Spoiler Alert! Do not continue if you have not watched the season finale of "Sons of Anarchy". All characters belong to Kurt Sutter, and are being borrowed so I can attempt to make sense of what was done with them.

Final Embrace

The wail of the siren pierced the otherwise quiet night in Charming. Chibs looked up from where he was rocking young Thomas in his carrier, his eyes on the store front windows, expecting to see the flashing lights race down main street. Frowning when the anticipated image didn't appear he turned his eyes to the clock on the wall behind the ice cream counter, his frown deepening as he noted the sirens seemed to be fading away from the main part of town, heading towards the residential section.

"Tara's late." He says in an undertone, not wanting to draw Abel's attention away from his game with Chucky.

At Chibs' quiet words, Bobby turned his attention from Abel and Chucky to the clock. He remained silent, a frown forming on his face.

"Could something have happened?" Tig asked, joining the other two men. He reached out to tickle Thomas, his face grave as he looked over the other members. "Think she didn't want to take the deal and split?"

"No." Bobby said instantly. "She wouldn't leave without the boys, besides this is her and Jax's plan, she wouldn't bail now."

With worry obvious on his face Chibs stood and looked at Bobby.

"We should go."

Bobby nodded his agreement, as the men's movement caught Happy's attention.

"You want me with you brother?" He asked coming to his feet.

"No, you stay here with Chucky and the boys, in case Tara comes by." Bobby ordered, pointing to Rat indicating that he remain at the shop as well.

The three men left the shop and climbed onto their bikes, revving the engines before peeling out onto the road.

As they left Main Street further behind and drew closer to Jax's neighborhood, none of the men could ignore the fact that the sounds of the sirens got louder. As they pulled into Jax's neighborhood their worry intensified at the sight of the flashing lights.

The street was crowded with police vehicles, ambulances, and unmarked government cars. The guys pulled their bikes over down the street, each stopping a moment to take in the reality of the flashing lights being centered in front of Jax's house.

Worry for their leader made them hurry down the street, pushing past cops and ATF agents, ignoring the CSI team already spreading yellow tape as they made their way inside. Chibs was the first through the door, shoving cops out of the way, ignoring their yells for him to stop.

He pushed his way into the kitchen, stopping short at the scene that was before him, he could barely put any words together, tears already clogging his throat as he slowly dropped to his knees.

"Oh no. Oh Jackie. No."

Jax sat curled against the kitchen cabinets, Tara's body held tightly in his arms. Tears streamed down his face as he continued to brokenly murmur "I'm sorry" as he rocked her, all the people crowding his kitchen, their bodies moving around him were just a blur, all he could see was his love, his life, all he could feel was her skin already beginning to cool no matter how tightly he held her.

"Jackie." Having dragged himself back to his feet, Chibs, with Bobby and Tig at his side made their way to Jax. Bobby reached out a hand to the younger man, who flinched at the contact and pulled Tara more tightly to his chest.

"Jax." Bobby began. "I am so sorry." He finished, each word drawn out in his shock.

Jax buried his head into Tara's neck, as if the sheer force of his will, of his pain would bring her back to him. The three bikers stepped back, unsure of what to do in the face of Jax's refusal to accept their comfort.

The DA returned to the kitchen after having spoken with the deputy sheriff about what she and the ATF agents had walked in on. The scene in the kitchen was much the same as she had left; Teller still remained on the floor, his wife in his arms as his club members looked on. Patterson didn't think Teller was at fault for the murders; even if he had it in him to kill Tara, he wouldn't be stupid enough to stay at the scene. Even she could see that this was a response to horror witness, not horror caused. As she looked over the young mother's face she shouldn't help the small shudder that passed through her, what evil would so callously take away the mother of two small children? She shook her head at all the twists and turns this case had taken, her mind already moving forward, trying to identify her next maneuver in the battle of trying to bring those at fault for the senseless murder of the innocent school children to justice.

As the police moved around the kitchen making their notes, they half-heartedly attempted to get Chibs, Bobby, and Tig to leave, silence was the men's only response, as they shifted to stand behind the table, out of the way of the investigators, but still near Jax. Jax remained with Tara, any words requesting that he move, fell on deaf ears.

As the evening moved on the investigators circled around the kitchen, bagging evidence, taking pictures, making notations. Once they finished the coroner was finally allowed to enter the house. Being a local, the man momentarily stopped at the threshold to the kitchen, shocked to see the leader of the town's biker gang brought so low. He and his assistant moved to the sheriff's body first, carefully turning him over and lifting him onto the stretcher to bring him out to the waiting van. With Charming being such a small town, a second vehicle needed to be brought in from Lodi for the second body. The coroner guided the stretcher to the van from Lodi, he knew in the scheme of things it meant nothing, but Teller's wife was a part of this town, it only seemed right that she be transported in the town's vehicle.

