Ten years. It had been ten years since Tara left Charming, and it still looked exactly the same. It was like a ghost town, full of ghosts from her past. The ghost of her mother. The ghost of the father she'd once loved and respected. The ghost of her first and only love. And the ghost of who she used to be.

She drove past the hospital where she would start working in a couple of days. When she was little and the world was very small, St. Thomas was the only hospital in the world. So when she saw that they had an opening for a neonatal surgeon, she had to apply. She told herself she'd never get the position, she was still too new. But secretly, she was elated when she did. As it turned out, the big wide world wasn't so great. There was evil everywhere. She just wanted to go home.

She drove by the police station, wondering which patrol car was David's. She wasn't sure how she felt about seeing him again. Their relationship had always been so awkward. She drove past her father's house. It looked as empty as it had felt growing up. Once Tara had a chance to get some rest, some food, and a shower, she would go visit him in his advanced care facility. His liver had been destined to give out eventually.

She promised herself she would stay away, but it wasn't long before she found herself parked across the street from the SAMCRO lot, hoping to get a glimpse of him. One thing Tara's travels had taught her was that, in all the world, there was only one Jax Teller. And she wasn't sure what to do with that.

The gates clanged open, and Tara smiled at the familiar roar of motorcycles firing up. It had been so very long. She tried to make out faces as they zipped past her, but it was nearly impossible. She craned her neck to see inside the compound.

And then there he was, strapping on his helmet and tucking his golden hair underneath it. Tara felt compelled to go to him. She started her engine and waited for traffic to clear. She couldn't take her eyes off of Jax. Not even when a very pregnant blonde approached him as he was getting on his bike. Tara's heart stopped. She watched in horror as Jax placed his hand on the woman's belly and laughed, then kissed her on the cheek.

So that was it. All of Tara's illusions about how things might be when she came back were shattered. She was too late. Tears formed in her eyes, making it hard for her to see the road in front of her. She pulled out right into traffic, nearly sideswiping a passing truck. The truck swerved, slamming on its brakes and its horn simultaneously, causing a scene. Tara jerked the wheel to the right, almost rear ended a parked car, and wound up half on the curb, stuck. Right across the street from an auto repair shop. It was inevitable.

"Shit," she seethed. "Shit, shit, shit!" She heard Jax's bike growl louder as he approached. She thought about climbing out of the passenger window and taking off on foot, but he was probably much faster than she was. Besides, it was a small town. It was bound to happen eventually. Might as well get it over with.

"Lady, you alright?" he asked, leaning down to look into the driver's side window. Tara reluctantly made eye contact, offering him an embarrassed smile.

His tan face went sheet white, and his eyes looked like they might pop out of his head. "Tara?" he whispered.

She pressed her lips together, taking a deep, ragged breath. "Hello, Jax. It's been a long time."

THE END