Slow Burn.

Chapter 34.

I watch as the bruised and battered woman lays before me in the hospital bed. I feel warm tears well up in my eyes as I watch her sleep, still being unconscious from the attack that happened hours ago. Her dad and Noah already came by, and Jeff hasn't left. He's been in the waiting area with Sadie and Abel, entertaining them as he tries not to worry about his daughter's well-being. I cry as I reach out to her, holding her cold hand in my large warm one. I move the chair closer to her, and let out a loud sob as I tightly hold her hand, leaning my arm against the side of her bed, placing all of the blame on myself for this hit.

I hear a knock on the door and look up to see my mom walking in, fear on her face. "How's she doing?" she asks quietly, looking down at the injured woman. "Jesus Christ, oh Jax." She says as she walks closer to me, moving her hand on my shoulder as she analyzes Kacey.

"She hasn't woken up yet. They're worried because she suffered a blow to the head, and the police found her on the ground by Tara. Tara's hand is fucked, she has to get surgery, and they don't know how bad Kacey's concussion is, but going off of her not waking up, it seems like it's going to get worse before it gets any better." I tell her, my voice cracking at the end. "This is on me."

My mom shakes her hand as she tightens her grip on my shoulder, "This isn't your fault, Jackson, this has nothing to do with you." she reassures me before kissing the top of my head, "She's a soon-to-be Teller, she's tough and if Barb is anywhere around here, she's making it through this."

I nod, hoping she's right and then another knock comes from the door. My mom and I look over to see Noah standing there, his eyes red and swollen from crying. "We should get the kids back." He tells me without emotion, "Dad and I will stay with them, but you should grab some clothes for Kacey when she wakes up, and tuck the kids in."

I nod, knowing he's right. I look to my mom and she gives me a kiss before nodding and following me out of the room. I look over to see Chibs and Happy, "Watch this door. No one goes in or out, especially strangers." I tell them sternly and they both nod, giving me a hug or pat on the back as the three of us walk to the waiting room to get the kids and Jeff.

"I'll drive you over." Noah tells me and I just nod. We see Jeff holding Sadie and reading Abel a story. "Dad, let's go."

Jeff looks up at us and nods, "Let's go, buddy." He says, reaching out to Abel. Abel takes his hand and walks over to us, "I'll take the kids over, and get them ready for bed."

I nod, giving him a sad smile. "Thanks, Jeff." Jeff just nods before giving my shoulder a quick squeeze just before reuniting his hand with Abel's. I watch as they walk out of the hospital, Noah and I following closely behind.

---

Gemma Teller walks into her house, hearing voices as she enters. She darts around the corner and notices Clay sitting there in a mixture of emotions. "What's the matter? Change your mind?" She hisses at her husband, "Get a refund 'cause they didn't kill her?"

Clay ignores his wife, refusing to look up at her. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

Gemma shakes her head furiously, "We made a promise, you promised me that nothing would ever happen to Kacey. They've done nothing wrong to us! You looked me in the eye and promised me you wouldn't hurt Kacey!"

Clay stands up, moving towards his wife and pointing a finger at her. His anger growing, "You're insane. I had nothing to do with what happened to Kacey or Tara."

Gemma laughs angrily, "You took money out of the safe this morning and hours later, somebody goes after Tara while Kacey is there. She'd probably be dead if it wasn't at that goddamned park and that birthday party wasn't happening. She's in a god damn coma, Clay!"

"You need to stop, right now!" Clay shouts at his wife.

"You didn't think people would be around did you? What if Sadie was with them? Or Abel? Jesus Christ, those babies could've been hurt, Clay!"

"Enough!" The man roars at Gemma. "Maybe Jax needs to know that truth." He grips onto Gemma and she pulls herself away from him.

"You stay away from me, you son of a bitch. You stay away from my family!"

Clay snickers, "Or what? You going to kill me, Gemma, huh? Like you did the first husband?" Gemma shakes her head, tears welling in her eyes as Clay grips onto her once more, his squeeze tightening.

"You killed John."

Clay chuckles, "Nah, baby, you killed him. You played me for the chump, and I was, but I was no match for that tight pussy and that broken, angry heart. Yeah, maybe Jax does need to read some of that truth." And with that, a hand comes crashing down on Gemma, causing her to scream in pain.

"Get away from me, get away!" and the punches keep coming...

---

I sit in the car with Noah, and it's silent. No one wants to talk, no one is saying anything. We're too busy trying to wrap our minds around what took place earlier today. I look over to Noah and hear him clear his throat, "I don't know why this happened, Jax, but I swear to god." I hear his voice crack and I watch as his eyes fill with tears. "If I lose my sister over this, over you and your club, I swear to fucking God I will kill you, and I'll kill the men who laid hands on her."

I sit in silence, not knowing what to say because I know that nothing I have to say will help anyone feel better. Hell, it's all empty promises now.

"She's in a fucking coma, Jax, a god damned coma. We don't know when she'll wake up, and what if she never does? What if Sadie has to grow up without her just like Ace did with my mom? What if she doesn't pull through this time? What the fuck am I going to do, Jax? What is my dad going to do?"

I look over to the crying man, realizing I'm crying too. "I'm sorry, Noah, I'm so sorry." I tell him softly, not knowing what else to say. "We'll leave Charming. She's going to pull through and we'll get away from all of this, from the club, from this hell hole."

Noah shakes his head, "No, Jax, she needs to take those kids and she needs to leave you, your club and this place. She needs to get as far away as possible, she's dying over this, she's putting herself in danger every day that she spends with you, and I've grown to care for you, but I will always choose Ace and her safety over any man she brings into her life. She can go back to New York, stay in my condo there."

I look at the man in shock, "You can't be serious, I'm not leaving her Noah, I'm supposed to be marrying her." I tell the man sternly and I watch as Noah's grip around the steering wheel gets tighter, causing his knuckles to go white. "I'm not leaving her, I won't." I raise my voice and I'm met with a roar from the older brother.

"I don't give a shit what you want, Jax!" He screams at me, "My sister is unconscious in a fucking hospital bed with her head stitched up because men with guns in a van attacked her and planned to kill her. They threw her to the ground and left her for dead, they left her, and she may be taken from all of us, not just you, but your son, Sadie, my dad and me. I'm tired of waiting for the next kidnapping, the next hit and run. One of these days, it's ending in a death and I refuse to let Kacey be on the receiving end of that again."

I move my gaze to the windshield and feel the tears running down my face, knowing that her brother is right, but knowing that I love her too much to leave her. "I'm taking her and our kids, and we're getting out of here." I tell him softly, my voice fading away as we continue to drive in the darkness.

Noah takes a deep breath and ignores me before wiping his tears away.

"The second she's awake, I promise... we'll be gone."