The Best of Us

Chapter 7: New Enemies

"Annabelle! Annabelle!" 

"Jax, where are you?" 

"Get to my house. Get to my house right now." 

"Jax, what's going on? Jax? Jax!" 

"Anna." 

"Opie. Ope, what's going on? Where's Jax?" 

"Anna, you need to get to Jax's place. Stay with Tara. Abel's just been kidnapped." 

"What?!" 

"Anna, go." 

"I'm already on my way. Meet you at the clubhouse later?" 

"No, I'll drop Jax off when I can. Stay with Tara until then." 

"Got it." 

When Annabelle pulled up to Jax's place, there were police and paramedics surrounding the house. Yellow tape blocked off an entry into the house, but upon noticing Annabelle running up towards the house, Unser motioned for the guarding officer to let her through. Annabelle made a beeline for the chief. 

"Where's Tara?" 

"In the living room giving her statement. She's a wreck. Where's Jax?" 

"Where do you think? Out looking for his son. Why are the paramedics here?" 

Before Unser could answer, the medics started to wheel a gurney out of the house. Noticing Annabelle's panicked expression, Unser stopped the medics and asked that they be given a minute. Once it was just Unser with Annabelle, he slowly lowered the cloth from the hidden figure, revealing Half-Sack lying on the gurney. Annabelle gasped loudly and took a few steps back just on instinct. As soon as her brain registered that it was Half-Sack, Half-Sack, on that gurney, tears sprung to her eyes, and she kneeled herself right next to his body.

"Sack? Oh my gosh, Sack." 

As Annabelle gently stroked Half-Sack's cold face, she thought back to all of the times he'd been there for her. She was there when he first arrived in Charming and asked to Prospect. She had been responsible for showing him the ropes around the clubhouse and the two grew close fast. Aside from all of his constant flirting, she could actually consider him one of her best friends. Now she'd never get to spar with him again or beat him at a game of pool or place bets with him on which of the guys would strike out with a croweater first. She laughed lightly as she remembered all of those memories. Then cried as she realized that that was all she'd ever have now. The memories. 

Annabelle quickly composed herself and raised herself back to her feet, signaling to Unser that the medics could take Half-Sack away now. 

"I'm going to go check on Tara. Let me know if you hear anything about any of this. We need answers, Unser." 

"I know, Annabelle. I'm on it. Just make sure your boys don't do anything too crazy, yeah?" 

"I'm not the person to ask for that, Unser. They took my nephew. They killed Half-Sack and have probably destroyed my brother. I'll be disappointed if you find these guys before we do." 

Unser chuckled lightly at the remark, although Annabelle found no humor in it.

"Sorry. Sometimes I just forget that you're adopted. You've got SAMCRO in your blood." 

"Yeah, I know. I'll see you around, chief." 

With that, Annabelle entered the house and shut the door behind her, hoping to keep out any further officers for questioning. Annabelle wandered into the house to find Tara sitting on the couch, her face buried in her hands as she leant forward on her knees. Annabelle approached cautiously, not wanting to startle or disturb Tara too terribly. Tara certainly wasn't Annabelle's favorite person, and it was no secret that Annabelle wasn't Tara's favorite either. The two had gotten along well enough when they first met, back when Tara and Jax were dating in high school. But things definitely took a turn when Tara suddenly up and left Charming with no explanation at all and left Annabelle's brother heartbroken. Annabelle was thrilled for Jax when he had finally gotten over Tara and eventually found Wendy, but then that took a spill too.