❛ Just get me away from here. ❜

chapter twenty five.

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      LATER THAT NIGHT, Scarlett sits on the kitchen counter at Jax's home whilst the small party sounds around her. Luke is sat on an armchair nearby, with his girlfriend perched on his lap. Tig is rested on the sofa with a random blonde chick hooked under his arm, and Chibs and Juice are bickering in the corner. Scarlett has a nearly empty beer bottle sandwiched between her legs whilst her finger taps anxiously on the counter beneath her. There's dozens of other people planted around the connected rooms in the bungalow, Scarlett can only recognise a few. She's sure she knew them all at some point.

"You doing okay, Scar?" Donna wanders over, with her husband following behind her like a lost dog, his hand constantly resting on her lower back.

Scarlett swallows before pushing a smile onto her face, "Great," her eyes drop to the two kids at their parent's legs, "Hey, you two. You two both doing okay?"

The two younger children nod rapidly up at her.

"How's your grandma's been? Your mom mentioned you've been staying up there more recently?" Scarlett tilts her head.

"It's so boring," Kenny complains.

"We only like her dogs," Ellie agrees, "We hope she dies soon."

Scarlett and Camille let out loud laughs whilst Opie ducks his head to hide his smirk and Luke squeezes his eyes shut to contain his laugh. Donna takes a deep breath before stepping forward and her hands rest on her children's heads before she points over to the refreshments table.

"Why don't you two go get something to drink before Jax arrives?" She asks, pushing them gently in the direction. She spins back around once they successfully reach the table, "Jesus christ."

Opie towers over her from directly behind, his hands landing on her shoulders and rubbing them gently as he smiles, "They'll be looked after tonight. You won't have to be chasing them around."

Camille hums, "Leave the men to do all the work tonight, Don. It'd make a nice change."

"Damn right 'bout that," Scarlett mutters.

"Now, now, ladies," Luke clicks his tongue, his hand patting Camille's thigh, "As seen as the child we are welcoming home tonight will grow to be a man, maybe it's not very on brand to rip apart his gender just yet."

Opie laughs at the unusual words, "Are you high?"

Camille rolls her eyes, "Him and Juice got high just before we got here."

Juice hears his name being mentioned from across the room and his ears prick up, "Yeah, we did!"

Luke punches the air triumphantly, "Yeah, man!"

Cami smacks his arm back down to his side before she huffs, "I can't take you anywhere. You're high at a baby's homecoming party."

"Abel won't know," Luke mumbles.

"That's not the point," She argues back, and when she notices his lips part to reply, she holds her finger up to silence him immediately, knowing that his words will only dampen her mood further.

The creak of the door silences the entire house as the occupants sit up straight in their chairs to watch as the family enter the home with the baby. Donna and Opie slip away to stand by their children, Cami and Luke raise from the seat to clap as they enter. Scarlett just simply pushes a soft smile onto her face and taps her palms against her thigh in a lazy form of a clap.

As Jax strolls in with the brightest grin on his lips and his son cradled on his arms, his mother and ex-wife are bombarded with hugs at the door from Luann and other ladies. Scarlett watches from afar as everyone greets the blonde biker, making sure to steal a glance down at the tiny boy. Abel's wide eyes wander all over the room, occasionally lifting to his father's familiar face.

Everyone moves closer, enclosing him in a circle in the centre of the living room, which cuts Scarlett's view of him off completely.

"He ready for his first brewski?" Clay jokes, holding out a bottle beer to the baby boy as the room erupts into laughter, "It's you and grandpa, huh?"

Jax chuckles and rolls his eyes before looking back down at his gorgeous son, thankful that he's finally home with the family. The thought of family causes his head to raise once more and look around the large room full of people. His eyes search desperately for a certain individual. He spots her up on the counter and he slowly turns away for a moment, holding his son out to Wendy.

"You mind taking him for a moment?" He asks.

"No. Of course not," She smiles.

He rubs her arm before gently pushing through the crowd and towards the kitchen. Scarlett notices as the centre of all the attention moves towards her, causing the group to disperse around the house once more. He comes to a stop between her open legs, his hands falling to rest on her thighs and she slyly moves her lower legs to wrap them around his waist.

"You okay?" His brows furrow in concern, "Was looking forward to you greeting me at the door, darlin'."

"Sorry, I was trying to give you some space. Obviously no one else bothered," She jokes lightly.

