DISCLAIMER: I don't own the SOA or anything you recognize, Mr. Sutter does because he's just that awesome!
Hey everyone, I'm trying my hand at this and so bare with me. I have read a lot of different ones and this popped into my head. Hope you like it.
-blacknblu30
Jax walked out of his house with Abel, heading to his Dodge truck to give his son a ride to school before heading to the shop to give his bike a tune up. He opened the door and helped his five year old jump into the truck and buckle his belt. Something was off today, he could feel it. He shut the truck door and walked over to the other side to get behind the wheel. He climbed in and sighed, running his fingers through his blonde locks.
"You ok, daddy?" his son asked, looking at his father with concern.
"Yeah, buddy. Let's get you to school."
Jax smiled at his son as he put the key into the ignition and started the truck up. He didn't know how to tell his son that his mom wasn't coming home; Tara sent him the papers a week ago and he had to sign them and give them to the Lawyer to deliver. Tara didn't want him anywhere near the Jailhouse where she was, she just wanted out of the life taking Thomas with her. The Teller men rode in silence to the school house where Jax dropped Abel off with his teacher.
Abel leaned over and gave his daddy a kiss on the cheek before getting out of the truck and heading into the school with the woman that helped him out of the vehicle. Jax pulled out a cigarette as he drove out of the parking lot and lit it, rolling down his window for the smoke to run out of it. He turned the corner and watched some kids get onto the bus and recognized two kids, Ellie and Harry Winston, getting onto it with a little blonde haired girl that looked familiar. He parked the truck outside the house as he watched the woman wave bye to them and walking back into Lyla's house. Something about the woman triggered something in the back of Jax's mind and it made him get out. He walked up the sidewalk as Lyla came out of the house.
"Hey Lyla."
She smiled at her late husbands best friend, "Mornin' Jax. What brings you out this way?"
The blonde dropped his cigarette onto the ground and put it out with his shoe. "Dropped Abel off and was heading back to the shop to tune up the bike."
He met Lyla at her car and gave her a hug. "How are y'all doin' with everything?"
"We're good. Heather got here two weeks ago. I'm guessing you saw her and that's why you stopped. Don't give her a hard time, Jax. She's been through a lot. You can go in though, she saw you in the truck."
Jax kissed her cheek and held the door for her as she got into the car. He shut the door and waved, heading into the house. He walked in and stopped, a red head was sitting on the couch, staring at him. She looked just as he remembered, red, curly hair and the same brown eyes as her brother looking at him.
"Hey Jax."
"Hey Heather."
They stared in awkward silence, neither knowing what to say. Heather knew that they had a lot to talk about and Lyla told her about what Tara did to him. Getting up, she walked to him and gave him a hug.
"How ya doin'? Lyla told me about Tara."
Jax took a deep breath and nodded. "Where have you been the last twelve years, Heather. You didn't show up for Ope's funeral, let alone Piney and Donna's."
She could hear how upset he was that she stayed away and didn't know what to tell him.
"I went to Los Angeles with Jake, surely you remember that."
He nodded. "Yeah, but you never visited. It took me about six months to get it outta Ope where you were."
"I didn't think you cared that much Jax Teller." She smiled, turning to her jacket. "I have a few errands to run and a house to find. I'm going to help Lyla and the kids wanna live with me. Will you be up for talking later? I have some things to discuss with you."
"Yeah, there's a couple houses over by my house that are up for rent. Ope told Lyla to sell his for extra money, so yeah I should be at the shop."
She nodded. "Alright, Lyla told me about the houses and I'm actually meeting up with Hale to look at three of them. I'll run by the shop and please don't tell your mom I'm here. I wanna surprise her."
He smiled and gave her a hug. "Sure, darlin'. Don't be a stranger, kay."
She smiled back and grabbed her purse and keys. "I wont be. Talk to ya later, Jackson."
He watched from the porch as the red head got into her car and drive away from him. He thought back to the last time he saw her, when she left all those years ago. She was a year out of High School and fell for some biker that was passing through. Shaking his head, he went to his truck and drove off to the shop.
