Blood vs. Loyalty

To Be Act I

Holly looked back as Jax came in, struggling to keep her eyes open, feeling a couple of her stitches pop. She wasn't doing so hot right then. She motioned for him to go to Opie, holding onto the door a little tighter, trying to keep herself upright. But when Jax shot Ope in the arm to keep him from killing Clay, her vision went dark and she passed out, falling to the floor as she heard two more sets of running footsteps come into the clubhouse. When she came to a while later, she let out a soft moan, feeling a little better but still weak. She opened her eyes as she heard someone come in, seeing an officer come in, rubbing her eyes a bit before looking at them.

"Did you see what happened to Clay Morrow?"
"No. I passed out before it happened."
"What were you doing at the clubhouse anyway if you're supposed to be resting?"
"Jax called me and asked me to meet him there, wanting to talk. I should've just stayed in bed."
"Did you see anyone before you passed out?"
"No. Sorry. I wish I could help. Is Clay gonna be ok?"
"He's in surgery. Thanks for your time."

She laid back, watching the officer leave. She moved the bed so it was sitting up, calling for a nurse.

"Is everything ok, sweetheart?"
"How many stitches popped?"
"5. And you have a bit of an infection that we didn't catch in time. So we're gonna keep you here for a while."
"I'm assuming there are people in the waiting room for me?"
"Yes, there are. Would you like me to send them in?"
"Yes, please. For a little bit."

She tried to relax, sitting back as she waited for the guys to come in. She looked over as they came in, hugging Chibs back when he hugged her.

"Did you see what happened, lass?"
"Clay killed Piney. Piney must've been threatening him with the letters, not knowing that Jax already showed you guys. Ope found Piney up at the cabin. He's been dead for days. Opie went to the clubhouse looking for revenge. Jax called me to see if I could talk Opie down. I passed out after Jax shot Ope in the arm to keep him from killing Clay. I don't know what happened after that."
"They must've come up with the idea of pinning the shooting on black to protect Ope."

She just nodded, the pain meds kicking in and making her sleepy, yawning softly, her eyes starting to close a bit.

"Where's Jax?"
"I don't know, lass. You go to sleep. We'll track him down and send him your way."

Holly looked at Jax when he took her hand, blinking against the light until Jax turned the lights off before going back to her.

"Chibs said you were looking for me. You ok, darlin'?"
"How's Opie?"
"I dropped him off at a quick care and he called Lyla. He'll be fine."
"No, he won't. He's lost a lot because of club life. He'll be looking for revenge no matter how many times you stop him. And all it's gonna do is eat him up inside and make him resent you. Don't let that happen, Jax."

He nodded as he sat down next to her, still holding her hand. She let out a yawn as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Is there anything I can do to get you to forgive me?"
"No. I don't know if I can, Jax. I never thought the day would come where the person who came to my rescue even when I didn't ask for it, would become so different to me. I know you want me safe and taken care of, but you went about it the wrong way. Instead of talking to me and coming up with a plan, you slept with another girl. I wouldn't want to, and I would've argued with you about it, but I would've taken the boys out of town. I would've taken them to Disneyland or up to visit uncle Jury. Gone to visit another charter. But all you had to do was talk to me, Jax. I would've rather argued with you and went to bed mad than know that you cheated and grow to hate you for it."
"I know. I hate myself for this. I have to fix it somehow. Please give me the chance?"
"I'll tell you the same thing that I told Wendy before she left for rehab. Put in some time. If we're meant to be together then I'll be here when it's meant to be. But it won't happen overnight. This isn't something you can just apologize for and kiss me and have things magically be ok. I put a friend's husband in prison to help out one of your brothers and you push me away from you."

Holly looked over when Opie came in, a bit surprised to see him, but glad to see him. She put down the book she'd been reading as he shut the door behind him and sat down next to her, taking note of the fact that his arm was wrapped up. She looked at him.

"How're you doing, Ope? How's your arm?"
"Hurts like hell, but I got good drugs. How are you?"
"I'm ok. I got some pretty good drugs myself. I'm on some antibiotics too. I'll be fine as long as I don't do too much."
"Good. Jax shouldn't have called you. He shouldn't have put you in danger like that and I didn't want to be talked down."
"I would've done it anyway, Opie. I know Clay needs to die for what happened with Donna and now your dad, but if you had killed him, it would've gotten you in trouble. Your kids have lost enough. They can't lose you too. And I can't lose you either. I've lost Gemma and now Jax. I need someone in my corner. I feel like I'm losing everyone in some way and it scares me."
"You haven't lost anyone, Holly. Jax is always in your corner, no matter what he does. He didn't want to push you away because he stopped loving you."
"I know that, Ope. But to know that he could do it so easily hurts. I know he's hurting from it, but that doesn't come close to how much I'm hurting. I have never been through so many tragedies in such a short amount of time as I have since Jax and I got together, but I've also never been more lucky. To have it all just destroyed like that? I almost wish Greg had killed me."
"Don't say that, Holly. Jax isn't the only one who's benefitted from the love you have to give. If it weren't for you, Donna and I never would've met. Kenny and Ellie never would've been born. Chibs would be so lonely without someone to take care of. All of the guys would be worse off without you. We would've been lost had it not been for you. Jax went through hell when Greg beat you to a pulp. When the doctor told Jax and your parents that they might have to pull the plug, it took me, Tig, Bobby and Clay to keep him from killing him. He didn't kill Greg, but he made sure that the entire town knew who Greg was. Two days later, Greg was found beaten to death in his house by his mother. The town rallied to get rid of him. Jax loves you more than he's ever loved Tara. Even when he wasn't around you, you were his first priority. It's always been that way."