He nods slowly, still not believing that's the only reason she's away from the party, "What else is wrong? Something happened?"

She lets her eyelids flutter closed before she dips her head slightly, "I'm fine."

He takes her face between both of his hands, raising her head so their gazes to meet once more, "You sure?"

She sighs, smiling at him, "Yes," Her eyes float over his shoulder, her eyes meeting Wendy as she glares over at the pair whilst Gemma cradles Abel, "You should get back to your family."

Jax glances behind him, causing Wendy to smile and flit her eyelashes at him. He relaxes a deep breath and turns back to Scarlett, "Come find me tonight, yeah? I'll be needing a few breathers."

She leans forward and pecks a gentle kiss to his lips, "Of course. Now, go. Luke's about to accidentally smother your boy." She laughs as she watches Luke struggle to hold the little boy, whilst Camille just groans in annoyance, with Donna and Ope laughing their heads off.

Jax chuckles, "Ain't surprising," He pats her thigh before turning on his heel and returning to the centre of the party. He teases Luke and takes Abel from his grip and gently passes him over to Camille. Jax then relaxes down onto a spare seat on the sofa, his hand running through his hair.

Scarlett drops from the counter when Donna eagerly motions her over with a fresh beer held out in an offering.

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    SCARLETT LEANS NEXT to Camille on the living room wall. Her best friend is wittering on in her ear about Luke's carelessness and his complete immaturity. Scarlett has heard these words from her mouth hundreds of times and that's just during the past few months, obviously tonight Luke being high has irritated her again.

Even though Scarlett is listening deeply to her best friend's ramble, her eyes are trained on Wendy and Jax. They're sat on opposite sofas, both laughing as Piney plays with a young boy, but it's obvious there is some unspoken shit between the both of them.

Scarlett turns completely to Cami, silencing her with a touch on the arm, "I'm so sorry, but you mind if I go play jealous girlfriend for a few minutes?"

Slowly, a smirk works it's way onto Camille's face before she nods happily, motioning past her for Scarlett to leave, "Please, feel free."

Scarlett sends her a smile before approaching Jax and slipping down to perch on the arm of the sofa beside him. She rests her hand on his shoulder for a moment before running it onto the sofa directly behind him, causing her to be leant closer to him.

His head lifts to her and his head runs up to her thigh, squeezing it gently as he gently says, "You doing okay?"

She nods simply, her eyes floating over to Wendy, noticing how the dirty blonde's eyes are drilling directly back at her. Her mind runs crazy as she quickly dips her head towards Jax and catches him in a kiss. She feels him squeeze her thigh once more in shock before he slowly dips away from her. She sits back up, licking her lips as she smirks over at Wendy, watching as she drops her chin to her chest in a huff and begins to fiddle with her fingers.

Jac rubs both of his hands on his jeans before raising from the sofa, "I'll be right back." He taps Scarlett's knee as he passes her, his head nodding down the hall, "Can we talk?"

She follows after him, feeling an excited finger poke at her back from Cami for a second before her and Jax enter Abel's nursery. She watches as he strides to the other side of the room whilst she stops by the dresser.

"What's up?" She questions.

"Nothing," He spins to face her and walks over, closing the distance, "Look, Wendy's like a heartbeat sober," He stops a short distance in front of her, their feet nearly touching, "We don't want to do anything to set her off."

"Because she's still in love with you?" Scarlett's head tilts and her arms cross defensively over her chest.

"No," He replies harshly, "I'm just saying we should be cool with whatever this is around her, you know?"

Scarlett's face drops and her brows crease together in confusion as she studies his face, "Whatever this is? The fuck is that supposed to mean, Jackson?"

He sighs, sending that her anger is now growing, "You know what I mean."

She scoffs, "No, I don't," She gives him one last look before spinning around to leave.

"Scar—" His hand catches her wrist to stop her, but before he can say anything more, she shoves at his chest and sends him stumbling backwards, causing him to release her arm.

She stares at him in shock, her eyelids flicking as tears threaten to fall. She lets out a ragged breath before rushing out of the nursery and down the hall. She hears him following after her and she feels the eyes of the guests burning into her figure as she throws open the door and leaves the house.

"Fuck," Jax curses quietly at himself before stopping in front of Juice and motioning towards the previously slammed door, "Do me a favour. Make sure she gets home safe."

Juice hums before his head tilts.

"Don't ask," Jax mutters.