Heather watched him in her rear view mirror, trying to contain her tears. She watched from the corner as he got into the truck and go in the opposite direction toward the shop. She turned the corner and drove the familiar path to a house where a woman was that she needed to talk to desperately before meeting back up with Jax at the shop. She needed her Godmother, she needed Gemma Teller-Morrow. She parked in the drive of the same house she used to spend nights at when her dad and Ope had to do runs for the club. Grabbing her purse and the photo album that she hid from Jax under her jacket, she walked up to the porch and rang the doorbell. When the door opened, she came face to face with a Hispanic man that she didn't know.
"Um, Does Gemma live here?" She asked, thinking that maybe she had the wrong house.
The man nodded and moved aside, letting her in. "She's in the shower. I'm Nero."
"Heather, will you let her know Opie's sister is here."
She saw concern in the man's eyes as he nodded, he knew Ope she concluded as she sit at the Kitchen table, waiting for the matriarch of the club to finish up. She tried to contain the tears as she waited for Gemma, she really didn't know what to do and didn't want her second mom to hate her. She knew how much Gemma loved her family.
"Baby girl."
Heather wiped her cheek and looked up into the brown eyes of her Godmother. She got up and wrapped herself around the woman, trying not to break down.
"What's wrong baby? Where have you been? I'm so glad you're home."
Gemma sat her Goddaughter down in a chair and than took to the one across from her. She hated seeing her babies so broken. After Mary split, Gemma helped Piney raise a daughter and she didn't like her looking so helpless.
"I saw Jax this morning."
The older woman smiled, she knew Heather had a thing for him before she left, even knew about the little rendezvous they had under Piney and Opie's eyes, knowing they'd both beat the hell out of her son if they knew.
"Did he do something to hurt you?"
Heather shook her head 'no'. "I have, Gemma. Lyla told me how much has happened to him since I left. Abel, Ireland, Tara, everything."
Gemma, grabbed the hand of the girl. "Darlin' he's gonna make it just fine."
Heather shook her head. "You don't understand, Gemma. I just left. I really only left because I knew he didn't love me, I was a piece of ass. We both knew that but somewhere in the middle of everything, I fell in love with him."
The older woman sighed, she knew how hurt her son was when the red head left. He practically worshiped Tara, doing everything he could to make sure she stayed and she left him twice. Watching the young Winston across her, she'd bet her life that both loved the other deeply and were hurting. She waited for Heather to continue, knowing her goddaughter needed to get it all out. Heather took a deep breath and continued. "I was gonna come back. After about a month and a half of being gone, I called Ope to let him know. He told me he knew about me and Jax and he wasn't mad at me for sleeping with him. He than told me how happy Jax and Tara were, how they reminded him of him and Donna in the early stage of their relationship. I knew than I couldn't come back, there wasn't anything here for me. I than went to Jake and told him I was pregnant. I was so scared, and I hadn't slept with him. He asked me who the dad was and I told him that he came home drunk one night and we slept together. He believed me as he was drunk a lot. When my baby was born, he knew."
"The baby was Jax's." Gemma didn't need to question it, she could tell by looking at the girl.
Heather nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
"What happened baby?"
Heather took a drink of the water she had gotten while waiting for Gemma and looked at her. "Jake heard me talking to the baby about six weeks before she was too be born. He heard me telling her that I was so sorry for not being with her daddy, how her daddy lived in a wonderful place and how I thought she'd have his eyes...blue eyes. Jake's were green, mine were brown. He was drunk and beat the shit out of me for lying to him, sending me into early labor."
Not being about to finish, she opened the album and showed the picture to Gemma. Gemma looked at the baby holding a baby. The little one looked just like Jax and Abel, it wasn't hard to tell it was his. Heather scooted the book toward the other woman so that she could look at the pictures and continued when she was able. "The police showed up because of how I went into the hospital. Jake belonged to a bike club that wasn't like SAMCRO, they liked rape, beating up women, drinking, you name it. They told me they'd help if I testified. I did, but only for Lizzy. They never connected me to Charming as I actually married Jake and they didn't ask for my maiden name. Lizzy's last name is Winston though, I didn't want her associated with that man. One woman, she helped me the most. She let me live with her and her husband and all I had to do was take care of the house. When I was able to get on my feet she helped me find a place and job so I could take care of Lizzy."
