drownedindreams | (no subject)

Technically, it's her day off. That's why she wasn't in her labcoat or her scrubs, why she settled herself in the chair next to Jackson's bed early in the morning after she's dropped off the boys with the McCalls because... because they were lifesavers. Because she and Jax had been so lucky to find people who were truly compassionate and who cared.

Sunlight streamed through the windows in his room, and he was still asleep when she moved to pull his kutte out of her bag, and slowly kept working on sewing it back together. She had sinew and suturing needles, and skin was skin, as weird as it sounded. She hadn't told him that it had to be cut off of him, didn't tell him what bad shape it was in - but it could be repaired, and she was working on it.

He'd been in the hospital for three and a half days now, and things were... better. Not great, still, but better. They hadn't talked about the ring thing, again. They hadn't talked about her complete breakdown, and if Tara had her way.... they wouldn't talk about it. Her head was bent as she carefully worked on putting the left shoulder back together; luckily they'd missed his patches when they'd cut it apart. She didn't notice that he'd woken, instead staring down at the black leather with her lower lip between her teeth as she carefully sewed it back together.

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Tara smiled wider, and shifted closer and kissed him again, a gentle hand on his shoulder to steady herself. "Because they are the totally the most important thing with this, yes, your steaks are fine." She grinned, and shook her head as she leaned back. "I'm so glad you're okay," she said the words softly, her fingers tightening on his from where their fingers did tangle together.

"And now, I guess it's just a race between you and all the other handsome, daring men who I've sewn back together. Watch out, mister, you'e got some competition." She is, of course, kidding - but that doesn't mean that she shouldn't kid. They're not talking about anything bad right now, and she doesn't really think there's anything that could bring her down, right now.

"Hey, I got them special for that night. No reason to let them go to waste, right?" It strained his stomach to laugh, but he couldn't help himself. Mixed with the growing joy of the moment, Jax almost welcomed the pain if only because it was a reminder of being alive, giving him joy.

"Hey now!" Jax untangled their hands so he could point a finger at her sternly. "If you leave me for Newt, I don't know what I'll do!"

The bubbles of laughter that came from somewhere were bright, and made it hard for her to speak until she got it under control. "Then you better hurry your ass up and get better. I'm not the one holding this up," she said with a grin, and she shook her head. "I'm lonely! What's a woman to do? Besides Newt, I mean. He's not really my type, if I'm going to be super honest."

She thought - only for a second, she thought about bringing up the fact that she'd finally met Raleigh, but the innuendo there was weird enough that she let it go, knowing she'd tell him another time. "But if it's him or me being an unmarried spinster, well.... I'm just saying that I've got to keep my options open, unless there was a cunning hero who might have a Harley who's just waiting to sweep me off my feet."

"Hey now. Don't think Kate or I will stand for that!" Jax's laughter was a little more strained, but he looked at her with a wide grin, so caught up in Tara and the joy on her face. "Well you know me, babe," he said, reaching up to clasp her hand again.

"I'm all about the fairytale. Sweeping you off your feet and carrying you away on the Harley included."

She really should have expected it sooner. She should have expected him to say something that he'd already said to her, and it was the reminder - both a good and bad reminder, that he was the same man. He was the same man that'd only changed because of his circumstances.

She sobered just a little, still smiling. Her fingers twined tight with his, and she took his hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. "Yeah, well. We're not going to talk about the things that Prince Charmings do for their ladies." She leaned forward, and kissed him then, her voice low. "I love you. And I've been swept since I was fifteen. It's never going to change, I will always love you."

She smiled, and really... there was nowhere she'd rather be than with him in that hospital room, letting all her worries pass her by, even if it was just for a little while.

He'd come to love those golden moments, probably because they were so fleeting. They were like treasures he had to fix into his memory while he tried to polish other moments until everything gleamed.

"Well I never said I was Prince Charming. I'm just Jax and I'm all yours." Tara didn't need an ideal, he was slowly learning, nor could he ever be one. He needed to be Jax, the best version of himself possible.

"But I'll try to keep sweeping you away."