The Thin Line (Between Guilt & Blame)

Will Won't / Can Can't

"This shit just keeps coming..." Piney grumbled. The boys were at church discussing the mountain of issues that they were facing. "Went down to Floyd's today for a shave... I cleared the damn parlor... "

"Sure it's not just cause you miss a shower every now & then, pop?" Opie tried to make light of the situation but most of them could hardly muster a laugh at the solid burn.

"The town's pissed," Clay reiterated. "But that's the least of our problems. We've got a Mayan problem that needs retaliation & a missing member of the family," Clay looked over to Jax. "If it wasn't bad enough, boys, our lawyer stopped by today. They're revoking our bail...we have to show for court on Friday for incarceration until the trial..."

The table exploded but Clay drew the focus back in, "But we have to get to Vancouver...on good authority that's where Abel was last..."

Jax nodded. He set his cigarette in the ashtray, "I'm going to ride up there in two days. I'm going to stop by and see my mom but I'm going to do this alone boys... I can't ask you to miss that hearing..."

"But I can..." Clay smiled, "All in favor of going to Vancouver?"

Each and every hand raised resolutely in the air.

The gavel smacked down. Decided.

The Teller Household (One Hour Later)

Jax returned home to tell Sadie the vote. He avoided the nursery, unsure if he could handle it yet. He heard the water running down the hallway so he followed the sound and found the bathroom door open a crack, steam pouring out into the hall.

Jax checked for cigarettes in his pockets, ready to waste some time until she got out of the shower but he stopped his search when he heard another sound beyond the rushing water: sobbing.

Jax closed the space between himself and the bathroom door. His hand hovered over the handle. He slowly pushed the door open.

Sadie was sitting down inside the shower, knees tucked up to her chest, the water pouring down onto her. The sobs came in heaves, her whole body shaking into them, possessed by sorrow. Jax removed his cut before sliding the glass door aside. He knelt down & shut the water off. Jax wrapped his arms around Sadie; her head fell to his chest and her wet hair seeped water onto his favorite 'Son' shirt. She cried into his arms until he helped her out of the shower and into the towel.

"I'm sorry," Sadie finally came around to the land of the living. She tightened the towel around her body.

He shrugged off his soaking wet shirt and threw it onto the floor. Jax took ahold of her hand and led her into the bedroom without a word. He went digging for a new shirt but stopped when he felt Sadie's hand rest gently on the broad of his back, over the Reaper.

"We're leaving for Vancouver in two days," Jax admitted.

"Okay...I'll pack my things..." Sadie took a deep breath and dropped her hand from his skin. Jax lamented the loss of contact but did not show it. 

"No...you're staying here...the Club: we're going..." Jax turned to face her.

Sadie hesitated before she found her words again, "Like hell I am!  He's my son too. I'm going." Sadie knew how Old Lady's worked but this was different.

This was very different.

"Look, you have to stay here. We don't know what we're going to find in Vancouver..." Jax started.

"We're going to find our son..." she responded. "I have to go..."

"This isn't a debate," Jax replied. He paused, shook his head. He deemed the conversation over & left the room, going to grab his cut from the hallway floor.

"No, it's fucking not..." Sadie followed him, "It's not a debate, it's not a question...Jax...I miss him so much..." her eyes were out of tears, "I have to be there...you can't keep me from him...LOOK AT ME!"

Jax took his fine ass time turning around.

"I'm going."

Jax wavered with a war raging inside of him. He understood her desire to come and yet that was not how this worked. "Sadie..." he started in a low tone. 

Sadie shifted her weight from right to left: her tell -- her muscles were tightening and she was ready for a fight... Jax knew her so well, "If something happens to both of us...who is Abel going to come home to?" he asked.

Sadie took a deep breath at the mention of her son's name from his Father's mouth, "If you think I'm going to let the devil get me before I get my boy back... well Jackson Teller...you don't know me very well."