Gemma turned the pages as she listened to Heather, watching in pictures of the little girl looking more like her son in each one.
"What happened with Jake?"
"The court let him off with two years in jail and counseling. They thought Lizzy was his and so didn't want to totally take him away from her. He told me he was changed, sober, I was stupid enough to believe him. When I heard about my dad and Ope, I told him I was coming back to help for a bit. He seemed alright with it until I came home from my last shift at the club I was working at as a bartender."
Gemma looked up at her and could see a scar under her eye and a healing bruise on her cheek. She raised an eyebrow, questioning Heather.
Heather took a deep breath. "I walked in to him and his biker buddies in the living room with my daugher tied to the couch, naked. I tried to get to her and they beat me within an inch of my life. I woke up in the hospital."
"Lizzy alright?"
Heather nodded and Gemma let out a breath. "You gonna tell him?"
Gemma watched as the girl broke and sobs erupted out of her. Gemma moved and held the girl in her arms, knowing a little of what she was going through. "Shh, you're home. He wont get you here." she whispered into the girls ear.
"Ma..."
Heather jumped and looked into the eyes of the man that she had seen not but two hours ago.
"Mornin' baby." Gemma stated, shutting the album and getting up to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"You alright?" Jax asked, looking at the two women in the kitchen.
Heather didn't say anything, not trusting herself to not break down some more. Jax looked at his mother, silently asking her what was wrong. "I'm gonna go finished getting dressed, talk to her Jax." Gemma whispered, moving around him, heading to her room.
Jax stood and watched her, trying to figure out if he was just gonna stand there or take her into his arms. Heather finally looked up into the eyes of a man she had loved for a long time, "Sit, please Jax."
She took the album into her arms and waited for him to sit where Gemma was, across from her. Jax knew where she wanted him to sit, but chose the chair that was next to her, wanting to know why she was hurting so badly. "Tell me." he whispered.
"I know you saw Lizzy this morning, Jax." She whispered back.
"Lizzy..." he thought back to this morning. "She was with Ellie and Harry this morning."
Heather nodded. "My daughter, she's twelve." Heather opened up the album to the first picture of her baby in the hospital in the incubator. Jax looked at the picture and could remember when Abel was exactly like that. "She ok?" he asked, looking at the girl next to him.
"She was six weeks early thanks to Jake's ass. Other than her heart condition, she's fine." Heather stated, hoping he knew what she meant.
"Heart condition?" Jax asked, trying to figure out what she was saying.
"Her father has it, she's not Jake's, Jax."
Heather turned her face, not wanting to see his anger. Jax looked back down at the baby in the incubator, trying to grasp what she was saying. The little baby in the picture, she was his baby...his daugther. He quietly flipped the pages, looking at the baby growing in each one. "Mine...my little girl." he whispered and noticed Heather nod beside him. He looked over at her and put his hand on her face, making her look at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"
He cupped her face and caught her tears as they fell, wiping them with his thumbs.
She sighed. "You had Tara. I was going to come home, but Ope told me how happy you were. I didn't think you'd wanna be tied down when you loved her."
Jax pulled her too him, running his fingers through her hair. Gemma smiled as she saw them when she walked into the Living room. She wrote a note and laid it on the table before heading out to meet Nero for lunch, knowing they had a lot to talk about.
"Can I meet her?" He whispered, still holding the girl.
Heather pulled back and looked into his eyes, "You're not mad?"
"Darlin', I'm upset, but I get why you did it. Just don't take her from me."
She could see the pain in his face at the thought of maybe her leaving again.
"Jax, I'm home. I'm not leaving and niether is she. I never should've left."
Jax smiled and kissed her forehead. "Good. Wanna get something to eat?"
She smiled. "Suppose I should. I have to meet Hale at one anyway to look at the house."
Jax closed the book and gave it back to her.
"Thanks, you can look at it some more if you want. I have photos from the last twelve years in there."
