Alianna leaned against Jax's shoulder as Naveen drove along the coastal road to the warehouse. Her head was still foggy from the lack of sleep but with Jax's reassuring presence and the sunlight sparkling off the sea; her mood was being uplifted as they went.

She knew everyone was walking on eggshells around her and she did not blame them. Even though she was unarmed, much to Jax's displeasure, she could easily slip back to being the old Alianna but she chose not to. She was not a switch that could be turned on and off on command and she had to teach herself how to be herself again.

"We're here," Jax's quiet murmur made her shift her attention to the new headquarters of the Boveri family.

The men were lined up, perfect as an army as Evan and Rex stood in the front waiting for them. Alianna smiled as she looked around, the move was catalysed by L'iiblis but the warehouse was bigger than the last accommodating Jax's sudden boom in business.

"Are you sure about this?" Jax asked as they walked down to the basement. Alianna narrowed his eyes at him, a warning not to push his luck as his eyes roamed her body; no weapons hidden in her dress, her hair hung freely past her shoulders, almost down to the small of her back.

"Yes I am." She looked to Naveen and Emilio, reassuring herself that they were close. She inclined her head in greeting to the Keepers who were guarding Joel. Jax raising an eyebrow in surprise when they returned her gesture.

The cell smelt of rotting flesh and stale blood making Alianna gag lightly. Old Alianna was meticulous and clean but as she looked at the half alive man bound to the chair in the centre of the room; she understood the beast that slumbered inside man she slept beside.

"Get up," her voice had not lost that cold, commanding tone just yet.

Joel blinked as much as he could with one eye swollen and the other caked shut in blood. His answering grin showed that Jax had knocked out a couple of teeth. "Ah, Alianna," Joel spat out, "come to join in the fun."

"Oh, save it," she scoffed, standing in front of him, "I'm half inclined to cut out your tongue."

"Bold words coming from the unarmed woman."

The sound of fifteen guns being loaded and aimed at him made Alianna smirked slightly. "Those would be some pathetic last words." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jax step into the dim light.

"I've given you everything I know," Joel grunted.

"Not everything," Alianna stated. "Why?"

"Why?" Joel repeated flatly. "Why what?"

"Why betray the family who took you in as a child? Why betray the man who gave you a second chance to prove yourself when everyone thought the worse of you?"

The only sound in the room was the hum of the overhead lighting. Alianna had listened to Jax's musings all those nights he crept into her room, she had not responded but she has listened.

Joel chuckled darkly, "The Boveri family was a growing empire. A feared family with the highest morals. We were dominating the East Coast and we were respected until you came. We took in a stray, a woman, who wanted to kill our boss but ended up in his bed instead. We were weak, our men forced to trust her; that blind loyalty made us weak."

"So what was the initial plan?" Alianna asked.

"I was supposed to help set up your family here," Joel said lowly, "Marino was going to corner you in New York, forcing you to move here should you have failed your mission." He chuckled, "And failed it you did."

"But succeeded in another," Alianna smirked. "You thought you were so smart, I guess you did not count on me picking up on your transactions."

Joel's lips curled into a bloodied snarl, "You were never supposed to get so close to him." Jax chuckled from behind her. "You are undoubtedly the worse assassin Marino has ever trained."

Alianna rolled her eyes as she turned around and walked to Jax, "And yet in the end, I am the only one standing." Her eyes flickered to Jax's. "I'm done with him."

"Ah but I'm not done with you," Joel sputtered so quickly he coughed up blood, "and neither is L'iiblis." Jax's arm curled around Alianna's waist as she froze. "Go to my desk in the old warehouse. You'll find something familiar there."

Alianna did her best to keep her face passive but on the inside her stomach dropped and a cold wave of nausea washed over her as her hand rest on Jax's chest to steady herself.

"Any last words?" Jax asked coldly. He had had enough of this foul man, a man he had once regarded as a confidant, a partner, an ally, a brother.

Joel wheezed in laughter as he spat at the couple. "Fuck all of you."

If Alianna had blinked she would have missed the moment Jax drew his gun and fired. The room was quiet, save the sound of the blood dripping down the recently deceased's fingers onto the floor. Jax pressed his lips to Alianna's forehead as he pulled her into him even more. She could feel the gun pressing against the small of her back and his steady heartbeat beneath her fingers. She looked up at him as the realisation dawned on her.

It was done.

It was over.

She was free.

Alianna was flooded with a sense déjà vu as the emotions from the night she had killed Marino just months ago returned. Jax cupped her cheek, making her look at him. In that moment, it was just the two of them. The beast in Jax roared in victory as he looked down at his rose. A slow smile crept across Alianna's lips and Jax had to take a step back to withstand the force of her kiss.

Unlike the frenzy of feelings within them, the kiss was passionate and intense, Jax and Alianna anchoring their hearts to each other. A silent expression of gratitude, wordless triumphant. Alianna's fingers dug into Jax's chest in an effort in to get even closer, she felt weightless.

She was free.

Jax ended their moment first, begrudgingly of course. He pressed a last kiss to her forehead as he became aware of an audience. He turned to the door to see Evan and Rex standing in the doorway.

"Is he..." Evan trailed off as he peeked around Jax.

"It is done."

Alianna smiled as her hand linked with Jax's as they face their friends. "Rex, I have something for you to do."

Rex raised an eyebrow as if to say "Right now?". "Not now," Jax added at the sight of Alianna's smile.

~

The rest of the day was a euphoric blur as the warehouse was filled with celebration. The men had obviously been waiting for today as food and more importantly drinks were overflowing. Alianna wove in and out of the crowd, graciously accepting the welcome back from her new family. The celebrations showed signs of carrying on through the night as Evan, Jax and Alianna left the party.

The couple was silent on the journey but a charge hung in the air; an unvoiced but understood want and desire.

Alianna sat on their bed, her skin lightly damp from the shower in which Jax was in. The taste of the scotch she and Jax were drinking before still hung on her tongue and a part of her wondered if she was acting irrationally but her head and her heart told her that she was making a right choice.

Soft footsteps made her look up at the freshly cleaned Jax who was towelling his hair off. Jax paused his actions as he caught sight of Alianna who had not bothered with the dress shirt she usually wore during the nights but had donned a cream silk robe which was parted dangerously highly, gave Jax the impression that nothing lay underneath.

"Alianna." She stood even though it had not been an order. Her fingers grazed his bare chest as she stood in front of him. Alianna looked at him, putting his doubts at bay as she kissed him. It was languid and Alianna held her ground as she kissed along his jawline to the space below his ear.

"Alianna," Jax murmured again, making her stop. "Are you sure?" His rose had just started her bloom again, he did not want to do anything before she was ready.

Alianna pursed her lips and with one movement, let the robe fall to the floor. Goosebumps rose along her skin but she was soon enveloped in the warmth of Jax's arms. The silk bedsheets were soft against her skin as Jax lay her down. His eyes searched hers, ensuring that this what she wanted. She rose to kiss him, giving him the reassurance. Her breath quickened as his lips caressed every inch of her face.

And when they drifted to her neck; she was gone.