Abel Teller's kindergarten teacher is replaced midway through the year with a newcomer to Charming, Maddox Turner. When Jax meets Maddox, she turns his life upside-down in more ways than one.
...
Jax and Opie were still in the waiting room with Gemma when Happy and Juice came walking in. Juice nodded as he sat down beside Juice.
"I found him. It wasn't too hard at all. He's in a motel in Lodi. Dumbass registered under his real name."
Jax smirked but it didn't quite meet his eyes. "We know for a fact it's him? I want no mistakes."
Happy nodded. "Yep. Sent Tig to check it out. He saw him coming out of his room. It's him."
Jax nodded as he stood up, turning to Opie. "You know what has to happen, man."
Opie sighed and nodded. "I know, but it's Donna's family, Jax."
Jax nodded as he stepped closer to his best friend. "And it was your sister and my old lady." He shrugged. "I think we need to bring Donna in on this. You're right. He's her family so it needs to be her decision."
Opie shook his head. "Fuck! Jax, she's never been told anything, and you want me to start with this?"
Jax nodded. "Yeah, I do. It's time she knew what happens, what we are, man. Now is as good a time as any. She's close to Maddox. A lot closer than she is to the douchebag. Who's side you think she's gonna take?"
Gemma nodded as she stood beside her son. "He's right, Ope. I'll be there with you, so will Venus. We'll help her understand."
Opie sighed and nodded as Jax slapped him on the shoulder. "I'm gonna go get them. I'll talk to Mad while you talk to Donna. I have to hear her say that it was him before we move forward with this."
Opie nodded and Jax headed for Maddox's room. He opened the door and smiled at Venus and Donna before stealing himself to look at the woman in the bed. His fury amped up when he saw the black eye and cut on her cheek. He forced himself to smile at her before looking back to the other two women.
"Hey, you two mind if I have a word with my old lady?"
Venus and Donna nodded as they stood to leave while Maddox snorted. "I'm not your old lady."
Jax chuckled as Venus shook her head at her and Donna just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that, babe." When the other two women had left and shut the door behind themselves, he let his smile drop and shook his head as he stepped closer to the bed. "Mad, you look like shit, darlin'."
Maddox gave him a small smile as he pulled a chair to the side of the bed and sat down, taking her hand in his and twining their fingers together. "Yeah, I didn't need you to tell me that, Jax. I can feel it."
Jax nodded before lifting his eyes to hers. "I need to know, Mad. Was it him? Was it Mark?"
He watched as Maddox took a deep breath. "Yeah, it was him. He was in the kitchen when Opie left. I tried... I tried to get away from him, Jax, but he just... "
Jax shook his head and leaned forward to kiss her hand. "No, baby. This isn't your fault, okay? None of it is. If anyone's to blame, it's me. I mean, you told me that you felt threatened and I blew it off because I didn't think he'd have the nerve. You're in this bed because of me."
Maddox sighed and squeezed his hand. "No. It's nobody's fault but Mark's. I won't take the blame if you won't."
Jax nodded before looking at her, a look in his eyes that she couldn't understand. "Did he... I mean... fuck. Did he... ?"
Maddox shook her head, tears in her eyes. "No. No, Jax, he was just angry."
Jax nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. "Alright. Listen, I have some things to take care of but my mom's going to be here with you when I can't be, okay?"
Maddox shook her head. "No, Jax, that's too much to ask. You all have the boys to take care of and... "
Jax grinned and shook his head. "Don't worry about the boys, alright? There are enough bodies to babysit. Our priority right now is you."
Maddox sighed then nodded as he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. He let his forehead rest against hers for a moment before standing straight and walking to the door. He turned as he opened the door and smiled at her. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I'll see if I can't get mom to bring you some real food. This hospital shit will kill you."
He winked at her as she chuckled before walking back out to the waiting room to find Donna surrounded by Opie, Gemma, and Venus, with a look on her face that was somewhere between shock and sadness. He sighed as he sat down beside Opie, getting a nod from his best friend.
"How's Maddox?"
Jax blew out a breath, wishing for a cigarette. "In pain." He looked at his mom. "I told her you'd be here with her when I can't be, and that maybe you could bring her some dinner?"
She grinned and nodded. "Sure, baby. Whatever she needs."
He nodded before looking at Donna with a raised brow. "You know Mark did this. Mad just confirmed it for me."
Donna nodded sadly, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, I know. She said as much to Venus and I. I just don't understand what happened with him. He was always a bit of an ass, but never like this before."
Jax looked at Opie, who nodded to him. He looked back at Donna. "Do you understand what has to happen now? We can't and won't leave this for the police, Don."
Donna nodded slowly, looking at Jax with sad eyes. "I know." She shook her head. "I also know if that had been me in there and Maddox was in my place, she'd understand too. The club can't take the chance that he would come after her again to finish the job."
Jax nodded, relieved that Donna understood the stakes. He reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a little squeeze. "I need to hear you say it, Donna. He's your family. The final decision is yours before we take it to the club for a vote."
Donna closed her eyes for a moment before nodding and opening them to look at first Opie then Jax. "You know, I kind of wish it was yesterday. I didn't know as much then." She shook her head. "Maddox is family too. He can't do this again. Not to Maddox or any other woman that tells him no. You do what you have to, Jax."
Jax stood up and pulled Donna with him, giving her a hug before turning her over to her old man. He hugged Venus and his mom before nodding to Opie. "We got business to take care of. I'll be back as soon as I can."
