With the Wind

Trouble.

Regaining consciously slowly, Ava was beyond dazed and confused. A horrible pain in her head she had thought she had just taken a fall. Maybe she couldn't handle her whiskey like she could before. She groaned quietly, looking down to realize her hands were duct taped to the back of one of Jax's dining chairs. Her eyes scanned the shattered window near the front door. Panic now penetrated her body. She felt the odd feeling of duct tape over her mouth, foot steps inching towards her. 

"You were out longer than I had expected," The sickening voice making the woman fight the urge to throw up right then and there. She looked up to see Jesse, a wild look in his eyes that the woman wasn't surprised to see. He had that look whenever he was about to attack the woman. Whether it was his hand or an object of choice, it had all depended on how he was feeling and he was unpredictable and dangerous. 

"Now, if I take that tape off of your mouth do you promise to be a good girl?" He asked knowing he had full control over the woman. She nodded carefully, flinching as he ripped the tape off of her mouth with no warning. She chewed fiercely on her bottom lip, avoiding all eye contact with the man.

"Oh come on, darling. I'm not that bad, right?" He spoke almost sweetly, he inched closer to her gripping her face with his large, calloused hand. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip and she just wished he would end it all right there instead of dragging on the torture. She kept silent. She wasn't going to give into him and atleast maybe try to hold him off as long as she could. That was until he started tugging on her shirt, taking out a knife and cutting the blouse off of her body. Ava began to scream, her legs kicking. A harsh slap to her face instantly caused her to quiet down the stinging sensation taking over the whole left side of her face and causing her nose to begin to bleed.

"You said you were going to be a good girl," The man's voice was now something demonic. He began to undo his belt. As he did so, taunting her mind with what he might do the door slammed open.

"Back the fuck away from her."

The woman moved her head to see the Irishman who had been at her house earlier, and she honestly thought that phone call wouldn't of done anything. Chibs glanced over at the bloody and bruised woman who was topless, his blood boiling with anger.

Ava knew Jesse better to think he was just going to surrender peacefully. She watched Jesse's hand as it clenched onto the large knife, moving behind the woman bounded by duct tape. The cold metal was now pressed against her throat, hot tears forming in her eyes and stinging her cheeks. Her eyes gazed into Chibs as if she was pleading with him to just kill the bastard.

Suddenly the sound of the knife fell followed by a loud bang and soft sobs leaving the woman's lips. Chibs rushed over to the woman, cutting the duct tape that bounded her wrists.

Ava basically threw herself onto Chibs, hugging him tightly and crying uncontrollably into his arms as a way of letting him know that he had just saved her life. She gathered herself for a moment her adrenaline canceling out any immediate pain.

"Is... is he dead?" The woman asked softly, not being able to talk louder than a whisper.

"Just a nasty shot to the shoulder," Chibs muttered. He was smart, he knew the police had heard that gun shot from a mile away and seeing a woman battered and bloody would be a cause for self defense. 

Ava looked up at Chibs with pure admiration in her eyes, "You saved my life..." She whispered softly, not moving an inch for a few moments. She leaned in pressing a gently kiss to his cheek causing Chibs to close his eyes softly, nodding as a way to thank her. He swallowed hard, backing away from her before doing something he would regret later. The sounds of sirens echoing in the background followed by a handful of policemen barging through the front door, shocked at the sight of the bloodied woman and the strange unconscious men. 

The police ordered paramedics to escort the woman out of the home to seek medical attention. She turned to Chibs quickly, "Don't tell Jax about this, I will deal with it myself," She mumbled quickly before laying down and being strapped to the gurney. 

Ava had always despised hospitals, she was convinced they only made people sicker. Besides the fact that it was beyond boring. She flipped through channel after channel a groan of frustration spilling from her lips. Even though she was in major pain she would've much rather preferred being home preferably with Jax and the kids. 

Abruptly the door to her hospital room barged open, Jax basically running to her side. She didn't know what to tell him and seeing him made her want to break down in tears. 

Once he looked at her beautiful face that was now beyond bloody and bruised, tears filled his eyes. He clenched his jaw tightly, wrapping his strong arms around the woman tightly. No words were spoken. Ava buried her face in the man's chest, soft sobs and the drowned out sound of the television filling the room.

After a few long moments Jax pulled away from the embrace, his hand stroking the woman's dark hair that he adored so much. 

"What happened?" He asked softly, his voice breaking in an attempt of not to completely break down. Needing to be strong. "I... Chibs called me telling me you were in the hospital and when I arrive I see about ten cops and was told you had been attacked."

Ava shook her head, blinking her eyes quickly in order to stop herself from completely breaking down. "I tried to call you.." She mumbled the hurt in her voice audible. "It was Jesse.." She whispered, not being able to help the tears that had escaped her eyes and streamed down her bruised face.

In that moment Jax's heart felt as if it had shattered into a million pieces. He heard his phone ringing but what he was doing while it rung was not to be spoken about. What happens on a run, stays on a run.

He embraced the woman once again, holding her tightly and not wanting to let her go. The woman rested her head upon her lover's shoulder closing her eyes softly. When she opened her wide, emerald eyes they shifted to the hospital room door where Chibs stood gazing at the woman with a sad expression upon his face. He shook his head, walking away from the door and out of the hospital.

Peace never lasts long in Charming, trouble never was too far away.