Ghost Diaries

Chapter 16

Abel had just lined all the trucks up in a perfect line.

"We are going to cause a traffic jam Sam," he told her moving the red fire truck to the front of the line.

Sam smiled and looked up, feeling someone watching her. She caught Jax's stare. He was smoking a cigarette and leaning against the bar, staring at her. Sam returned the glance. They probably would have continued staring at each, if the sound of gun fire did not interrupt them.

At first Sam thought it was firecrackers, but then the front door of the studio banged open and a guy in a SAMCRO kutte came stumbling in, bleeding from his chest

"West!" she heard Bobby cry out.

Instantly, Sam grabbed Abel. The studio had erupted in chaos and people were running all over the place. She knew Thomas was in a back office, napping in his carrier. She turned and met Jax's panic gaze. Knowing that running out the front door of the studio was not possible, she ran in the back with Abel.

"Sam, I scared!" Abel said whimpering as they made their way back towards the office and Thomas.

"It's ok, buddy." Sam said trying to console the scared child.

She reached the back office and heard more gun shots coming from the outside. She saw Thomas still sleeping. Sam put Abel down and ran back to the door and looked down the hallway, wishing she had her 9mm. She didn't see anyone. She closed the door to the office and locked it. She took a chair and barricaded the door. She quickly looked around the room and spotted a bathroom in the back. She grabbed Abel's hand and Thomas's carrier and ran into the bathroom. She locked the door behind them, knowing that the flimsy wood door would do nothing to stop the barrage of bullets that could infiltrate the small space.

"I want my mommy," Abel started to cry.

Sam knelt down and looked at Abel. She had to get him to quiet down.

"Hey, buddy. I know you are scared. But I need you to be tough for Thomas. If he wakes up, he is going to be scared. I need him to see that is big brother is not scared. Ok?"

Abel stopped crying but his lip quivered. He nodded and that reached for Sam. Sam sat down with her back against the shower stall. She pulled Abel into her lap and moved Thomas's carrier next to her, hoping that the gunfire would soon stop.

Jax watched Sam take Abel and run into the back where Thomas was. He had a moment of reassurance, which was interrupted by the sound of gunfire. Jax pulled his gun from his back and ran outside. All he could think about was stopping anyone else from hurting his family.

It has been ten minutes since the last gunshot rattled Sam. Abel was still silent whimpering in Sam's arms. Thomas had slept through the whole thing.

"Abel, I need to go see if I can find your daddy. Can you stay here with Thomas?"

Abel nodded slightly at Sam. He climbed out of her lap and moved closer to Thomas's carrier.

Sam got up from the floor and walked over to the door. She put her ear up to the door and heard nothing outside of it. She slowly unlocked the door and opened it cautiously. She stuck her head out and saw no one in the room. She slipped out and closed the door behind her, giving one more reassuring smile to Abel. She softly walked to the office door and removed the chair. She put her ear to the door and heard nothing coming from the outside. She unlocked the office door and slowly opened it. Sam did not know what shocked her more; the sight of Jax's in tears or the body of Bobby that feel into the room when Sam opened the door.

Sam sat outside of Redwoody Studios with Abel on her lap. Thomas had finally awoken when they got outside and was cooing softly, playing with his rattle. Jax had gone into the bathroom with Sam and helped her with Abel. They told Abel that they were playing hide and seek and he had to hide in face in his daddy's shirt until they got outside. Sam watched Abel intensely as Jax climbed over Bobby's body, making sure Abel did not look. He did not.

Looking around the chaos, she saw Gemma sitting stone faced on the hood of her car, smoking a cigarette. She saw a few body bags also. From what she overheard it was the Chinese who sprayed the studio with bullets.

Jax was talking to the new Sherriff. Sam remembered from her intel that her name was Jarry. When she first came into Charming, she thought of going to let the Sheriff know who she was. But knowing that SAMCRO had half of Charming PD in its pocket, she thought better of is.

Jax had his head down and looked blank. All Sam wanted to do was reach out to him, to hug him. All she could do was hug Abel a bit tighter.

"Well who do we have here?"

Sam looked up and saw Paterson and Don in front of her.

"You look a little to dressed to be a porn star and a little old to be a babysitter."

Sam stood up, grabbed Abel's hand and played along.

"I am new in town. Samantha Broker. "

She noticed Jax making a beeline towards her, wondering why the DA and a man he did not recognize were talking to Sam. Gemma did the same thing.

"Oh yes, you own that coffee shop," Patterson said.

Jax walked up behind Patterson.

"Can we help you?" Jax asked.

Patterson looked around.

"Looks like you had a busy afternoon, Mr. Teller," Patterson said.

Jax did not respond. Gemma appeared behind him.

"Mrs. Teller." Patterson greeted Gemma.

Like Jax, Gemma said nothing.

"My condolences on the two members of you club. I can tell their loss will be felt."

Again Jax said nothing.

Patterson turned to Sam.

"Well Ms. Broker, how about myself and ATF Agent Don Campbell give you a ride back to your shop?"

Sam pretended to be scared.

"Am I...Am I in trouble?"

"No, but we just want to give you a heads up about the company you keep," Patterson started saying.

Sam looked around and bit her lip. She was hoping that she could pull of scared and innocent.

"Look around Ms. Broker. Body bags, gun shots, little boys who have seen more violence in the few years they have been alive than some see in a lifetime. You seem like you have a lot to lose, Ms. Broker. Now, I suggest you get in the car."

Sam knew they needed to talk to her. She also knew she needed some distance from Jax to figure all of this out. She looked down at Abel whose hand she still held. She smiled at him, let go and started walking with Patterson and Don.

"Sam, you don't have too..." Jax said as he grabbed her arm.

"What? " Sam interrupted. "Go with them? Jesus Christ Jax, I almost died today. Your boys were in the line of fire. I have known you for two weeks and already my life has been put in danger twice. This is why your wife wanted out and why she is dead. Bobby is dead. Your boys could have died today. I just...I can't....Just please Jax, leave me alone. "

Without looking at him, Sam followed Paterson and Don to their car. She was hoping no one could see the tears well up in her eyes.