"Okay," Juice agrees before leaving the house after Scarlett, propping his beer on the nearest flat surface.

Opie pushes himself from his seat and he steps in front of his best friend, stopping him from returning to the party just yet, "What happened?"

Jax shrugs, "No idea."

Donna slips under her husband's arm, hugging into his side as her eyes narrow at Jax, "What did you do?"

"Nothing, Donna," Jax sighs.

Then Luke and Camille appear at his other side, both of them looking at him in confusion.

"The hell you do this time, Teller?" Camille snarls.

Jax glances around the group of his closest childhood friends, noticing all of their expressions as they look at him accusingly, "Jesus christ. Y'all seriously think I did something?"

"Well, it probably wasn't her," Luke mumbles, "No offence, dude, but you don't have a great track record for doing well in relationships."

Jax tilts his head, "What, and she does?"

As Camille opens her mouth to snap a reply, Donna is quick to speak up and break apart the soon-to-be argument, "Look, guys, you can all argue this out later, but right now we," She nods back to her children, "gotta head out. The kids have had a long day."

Jax tears his glaring eyes away from Camille and pushes a warming smile onto his face, "Alright. Thanks for coming."

Donna reaches forward and pokes his chest, "I'm glad Abel's home."

He gives her a short hug, "Thanks."He steps back, allowing Camille and Luke to say their goodbyes to the married couple while Opie attempts to get his children.

Outside, Scarlett sits on the curb with her knees pulled up to her chest with a freshly lit cigarette between her lips as she feels goosebumps tickle her uncovered arms. She can still hear the faint shouts and celebrations from inside the house as the wind blows across her face.

She never meant to shove him, but she knows that if she was any closer to him she would've slapped him, which makes her feel worse. After growing up in her household, she promised herself she'd never bring violence into an argument against her partner.

Footsteps sound behind her on the concrete coming down from the house and a moment later, Juice Ortiz settles down beside her.

"You not going home?" He asks, resting his elbows on his bent knees.

"No," She replies, blowing out a cloud of smoke into the dark night, "Just wanted some fresh air. Jax send you to make sure I got home okay?"

He hums in confirmation before turning his gaze from her face to the road in front of them, "You mind me asking what happened?"

Scarlett bites her lip, "I couldn't really tell you exactly. Just my brain being stupid. Jax didn't do anything really."

He nods slowly, "So are you two a thing thing now, or what?"

"Juan," She states simply, head turning to stare at his side profile in astonishment, "Why are you asking me that?"

"Oh fuck, no. It's not what you're thinking. I am not interested. I wouldn't touch you with a fucking metre ruler," He rushes quickly.

"Damn," She laughs, "That gross am I?"

"No!" He rotates to face her in a hurry, his hands raising as he rushes to explain himself, "That's not what I me—"

"I know what you meant," She nudges him teasingly, waving away his concern that he'd offended her, "It's a mutual feeling."

His face screws, "Well, that's just fucking rude."

Scarlett snorts and rolls her eyes at him while he chuckles lightly, both of them at a mutual understanding that even if they were the last two people on earth, they wouldn't pass the close friends title ever.

"Scarlett!" Donna's voice sounds as she steps out of the house with her kids and husband following, "We thought you went home."

Juice and Scarlett both turn on the curb to face the cute family as they advance closer. Scarlett watches as Tig moves out of the house as well, swinging his leg over his bike.

"No. Just wanted some air," Scarlett replies, blowing out smoke from her cig and pulling her eyes from Tig as he pulls out of the driveway, "You all okay?"

"Yeah," Donna stops next to them, "Opie's gonna take the kid's home and I'm gonna stay and help Gemma clean up. She needs power for the dishwasher, you mind coming with?"

After stubbing her cigarette out on the concrete, Scarlett raises from the curb, "Sure. But I ain't helping her clean up."

Donna rolls her eyes, "I wasn't expecting you to."

While Donna turns to say goodnight to her husband and children, Scarlett helps pull Juice up off the curb, and they both laugh once more as he tumbles slightly.

"Maybe don't get too high with Luke next time," She advises, patting his back before pushing him in the direction of the house.

"I don't know where he gets his shit from, but it's good shit!" Juice calls back to her as he returns to the house, throwing a hand up as a wave, "Nighty night night!"