The men loaded Roosevelt's body into the van, slamming the door shut and gesturing for the men from Lodi to go on ahead of them.

"Prepare yourself." He said as he led his assistant back into the house, readily noting the police officers that fell into step with them.

"For what?"

"You don't know who that is in there do you?"

"The bikers?"

The coroner shook his head at the other man's lack of knowledge of how this town worked as he looked towards the house.

"This is Jackson Teller's house." He took a breath and turned back to the other man. "The woman inside is his wife, Tara Knowles. He won't be giving her up easily."

Jax sat on the floor, Tara in his arms, his head back against the cabinet. His earlier sobs have since faded into the silent tears that streamed down his cheeks. He blearily noted the men in white jackets taking Roosevelt's body away. At their actions, he instinctively tightened his grip on Tara. He stared ahead of him, his eyes seeing nothing as his mind was filled with memories of Tara. He felt regret pierce his heart, all the opportunities to give her a future, all the things he still wanted to say, still wanted to do, all the hopes and dreams for their future together, the wish for a little girl of their own to break the cycle, all gone in an instant.

Jax was vaguely aware of someone saying his name, he blinked a couple of times, tilting his head up to try to focus on the words coming from the figure in front of him.

"We need to take her now Mr. Teller." The figure was saying.

Jax shook his head in denial, 'who the fuck did that guy think he was?'. Tara was his, she belonged with him, in his arms, no one was taking her away from him.

He felt Tara start to slide from his grasp, "No!" he yelled, desperately clutching at her with one hand as he blindly swung out a fist with the other. Suddenly the room was full again as the guys returned to his side and the police closed in, preparing to, if needed, physically subdue the grieving husband.

"You have to let her go Jackie." Chibs' voice cut through the din as an arm reached out across him and pried his fingers from Tara's arm. "You have to let her go." Chibs repeated as he and Bobby on the other side of Jax each took an arm. Jax fought against them, crying out as his arm slid out from under Tara, losing contact with her skin. He tried desperately to lash out at his brothers, the cops, anyone who tried to take Tara from him, but his grief made him too weak to overcome the force of his friends holding him back. As the coroner and his assistant pulled Tara away from Jax before lifting her onto the stretcher. Jax fought harder, screaming "No" over and over again, trying desperately to break off the other men's hold, his only thought to stay with Tara.

Tig joined to help Bobby as all three held the struggling Jax back as straps were moved over Tara's body. As soon as the room was cleared, Jax stopped fighting the grip of the other men and slumped down. The only sound in the room, the harsh rasp of his breath moving through a throat rubbed raw by his cries.

The coroner and his assistance loaded the second van before beginning their drive through town. They moved quickly through the quiet streets. The coroner sat in the passenger seat, lost in thought as they passed by buildings, he felt a shiver across the back of his neck as he noted the bright lights in the interior of the ice cream shop, he caught a glimpse of the people inside, two men playing with a little boy, the third sitting off to the side, rocking a carrier.

The drive continued in silence, and the coroner sat up straighter in his seat as they pulled within sight of St. Thomas hospital, shaking his head at the cruel irony of the world.

Slowly the house began to empty out of police officers and other personnel. Tig looked out the window, noting the departing police cars and coroner van, focusing on the lone police car that remained at the house, to make sure no one else tried to enter the crime scene. Bobby moved to the kitchen table, sitting down heavily as he pulled out his phone to let Happy know that they were going to be awhile, and to call everyone to the clubhouse and that he'd fill them all in later. This wasn't something he could tell the rest of the club over the phone.

Chibs lowered himself to sit on the floor next to Jax, feeling bile rise in the back of his throat as he noted the blood that covered Jax's hands and clothes and the floor around him, Tara's blood. He rested a hand lightly on the younger man's shoulder, offering silent comfort and support.

Jax looked to Chibs, his friend, someone he could always count on to have his back.

"What do I do?"

Chibs heart broke at Jax's words, he fought back tears of his own as he looked into the other man's eyes. His mind moved to his own wife, what he would do if that had been her laying there instead of Tara. Knowing that he couldn't even begin to offer an answer, Chibs silently pulled Jax into his arms, rocking him as he would a child as Jax's sobs began anew.

Author's Note: I can't even begin to get into my feelings about what happened to this couple during the finale. All I can do at this point, is make sure that even if the show jumps ahead and we the fans don't get to see Jax mourning, Tara's funeral, etc, well then I'm making sure to at least try to come up with something to give us all that. This began as a one-shot, but it was starting to feel too rushed trying to fit it all in, so I'm giving it a couple of chapters, enough to cover the week or so after this, and we'll see where it goes from there.