Daughter of a Son (Sons of Anarchy FF)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Chloe lay there on the hospital bed unmoving and barely breathing. There reached a point when the pain ripped you apart and felt you numb unable to even think. Maybe it was a blessing because she didn’t want to think anyway, she didn’t want to face the lost hopes she had stupidly let herself conjure up. Her whole life had been crap and she had no idea why she thought it could ever get better.

Jax was by her side being the overprotective guard refusing to leave her side. She wondered what he thought she was going to do. Maybe run away or maybe kill herself. They both seemed like good options, she mused silently. “You don’t have to do this.” Her words were raspy with her throat dry from all the crying she had done just an hour earlier. “I’m going to stick to my original plan and get the hell out of dodge.” Leaving Charming seemed like the best idea.

His blue eyes were hard as he looked at her from where he sat in the wooden chair left in the room for guests. “You just got out of a coma.”

 With a shrug, she sat further up against the pillows. “I’m not dead. Always a bright side, huh?”

He shrugged and tried to not let his anger show, but she saw it tight in his shoulders and set in his jaw line. “Whatever. You can barely walk let alone run.”

She stared at him and couldn’t tear her eyes away from the colorful shades of blue in his eyes, the blonde of his goatee and eyebrows. “You’re beautiful.”

That was the absolute last thing he expected and all his anger quickly shifted into confusion. “What? Are you trying to trip me up?”

“Jax, I could’ve never walked into your life and you’d be tripped up anyway. You don’t know what you want from one day to the next, but that wasn’t my point. I’m in some serious pain here and I don’t mean from the gunshot. Looking at you eases it a little, ok? You’re pretty in a rough kinda dirty way, not a pretty boy way. Does that make sense?”

He didn’t know what to say here and opted to say nothing. He saw the pain she was talking about, her eyes were red and dark with all the anger and sadness he couldn’t voice. It was sad to see someone as young as she with all that weight behind her eyes. He wanted to somehow help her but nothing he was doing or saying seemed to have any affect. He wanted to scoff at the fact his face was somehow helping distract her. Chloe would never be mistaken for simple that was for sure. She was pretty weird in a special way he never wanted her to change.

The hospital room door opened and in walked his mother, he wondered what took her so long in the first place. He was glad for some reinforcements to take a break off of him. The help Chloe needed wouldn’t come over night and it wouldn’t be easy if she kept fighting them but he believed she needed to stay here in Charming where she’d have some support to lean on.

“Hey, baby girl.” Gemma walked to the other side of the bed and took Chloe’s hand. “There’s someone here who wants to see you if you’re up for it.”

Chloe’s brows pinched together as she tried to come up with a name, coming up empty she smiled grimly. “I’m up for anything.”

Gemma left for a quick second and when she returned, Clay was with her. Whatever names Chloe had come up with hadn’t been her father, her surprised expression proved that. Fresh tears sprung to her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice soft now as fresh emotions rose to the surface.

Clay wasn’t doing any better with this reunion. He shrugged and stood awkwardly at the foot of the bed. “My baby girl just woke up from a coma. I’d say that warrants a visit.”

Chloe looked around for answers. “Did Gemma force you to do this? I told you I don’t need you to this…” she waved a hand toward him. “…the daddy dearest routine ship sailed a long time ago.”

“Well, it came back around to the port. You may not need a father but I need a daughter and you’re it. We’re stuck together.” That was as eloquent as Clay got and for him it was a huge step to put his thoughts and deep emotions into that many words. He was the type of man that led with his anger first and focused on revenge far more than love. Chloe got that same trait from dear ol’ dad.

Chloe chuckled around a scoff as her tears fell free, she was looking toward the window trying to hide them but Jax hadn’t taken his eyes off of her and noticed them instantly. “I’m a fucking mess.” She said.

“Join the club.” Clay said with sympathy because it was a club he was a long time member of. “I wouldn’t have it other way, no kid of mine could be perfect anyway.”

Chloe clenched her jaw. “Look this is sweet, really it is but it doesn’t change anything. You can’t erase the past with some funny jokes and nice words. You weren’t there for me when I needed you the most and we can fool ourselves all we want, but I did need you back then.” She turned from the window and stared at her father. “I was stuck with a man who saw me as a dollar sign and made me kill people for money and if I didn’t, there’d be hell to pay. I always did what he wanted because I was grateful and I never wanted to see his mean streak aimed at me. I thought I was strong and could handle everything about that world. I was wrong.” Her face crumbled as her silent tears grew loud with raw honesty and hurt.

Jax jumped from his chair and took her hand. “You don’t need to do this unless you want to.” He wanted her to be honest with Clay about the good and bad, talking about her nightmare might help. Secrets just grew bigger inside of you and Chloe didn’t need to suffer the weight of it alone anymore.

Clay’s face was tight and red but he kept his words even. “Did that bastard who came here looking for you, do something?” deep down he suspected it already, so did Gemma.

Chloe nodded but didn’t put it into words. She stayed silent for a long minute before asking, “What now?” she looked at all three of them. “I want to go but none of you will let me and I’m too weak to do it behind your back.”

Gemma said, “Let us take care of you. Nobody ever gets too old for family, plus I need another tough chick around here to help me keep these boys in shape.”

“Nah, step mommy, you handle this insanity perfectly.” She lay back against the pillows as her strength to argue faded. “I’m at your mercy.” She said to Gemma before turning to Clay. “Thanks for all that stuff you said. It was nice.”

That answer satisfied Gemma. She took Clay’s hand. “You get your rest and we’ll be by again later.”

Chloe waited until she was alone with Jax to speak again. “How much is she nagging him to make an effort?”

“Clay refused to leave the hospital for two days until he was sure you were out of the woods. No one forced him to do that. My mom is controlling but Clay doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want.”

That shut her right up.