𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 - 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙮

Sixty-One

Nero stops by the Teller residence early the next morning. He greets Wendy, Ellie, Abel, and Thomas before asking Jax to speak privately. They sit in the garage.

"How's Tara doin'?"

"The same." Jax says, "Where did she go?"

"I don't know. I couldn't, uh, I couldn't talk to her."

Jax looks at Nero, "How do I come back from this? The damage to my club and my family. My kids."

"Maybe it's time to honor Tara's wish."

"Yeah. And what about Gemma?"

"I get the pain that you're in, Jax. And the damage that she's caused is- It's just unbelievable. But a son killing his mother Jax, that's a wound that's too deep to heal. And I know you, hermano. That's gonna swallow you up. That's gonna destroy you, man."

"I know. That's the part that hurts the most about all this, man. I mean, after everything she did, all the lies and the death and the wreckage I still love her, you know. She's my mom. How could she do this to Tara? How could she do this?" Jax starts to sob.

Nero wraps a comforting arm around him, "Hey." He pulls him into a hug.

~ SOA ~ ~ SOA ~

Jax visits Unser to apologize and tell him the truth as well.

"You baited me into that punch. I know you feel betrayed."

"This ain't about betrayal, son. I promised Tara I'd protect her. Help get your kids away from all this-- All this shit that almost killed her. I have to find out who did it. It ain't about the law or some kind of win. I gotta do it for her."

"I get it."

"Well, then why are you and your club feeding me nothing but smoke and lies all the time? Where's Gemma now? Why is she on the lam, huh? I'm lost here, son. I'm lost."

"I'll here to tell you the truth."

"What truth?"

"Tara."

"I'm listening."

"It was Gemma. My mother tried to kill my wife. I don't know why. I guess she got wind that Tara made some kind of deal. Eli and Juice were waiting outside. They heard commotion. By the time they got in the kitchen, Tara was already bleeding out. Gemma's covered in blood. Before Eli could call it in, Juice shot him."

"Holy Christ."

"Came up with the Chinese lie together."

"Where's Gemma now?"

"I don't know. I've been looking for her. That's the truth. That's all I know."

"Shit, I'm gonna- I'm gonna have to report this, son."

"We're splitting turfs, settling all beefs. Means an end to bloodshed. Both in the city and in Charming."

"I understand your need for closure."

"And you know how much I appreciate how good you are to Tara."

"What happens to Gemma?"

"If she shows up, I'll deal with her."

~ SOA ~ ~ SOA ~

Wendy calls Jax to tell him she got a call from Gemma's dad's nursing home and that Gemma is there.

~ SOA ~ ~ SOA ~

Ellie pratically leaps from the car as Lyla pulls into the hospital's parking lot. She runs to the nurses station and asks about her mother. They lead her into Tara's room as Lyla jogs to catch up. Ellie's eyes tear up, and she lets out a deep breath. She was expecting the worst. Instead, her mother's awake and smiling at her.

"Hey."

Ellie hurries into the room, dropping to her knees beside her mother's bed, and sobs as she kisses her hand repeatedly. Tara strokes her hair, her own voice sounding foreign to her ears, "E- Ellie."

"Mommy," Ellie sits beside her, cupping her mom's cheek, "How- how are you feeling?"

"O...-kay." Tara struggles, still feeling uncertain about why she's here and what happened to her, "The boys..."

"Abel and Thomas are fine, mom. They miss you. They talk about you everyday." Ellie looks at her mom awake, talking, smiling, "I can't believe you're awake. I was so scared when they called. I thought- I'm so glad you're okay, mommy. I love you so much. I prayed for you every night. I knew you were gonna be okay. The doctor's kept telling me you made more progress everytime I visited."

"And.." Tara starts, gulping at the uncomfortable feeling in her throat due to the breathing tube, "Dad?"

"Dad's doing fine. Don't worry about him." Ellie tells her, "Do you need anything? Want anything?"

"Water..." Tara looks at her with thankful eyes as Ellie jumps up and tracks down a nurse.

Lyla steps into the room, wiping tears from her eyes, "Hi, Tara. Glad to see you doing much better."

When the police show up to ask Tara questions, she has no memory from that night. Ellie stays quiet, staying by her mother's side, knowing her dad was out there trying to get revenge the only way he knew how. Whether or not her grandmother lived to see another day, Ellie couldn't care less.