You Are My Sunshine

Chapter 68 - Heading Home

"We come bullet proof in Ireland. We're reared tough and we fight." - Conor McGregor

When Gemma and Donna arrived within twenty minutes of each other Jax knew the former was there for the baby but the latter was there for him. Now, Donna did coach Tara through her labor and the delivery but that was so Jax wouldn't have to and to save Amelia that heartache. While Gemma cooed over the child, who Donna talked Tara into naming Abel rather than Jackson or Thomas, Tara rested and Donna beelined for the exit. The last name though, Tara would not budge, and so the baby was going to be Abel Teller.

"Thanks for doing this," Jax sighed as Donna strolled down the hall to speak to him. He was slumped down in the small waiting area looking exhausted.

She nodded. "I did it for Meels really. She kept talking about you and Tara sharing that moment and how it crushed her to know it wasn't something special between you two anymore."

"You think he's mine?" Jax asked more and more tortured by the limbo. "Any resemblance?"

"Well," she laughed. "He's an hour old newborn so the only thing he resembles is a potato, and I love kids, but yeah, they're all squishy messes right now."

Jax laughed with genuine amusement. "Yeah, guess ya think that about all kids but your own?"

"I did," she shrugged. "Ally was gorgeous though. She's been from day one."

"That is true," Jax stood and hugged Donna. "This space between you and Meely, is it mutual?"

"It's not one sided," Donna admitted. "She's pissed about what I did to Ope, I get that, and she doesn't think he cheated even though I do. Guess he's the crux of our problems."

"Wasn't he the only reason you two became friends?" Jax asked as the two of them strolled down the hall toward the coffee machine.

Donna nodded. "Yeah, he was. I didn't like her before I started dating Opie. I thought she was spoiled and bratty."

"She is," Jax chuckled. "Not as much as high school though."

"Yeah not really," she agreed. "Maybe I'll call her."

"You two work it out," he said with his hands raised. "I don't want to get in the middle of it."

"You guys never do," she remarked as they passed the nursery. "Your mom had him for a bit but the nurses took him for some routine stuff. He's right," Donna scanned the row of babies and finally pointed out little Abel. "That's him."

"You wanna hold him?" She asked timidly.

Jax didn't but he saw the little bandaid on the infant's heel and suddenly thought back on a conversation he and Amelia had a few days before. "Yeah, I do."

"Did she tell them your the dad?" She asked and he rolled his eyes and nodded, showing off the I'd bracelet he wore. "Knock and they'll let you hold him."

Donna and Jax hugged before she left, eager to ignore the sorrow and regret she felt after watching Abel being born. Jax was just as eager, for different reasons, as the nurse handed the newborn to him. He smiled at the baby sweetly while he peeled the little bandaid off to find the gauze was covered with blood.

"Hey," he called the attention of the nurse. "What's this?"

"Oh," she smiled as she approached them. "Just a little heel prick, we send a few drops of blood off for some screenings. Nothing serious and completely routine."

"And his heart?" Jax asked desperately as she began to walk away. "Defect runs in the family."

"I saw that in the prenatal chart but the little guy got very lucky. He's perfect."

Jax nodded, handing the baby back, and slipped out of the nursery with the bandaid folded carefully in his pocket. He had plans to bring it back to Amelia in hopes of having her test the DNA at work, if it came back a match he wouldn't have to bother with a lawsuit or question anything but if it was negative, and he was so sure it would be, he'd fight Tara tooth and nail.

Holding the baby bothered him, he couldn't pinpoint how and why but he was angry and aching to get home to Amelia. Little did he know she, Alice and Mae had been taken and Galen was already stalling Opie and Jax's return to Vegas.

When Donna left the hospital she met Opie at the clubhouse to pick up Kenny and Ellie. He had taken them for her, in a way for his sister, and after a day of playground and activities he was exhausted. Once Donna had gone, barely ten words spoken between them, he sat for a beer with Jax.

"Abel, you believe that?" Jax sighed. "It's better than Thomas or fuckin' Jackson Jr like she wanted but she knew we tossed that name around before we knew Alice was a girl."

Opie's eyes went wide and he groaned. "Fucking psyc-" He stopped short when his phone rang, a smile spreading on his lips thinking it was Mae, but instead it was Donna.

"Ope," she whined. "Someone broke in, the house is...its a mess, the kids are scared." They would soon find out Donna's home was far from the only one targeted.

"Jax, we gotta go." Jumping off the barstool he was already on his way out of the clubhouse. "I'll be right there, Donna." Opie ended the call and immediately tried to contact Mae. She didn't answer the first call so he dialed again.

"You have to answer and put it on speaker," Padraic said darkly. "Tell him everything is fine. Tell him you love him," he spoke ominously.

Mae swallowed hard and nodded. "Hey baby," she tried to sound perky but by the look on Padraic's face and Opie's reaction she knew she failed.

"You okay?"

"I'm okay," she cleared his throat. "You sound upset."

"Shit here," he avoided details as not to upset her. "But listen, keep your eyes open, baby. Anything looks shady, you call Chibs."

"Yeah," she looked up at Padraic from the floor, "Chibs. Are we in any danger?"

"I don't think so," he sighed. "I gotta run, Maelynn. I love you."

"I love you too, Opie. I love you so much."

The line clicked and Mae began to sob, much less composed than Amelia, as Padraic yanked the phone away and quickly made a call. "Aye, we'll be ready to go in about ten minutes. Plane prepared?" He nodded as whoever he had called spoke and, once he hung up, turned to Amelia. "You have to pack whatever shite you need for the baby."

"No," Amelia shook her head and stared at him confidently. "Wherever we're going, she's staying here. This has nothing to do with my daughter."

"Not exactly," he shrugged. "But it's got to do with a daughter. Your guys won't be home for a while, you leave her here she'll starve to death. I promise you. Now get up and pack for her or we'll go with nothing."

Amelia stood, hiding her fear, and glared at him. "Where are we going?"

"Back home, lass."