As Opie slips down into the car's driver seat, Donna wanders back to Scarlett, hooking their arms together and leading her across the road to the truck. They release one another as they reach the vehicle, splitting up and stepping through opposite doors into their seats. Scarlett fiddles with the radio as Donna pulls the truck onto the road and down the street.

"Any good tunes?" Donna asks, eyes flicking down to Scarlett as she bends over in her seat to rifle through the CDs in the glove box.

"Jesus christ, Don. How shit is your husband's music taste?" Scarlett mumbles, grimacing at the old men country songs, "I'd rather listen to my alarm than this."

Donna laughs as the truck rolls to a stop at a red light, "Hey! I listen to that stuff too, you know."

"Really?" Scarlett snorts, still bent down and checking the dozens of CDs, "Maybe I should show you some good music at some point."

Donna chuckles, "I—"

The shattering of glass and sound of rapid gunfire causes Scarlett to let out a shriek yell as she ducks her head further down. She feels glass from the window behind shatter onto her back. She turns her head to look at Donna, reaching for her friend to move her from the line of fire, but immediately she notices Donna's hung over posture and the blood soaking her side of the car, draining from her head. There's bullet holes in the glass directly behind her head and not a single word or scream has left her mouth.

"Donna," Scarlett cracks, not wanting to sit up incase the shooter is still nearby, "Donna!"

No response.

Scarlett slowly raises back into her seat, not caring if she's about to be shot next. Her shaky hands reach to Donna, pushing her blood soaked shoulder back so her head falls upright again, revealing her dead open eyes and her paling face. Scarlett let's out a scream before it transforms into a sob. People are yelling outside, screaming at one another to call the police and the ambulance but Scarlett's ears are ringing so loud she can't even hear her own cries.

"Please," She cradles Donna's head, her hands soaking in the blood, "Don! Please wake up."

She can hardly see through her tear soaked eyes but she moves Donna slightly so she can move them both along the seats. She throws the passenger side door open before struggling to lift her best friend out of the truck. Gasps sound from the growing crowd but Scarlett can't move her eyes from Donna's face. She collapses to the concrete ground with Donna laying limping at her side.

"Help!" Scarlett croaks, "Someone, please!"

Her loud sobs fill the stunned silence as she hunches over Donna's body. She shakes her gently, attempting to wake her up from whatever sick dream they've been thrown into. The tears are flooding so quickly down her cheeks and she can't stop the sound of the gunfire and shattering glass from sounding repeatedly in her mind.

"Donna," She cries quietly, brushing her fingers gently over Donna's eyelids and hiding her deep brown eyes from sight, "I'm sorry."

She has no idea what she's apologising for. Maybe for not being the one killed, or for not telling her to get down and out of the line of fire quick enough. Or maybe she's sorry for distracting her with the talk of music that neither of them noticed the shooter.

Arms wrap around Scarlett's body and she fights the embrace as she's dragged away from Donna's body. Shouts of protest cut at her throat and she throws her arms around in a panic. She watches as paramedics drop to her form, and she becomes aware that it's most likely a paramedic dragging her away.

"Calm down, please, miss," The man requests, "I need to check you over."

"I'm fine!" She shouts, "Donna— Donna! She needs help! Not me! Let me go! Help her!"

A few more police officers help get Scarlett far enough away from the scene and into the back of an ambulance. Scarlett gives up arguing and fighting, allowing the paramedic to check her body over. Her face falls flat and her eyes stay trained on the tiled floor as she hardly blinks, knowing if she blinks she'll see Donna once more.

Her gaze lifts to glance at herself in a reflective surface. Her face in covered in blood. Some of which is the blood splatter from the event, but the rest is evidence of her trying to wipe her hundreds of tears away. She's stopped crying now, unsure if she can even muster any emotion at all. The paramedics continue to speak into her ear and discuss her state with each other but Scarlett remains silent, her blood soaked hands shaking in her lap.

Losing someone is an experience in itself, but being present when they're murdered is an unmeasurable pain. Every time her eyes close for not even a second, that's all she can hear and see; the gunfire, the glass and Donna's dead face.

Scarlett's alone now in the ambulance, with a small blanket thrown over her shoulders. She curls her hands tightly around the side of gurney, trying to stop them from shaking so violently. She dips her head to her chest, trying to focus on her breathing but nothing is working to calm her down. The tears may have stopped but the same storm is whirling on inside her.