"Later, wanna ride?"
She nodded and let him lead her out of Gemma's house and to his bike.
As they rode, Jax was thinking about Lizzy, his daughter. He had a little girl. He couldn't wrap his head around it. He knew there was a lot to talk about with the girl sitting behind him. He could still feel her, everything she did do him. At one point of time, he was in love with her. The more he thought about it today, the more the thought on maybe he always was. Maybe that's why it never worked with Tara, or Wendy for that matter...they weren't Heather. They pulled up to the diner and got off the bike. Heather grabbed the album out of Jax's saddle bag so he could look at it while eating if he wanted. As they walked in, they notice Hale getting up. "Heather Winston."
"Hey Jacob. We still on to look at that house?"
He smiled. "You bet, it's just you and the kids though, right?"
She smiled, giving him a hug. "Yes, just lunch with an old friend."
He nodded and walked out of the diner.
Jax led Heather over to a table and sat down. They ordered some water and than Heather opened the album.
"You have pictures of me in here?" He asked, finally looking at the first pages.
"Yes. I wanted Lizzy to know you and my family here. Jake didn't like they were in here and so I didn't tell her who you really were. You were Jax, Uncle Opie's best friend. I told her all kinds of stories about you and Ope and the club. When I heard about Ope and Daddy, I was planning on coming back sooner. Life happened and we will discuss that later...not here. (Jax nodded, knowing it was important) Anyway, I left Jake and emptied out my savings that he didn't know about and contacted Lyla. Before I drove up her with Lizzy, I told her. I told her Jake wasn't her dad, that you were. She was upset with me and didn't talk to me for three days. I understood, of course. I lied to her and didn't want to push her. All the way up here she asked why you never came for us, why you just let Jake do the things he did. I pulled over and than told her that no one knew, they didn't know I had her, they didn't know about Jake...nothing. She gave me the silent treatment all the way here."
Jax re-flipped through the pictures, looking and examining each one, trying to figure out what happened to his girls...girl, Heather wasn't his. "What happened, Heather?"
He looked up to see if she'd answer, but their food got there first. Taking into the relief that the waitress arrived with food, Heather ate. She didn't want to discuss Jake here, not in front of everyone.
Jax figured it must have been bad for her to avoid it with food. He continued to quietly look at the pictures, waiting for her to answer him. When they finished with the meal, Jax paid after much debate and than he took her to meet Hale at the house.
The house was a four bedroom, two bath, which was good for them. Heather walked around and loved it, each bedroom had two wall closets with doors that hid within the walls and slid out instead of opening out, making the rooms look bigger. The Master bedroom had a walk-in closet and a huge bathroom with a jet tub and a septerate shower. The walls were a basic white, but Jacob told her she could paint if she wanted since it was a rent to own. The Living room had wood floors where as the rooms all had a beige color carpet. There was a bay window in the Kitchen where her table could fit easily and there was an island in the middle with the stove top on it. The kitchen also had wood floors, which she loved, and a dish washer. The Utility room was offset between the Kitchen and the Garage, which she knew would only house Piney and Opie's bikes. Jax waited outside while she looked around, smoking a cigarette and thinking about the woman inside. He knew something bad had to have happened to her and Lizzy in LA. He was glad they were home and made a silent promise to Piney and Opie to take care of their family. He stood up as Jacob and Heather came out smiling.
"So, you like it?"
Heather smiled. "Yes, it's perfect and a rent to own. Has enough rooms for the four of us. It's close to Lyla, so her and Piper can come whenever."
"Here are your keys Heather. It's move in ready so you can start whenever."
"Thanks, Jacob."
He nodded to both of them and got in his car to drive off.
"What now?"
Heather looked at her phone, looking for the time. "I have to get to Lyla's, she asked me to watch the kids for her. Don't you have to get Abel?"
"Mom gets him, likes to have the afternoons with him." Jax answered.
Heather took a breath, "Wanna come to Lyla's?"
"Sure."
Jax smiled and handed her his helmet. She strapped it on and than climbed on behind him. She wrapped her arms around him and held on as he sped off to Lyla's.