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This ficlet follows Ric's drunken declaration that he slept with Reese during Liz and Lucky's wedding.
He found her sitting on the bench by the dock. The fact that she should never have walked so far alone in her condition
let alone upset seemed like something to leave for another time, so he bit off any teasing commentary he might have offered
normally and instead just sat down beside his friend. Alexis made no attempt to shield her tears from him and Jax made no
attempt to comfort her just yet. He knew her well enough to know she wasn't ready.
"I beat him up for you."
She looked at him sideways.
"Well, I only hit him a few times, really. Ned held him while I did it, though, so they were good punches."
Her eyebrow arched.
"And I think there is a chance that maybe, um, while Ned and I were both holding his arms back, Luke and Alice might
have accidentally kicked him in the stomach."
She fought it, but the left side of her mouth lifted in a crooked smile anyway.
"So, yeah, we pretty much kicked his butt."
Alexis smiled. Tears still lay on her cheeks, needing to be wiped away, but she smiled for him.
"I know I shouldn't encourage your violent streak given my rants about Sonny's, but... thank you."
Jax felt the shift in her mood and he reached out and took his best friend's hand, a soft kiss from his lips falling on
the back before he squeezed it warmly between his own two large palms.
"It's not even that he really slept with someone else, you know? I... I could probably deal with that. But I knew,
Jax. I knew it and I confronted him, both of them, and they tried to make me feel crazy for thinking there was something
between them. They threw my pregnant irrationality in my face over and over again, and then I bet they smirked to themselves
about how clever they were as soon as I was gone, and that, [I]that[/I] is what... that's why it hurts."
He nodded and moved closer to her, wrapping his arm around her. Alexis tipped her head and let it rest on his shoulder.
"I know, sweetheart. The lies are the worst part. I've played both of these roles, and now that I've been on the
receiving end, I can't imagine that I ever did this to anyone else. And I really can't stomach that anyone did it to you.
You deserve so much better."
"We both do." Alexis lifted her chin and kissed his cheek softly.
For a time, they just sat there silently, contented in the comfort only a friendship as deep and layered as theirs was
could bring. Then Jax absently, on instinct really, let his hand brush against her round belly.
"Stubborn one there, huh?" he teased.
"I guess it must be pretty swanky in there, because he or she is definitely in no hurry to come out."
Jax kept his hand there, wondering at the miracle that was happening inside of Alexis' body, scared to dream that this
time his own hope of fatherhood would work out.
"I really wish this baby were yours," she said, drawing him away from his own thoughts. Stunned, Jax glanced
back toward Alexis' face to see her looking up at him again.
"I wish Kristina were yours. I wish we'd had the good sense to do what your parents told us to and fall in love
with each other," she finished. "Our lives would be so... different."
He nodded, understanding her sentiment perfectly. "Indeed it would be. I'd be taking you home from this lovely
wedding, and we would peek in on Kristina to make sure she was having sweet dreams, and then, Mrs. Jacks--and yes, I still
get to call you that, no matter who either of us is married to--then we would climb into bed and watch a good old romantic
comedy and I would rub your back and try to convince this little one here that he or she really does want to come out and
get some room to stretch out and enjoy life on the outside."
She laughed and Jax leaned his cheek against the top of her head as she snuggled closer against him. "See, this
is what we both get for not listening to John and Jane when we had the chance."
It was a hopeless wish on both their parts. Certainly none of it could be undone. Kristina was who she was because of
who her father was, this baby would be, too, and Jax' child would be special because of him. But in a way, they both realized
sitting there on the bench that what they had might not be that dream family, but it was a family of sorts... the two of them,
who loved each other, and children present and soon to exist who would need them both.
"Tell you what," Jax offered softly. "I promise to remain ever-loyal and much-more-active Uncle Jax for
your two little ones, on call whenever I am needed if you promise to teach me how to raise a spectacular child in the midst
of a difficult, painful situation. Because I have a feeling that Kristina's cousin isn't going to have any easier a time
of it with her parents than Kristina has with hers."
Alexis reached up her hand and Jax took it.
"You got yourself a deal there. But are you sure about that on demand, on call stuff because given tonight..."
Jax eased from behind her and down off the bench. To anyone looking at them, he'd have been a man in love about to pop
the question to his beautiful if very pregnant lover.
"I promise to be where you need me, always, Alexis. You and your children are my family."
"And you and your child will be ours," she said as she leaned down to place a soft kiss on his forehead.
The moment had been sweet and distracting... but the sound of approaching voices, one that sounded a great deal like her
inebriated and wayward husband's, sent Alexis' recovered happiness fleeing. Jax saw the sadness return to her eyes and he
offered her his hands, helping her off the bench.
"Let's get you home. We'll check in on Kristina and make sure she's having sweet dreams, and then we'll snuggle
up... on the couch... and I'll rub your back and we'll watch a movie and I'll try to convince this little one to come out
and see the world. And tomorrow I'll have breakfast delivered from the hotel restaurant and we'll hide... just our little
family... for one day. How's that sound?"
"I love you, Jasper Jacks."
Jax smiled and put his arm around Alexis to lead her toward the waiting launch. "I love you, Alexis."
And off to hide they went.
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