The Pull | Jax Teller

June Wedding

Jax couldn't even feel the elation of having his son back. He thought he would be able to go home and witness the pure joy on Delilah's face as he brought Abel back into her arms. Instead, he had to find her because of that asshole Salazar. And he knows this mess was completely on him.

It didn't help that the way he left things with Delilah wasn't particularly a good place. And Jax thought he could be optimistic that she's okay that Salazar wouldn't severely hurt her. But that wish was completely shot as Salazar broke the one rule of not going after Innocents, women, and children. Jax was killing himself thinking about what Hector was doing to Delilah and he feared that Hector might stoop so low as Zobelle did with his mother. He thought about how not only Delilah was being hurt, but their unborn child.

His eyes almost watered as he thought about their last encounter when she was eating her lunch. They could barely even look at each other. She couldn't look at him. He knew it was wrong of him to even blame her for what happened to Abel. He knew it would take a lot of groveling from him to even get back to a good place.

He pressed a kiss to Abel's head. His boy was oblivious to what was happening and what happened. He looked down at his boy and found him looking at the empty space next to him and those blue eyes a mirror of his own look up at him questioning.

"Mama?" His boy babbled.

He could tell Abel was wondering where Delilah was – his mother. It was the same look he had seen in Abel since he got him back. Despite being passed around from grandma and grandpa, Jax could see the questioning look in his son.

And fuck, Jax knew he might have screwed up a happy homecoming for his son.

He held his son tighter. His son could have been gone – ripped away from him and Delilah. A couple had him. That couple would have taken Abel. His younger child may not have ever known who their older brother was. And despite being angry at Ashby, he knew that Ashby's words held some weight like his father's. But Ashby was in the wrong for using a baby as leverage and forcing the child out of the life his way and that resulted in an innocent couple dead. And his father was a coward. Instead of writing what was wrong, he should've used his power to change it. He hated both men. He hated them for even being able to have a mark on his soul.

"Well get your mom and little brother or sister back too." He promised his son.

...

Jax could admit he was somewhat glad to be back on US soil and the clubhouse. And he promised himself that he would never set foot in Belfast again. He was instantly greeted by Tig and Kozik. He could see they were clearly exhausted and worried. Jax had already been downloaded on how the drop was botched and the whole circumstance on what led to Delilah being taken. Jax didn't know whether to attack Hector or Hale first especially as he learned Don was in the hospital.

But his footsteps faltered when he saw Lip sitting at the picnic table with Lyla, Piper, and Isla. Rosie had already rushed into Juice's open arms. He could tell Lip was an emotional wreck as the man hadn't shaved and his hair was standing on its end. Isla was looking at her father with deep concern.

He handed Abel over to his mom and made his way over to the picnic table.

He prayed that Lip and Delilah would forgive him for making them go through this pain. For once Jax didn't know what to say. Lip looked at him with real fear and he could tell Lyla was only holding on by a thread. Isla was the only one who looked strong. She hadn't allowed herself to cry.

And somehow his tongue won't work.

Instead, he leaned down in front of Isla, her cheeks rosy and glistening. He opened his arms and Isla launched herself in his arms. He couldn't help the tears that fell as Isla began crying. He realized that since the chaos of Abel's kidnapping he hadn't checked on his niece. She was there to see her cousin get taken and Half-Sack killed. She had been in harm's way.