The roar of bikes fills the air as the Sons roll up to the scene, with Opie's car screeching to a halt. He barrels out of the vehicle immediately, leaving the door swinging as he's ducking under the police tape.

"Donna? Donna! Donna!" He yells, "Donna!"
He spots her body laid out on the floor on the opposite side of the van to where Scarlett had pulled her out. He collapses at her side, taking her bloody face in his hands, "Oh, god," He begins to sob, "Oh, baby." He lowers his head to rest in her neck, the same words falling from
his lips repeatedly.

Camille jumps off the back of Luke's bike, and runs over, a loud scream barrelling out of her throat as her eyes land on her best friend. She immediately whirls around again, slamming into Luke's chest and his arms wrap around her firmly. Whilst she cries into him, tears trickle down his own cheeks and he ducks his head to take his eyes from Donna's body.

Quickly, Tig and Juice arrive, both of them jogging over and under the tape, coming to a sharp halt by the mourning man.

When realisation hits, Juice's head snaps around the scene, searching for the other woman who was in that truck, "Scarlett," He mutters.

Jax hears him, and he whirls around on his heel, "The hell you talking about?" He directed Juice to get her home safe.

Juice swallows thickly, "Scarlett was in the truck with Donna. They left the house together to go get cleaning stuff for your mom."

Slowly, Jax's brows furrow in worry and he's spinning around again in search for Scarlett. He rushes to the truck, checking the destroyed seats if she's still in there, but it's completely empty, just stained with blood and sliced by glass. His heart begins to beat against his ribs as he thinks the worst.

He grabs onto the closest cop roughly, "You seen Scarlett Miller?"

The cop nods quickly, "Yeah."

Jax let's out a shaky breath, "Where?" He demands, "Where is she?"

"She was being dragged away to an ambulance last time I saw her," The cop explains, nodding towards the large vehicles , "She was in the truck too, managed to pull Donna out and onto the sidewalk."

Without saying another word to the cop, Jax shoves him away and turns towards the open ambulances. Finally, his eyes land on Scarlett hunched over on a gurney in the vehicle, while her body rocks back and forth.

"Scarlett!" He yells, sprinting over to the ambulance and jumping inside. He plants himself in front of her, his eyes taking in the amount of blood soaking her hands and face. He bites his lip to prevent himself from crying at her state, "Scar," He whispers quietly, his hand gently cupping her cheek and raising her head, "Are you hurt?"

She's looking at him, but at the same time she's not. She's looking at him like she'd look at a brick wall. Like he's not there at all.

His heart cracks and his jaw clenches in concern, "Scarlett, I need you to talk to me," His other hand lifts to brush some of her hair behind her ear, "Come on, baby. Please. Just tell me you're not hurt."

She blinks before croaking out, "She's dead."

His eyes clamp shut and he carefully pulls her into his chest. One of his hands cradles the back of her head and the other rubs her back as she begins to cry once more, soaking his t-shirt with blood and tears. He pulls away slightly, taking her face between his hands once more. Again she just gazes up at him like he doesn't exist.

"Look, baby, I gotta get you home. You need rest," He rubs his thumb carefully over her cheek, "That okay?"

"Just get me away from here," Her eyes flick over to Opie sobbing over his wife's body as Chibs attempts to pull him away. She lets out another sob at the heartbreaking sight, until Jax brings her attention back to him.

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     JAX TOOK SCARLETT back to Camille's house and put her to bed, leaving with a soft kiss and a few words before returning back to his own home. Trying to ignore the pain Scarlett would be enduring without him by her side, he got into bed with his ex-wife and allowed her to undress him. All while Scarlett was in her own creaky single bed laid in the fetal position on her side trying to stay awake so she wouldn't have to endure the murder of one of her best friends again.

Scarlett heard Cami return, being as silent as mouse for once. Her door creaks open slowly but she remains still on the bed, her eyes open.

"Scarlett," Camille sniffs, clicking the door shut behind her, "I'm so sorry. Luke's still out and Don— oh my god. I'm just sorry."

Scarlett stays silent and just simply shuffles on the bed to create a space for Camille to lay down beside her. Cami swallows thickly before lowering down onto the creaky mattress, embracing her best friend in a warming hug.

No words had to be spoken for the pair to understand that what they were feeling was mutual. They'd go through it and survive it together. Now with Donna gone, it was just them.

. . .

yeah...
angst is my fav
rip donna, you will be missed boo

word count,
4473