𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 - 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙮

Fifty-Eight

Jax lies in bed with Abel, watching Thomas in his crib at the foot of his bed. Jax didn't sleep much. He's too worried about the club, Tara, and Ellie. He finally visited his wife and spoke to the doctor's. They said, Tara still had increasing brain activity which was a good thing. Jax just wants revenge, wishing it could take his family's pain away, but knows it's impossible. The only thing that would fix his broken family was Tara waking up.

Ellie's sitting at the kitchen table, dead silent, as her and her brothers eat breakfast.

"You're not hungry, buddy?" Jax asks Abel who stares at his untouched food.

"No." Abel says.

"Want some toast? Something else?"

"No."

"No, thank you."

"No, thank you." Abel repeats.

"Why don't you all head up to the cabin, bring the boys."

"Well, what about school?" Wendy asks.

"Not today."

"Abel's struggling, Jax. That thing with the lunchbox--"

"He'll be fine."

"It's just that the more time he misses, the more he falls behind. I think that's adding to his frustrations."

"He's 5 years old. He shouldn't be frustrated. I want him with me today. You too, Ellie." She rolls her eyes and doesn't say anything.

Later, they all get ready to head up to the cabin. Wendy helps get the boys ready.

"Hey, buddy. So we're not gonna go to school today."

"Why?" Abel asks.

"Daddy wants us up at the cabin with him."

"Did someone else die?"

"No, baby. Your daddy just misses you. Wants you to be with him."

~ SOA ~ ~ SOA ~

Sheriff Jarry reveals some important information to Unser about the alleged suspect that attacked Tara that Gemma identified.

"I got another statement today. Our aggressive matriarch. Did some follow ups on Dun after Gemma left. Pulled this from Vegas P. D. 'Chris Dun. Drunk and disorderly.' They didn't file charges. Let him dry out, released him. That's why it's not on his rap sheet."

"Okay."

"Check the date. That's the night Tara was attacked. The guy two people ID'd as the suspect was in another state when the crime happened?"

"Jesus Christ." Wayne says.

In his trailer, Unser looks at the crime scene photos and tries to make sense of the case.

~ SOA ~ ~ SOA ~

Late at night, Gemma asks for some time alone with Bobby's body before he's buried. Abel goes to get a cookie from the stove by the open back door. He sees Gemma talking to Bobby, "I'm so sorry, Bobby. I had no idea. I couldn't see all this. Please. Oh, please forgive me. Please."

Abel observes the whole thing.

~ SOA ~ ~ SOA ~

The next day, back at Gemma's house, Abel comes to the breakfast table with a deep scratch on his face, which he says the baby did.

When Gemma drops him off at school, the teacher sees his face, "Hey, what happened to your eye, sweetheart?"

"Tommy scratched me."

"Your brother? It's a big scratch for a little brother. Are you sure that's what happened? If someone else did this to you like an adult or a friend, you need to tell me."

"Why?"

"Because it's wrong. If they did it on purpose, they could get in trouble."

"With the police?"

"Yes, and the school. Come on."

Later at school, Abel locks himself in the bathroom and takes the metal fork out of his lunch box, seemingly intent on hurting himself. Wendy calls Chibs, who tells Jax that Child Services was called to Abel's school.

When Jax arrives at the school, he finds Wendy, Gemma, and Ellie there.

"What the hell is going on?" Jax asks Ellie who shrugs, "I don't know."

"Are you Mr. Teller?"

"Yeah."

"I'm the assistant principal, Mildred Treal. And this is Investigator Shahid from Child Services."

"Where's my kid? ls he okay?"

"Yeah. Can you please just have a seat? I'll go get Miss Harrison."

"Who's Miss Harrison?" Jax asks.

"Abel's nosy teacher." Gemma says.

"Can you at least tell us why Child Services is here?"

"We'll explain everything."

"Hey, buddy. What's going on?" Jax asks.

"Show him, Abel." Abel lifts up his sleeve and reveals the deep cut on his arm.

"Jesus Christ." Jax says.

"Oh, my God, what happened, baby? Who did this to you? It's okay, honey, you can tell the truth."

"This is a safe room. Who did this to you?"

Abel points at Gemma, "Grandma." Jax looks at his mother and Abel climbs onto his sister's lap, wrapping his arms around her.

~ SOA ~ ~ SOA ~

"Jax, I dressed Abel for school this morning. Other than the scratch over his eye from Thomas he had no cuts, no bruises, nothing."

"Then what the hell happened? Why would he lie? He knew that was gonna get you in trouble."

"I don't know, baby. He's been quiet, kind of distant."

"It's gotta be about Tara. Maybe he thinks Gemma is trying to replace her, you know? Thinks that if he gets her out of the way, somehow his mom comes back. He needs to talk to someone."

"He's 5. Doesn't need a shrink."

"Well, he needs something. I mean, if he did this to himself Wendy's right. We gotta find someone to help him figure this shit out."

"Yeah. For now, you can't be alone with him, Mom."

"Jackson you know I would never hurt my boy."

"It doesn't matter what I know. Child Services are calling the shots now. I mean, the state could take them if we don't follow protocol. I'm gonna bring them to my house."

~ SOA ~ ~ SOA ~

Back at the Teller residence, Ellie lays with Abel in bed. Thomas is sleeping in the nursery with Wendy who's spending the night.

Ellie's worried about her little brother. She wants to ask him so many questions, but doesn't want to confuse or upset him even more than he already is.

She reminds herself to call Nero and ask for a ride to the hospital tomorrow. She wants to visit her mom.

a/n: the calm before the storm.