizing that maybe Tara sticking around wasn't something that she had to get right with after all. She didn't particularly like Wendy - especially after what had happened with Abel - but Wendy was easy to control, easy to leverage, and Tara was the opposite.

Tara flinched when she heard someone stirring behind her, turning to see Gemma standing with that awful, scheming look on her face. "Hey." She blinked a few times, snapping herself out of the visible weakness. "Uh, I'm glad you're here so that I don't have to interrupt." She nodded towards the happy family with the most genuine, fake smile that she could muster. "I have some bad news…" She looked down at her clipboard as her throat locked, she knew it was wrong but she couldn't help herself… She couldn't lose the one thing that had brought Jax back to her - not yet. "Abel has to stay one more day."

The scowl of concern on Gemma's face quickly turned to her infamous knowing smirk as the meek brunette uttered the horrible lie. Tara Knowles had just sealed her own fate.

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