The aroma of garlic and oregano still clung faintly to their clothes as Jax and Avery made their way through the sterile, brightly lit corridors of Saint Thomas Hospital. Their hands remained intertwined, a silent testament to the evening they had shared in Lodi. The hushed atmosphere of the hospital was a stark contrast to the lively chatter and clinking glasses of the Italian restaurant, a reminder of the reason for their visit: Abel.

They stood before the elevator, the silence punctuated by the soft hum of machinery. Jax squeezed Avery's hand reassuringly as the doors slid open. Inside the small space, the air felt thick with unspoken emotions. Jax reached out and pressed the button for the third floor, the destination of their hope and concern – the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where Abel lay.

As the elevator ascended, a gentle friction developed between Jax's thumb and the back of Avery's hand. The rhythmic tracing of circles, a familiar and comforting gesture, sent a wave of warmth through her. A familiar ache, a dull throb that had taken root earlier, intensified. The memory of the motorcycle ride, the powerful vibrations resonating between her thighs, flooded her senses. It had ignited a fire within her, a longing that had simmered throughout dinner and now threatened to consume her. Even the pleasant soreness from their earlier intimacy did little to quell the desire that pulsed through her. She craved his touch, his nearness, with an urgency that overshadowed everything else. The sterile environment of the hospital seemed to amplify her inner turmoil, the contrast between the clinical reality around them and the passionate yearning within her creating a palpable tension.

"You gotta stop looking at me like that." Said Jax, knowing where his thoughts were headed.

"Why?" Asked Avery.

"Because three floors in an elevator isn't nearly enough time for me to have my way with you. Plus, we're going to see my son." Said Jax smiling down at Avery. "We have all night baby."

"I'm that case, I'll call mom and tell her I won't be home." Said Avery as she grinned Jax by his belt loops.

"You do that." Said Jax huskily as his right hand grazed her rib cage where he tattoo is.

******

After calling her mom and letting her know that she wasn't going to be home tonight and visiting Abel for a while, Avery and Jax went back to the club house where the party was in full swing. The pounding beat of rock music came from the club house.

"Do you guys party like this every night?" Asked Avery when she and Jax climbed off his bike.

"Not every night." Said Jax smiling. "Wanna get a beer?"

"You know it. Lead the way baby." Said Avery.

Throwing his arm over her shoulder, Jax pulled her close and the two of them walked into the club house.

Once inside, the music got louder and the smell of alcohol filled Avery's nose. As Jax and Avery headed for the bar, they were greeted by all the guys, all of them pulling Avery to them and hugging her, lifting her, or placing kisses on her cheek much to Jax's dismay.

She had missed these guys more than she realized. Especially John, Chibs, and Bobby. All three of them had been like fathers to her, always looking out for her and making sure Jax was treating her right.

Returning to the clubhouse felt more like coming home than anything had since her return. The presence of these men evoked childhood memories and recollections of her relationship with Jax before she left. Nostalgia was a weak word to describe what she was feeling.

"Alright! That's enough. Hands off my woman." Yelled Jax over the load thump of rock music when Opie lifted Avery off her feet and placed a kiss square in her lips. Opie let a laughing Avery down. As soon as her feet hit the floor, Jax pulled her into his side, glaring at his best friend.

"All in fun brother." Said Opie laughing. "Plus, it's just Vee. Donna doesn't even care." Said Opie as he pulled Donna to stand in front of him before wrapping his arms around her.

"Oh my god! Donna! I haven't seen you in forever!" Squealed Avery as she ran to Donna and the two of them hugged, bouncing up and down like a couple of teenagers who didn't know what to do with all their excitement.

"It's been awhile. Look at you! No wonder Jax is about to murder Ope." Said Donna as she stood back and took in Avery's appearance.

"Like you should talk. Girl, you are smoking!" Said Avery.

Avery watched as Donna smiled up at Opie, beaming because of the compliment that Avery had just given her.

"You damn sure ain't gonna hear me complain." said Opie as he pulled her tightly against him.

"Let's get those beers." Said Jax, trying to get Avery's attention.

"Okay." Said Avery smiling. "Catch up with y'all later?"

"Sure. We'll be around for a little while longer." Said Donna as she and Opie head off towards the pool tables where Piney was schooling Lowell Jr. on the game.

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Throwing his arm around her once more, they walked over to the bar where Half Sack was playing bartender.

"Two Miller lites." Yelled Jax over the music.

"And two shots of Jack." Yelled Avery.

Jax just looked at Avery, shocked that she was ordering shots. Ten years ago, hard liquor hadn't been her thing. This was just one more thing that Jax was realizing has changed with Avery.

"Since when do you drink Jack?" Asked Jax, curiously.

"Since I left my heart in Charming ten years ago. Was the only thing that dulled the pain besides running." Said Avery as she stood on her top toes and placed a kiss on Jax's lips.

Before Jax could say anything, Half Sack served up their beers and shots. Reaching for the bar, Avery grabbed her beer, took a big swig, and then downed her shot, before chasing it with the ice cold beer. She felt the familiar burn that the liquor always left in its wake, calming her and exciting her all at once.

Until recently, Jack Daniels had been used as a crutch to get through the days when she missed Jax and Charming too much. Now that she was back, she hadn't even taken a shot until tonight. And go figure, the one thing she used to help numb the pain was the one thing she was drinking with the person who was the reason behind it.

"Another?" Jax's voice, a low rumble that always sent a pleasant shiver down her spine, finally broke through her reverie. He gestured towards her half-empty bottle with a questioning look.

Avery blinked, focusing back on him. "Beer yes, shot no. Not right now anyway," she replied, the smile widening slightly. The thought of anything stronger felt a little too intense for the moment, a buzz being precisely what she needed.

Jax chuckled, his fingers briefly squeezing her hand where it rested on the wooden bartop. "Okay. Let's go find Mom. She's got to be around here somewhere," he said, his gaze scanning the crowd near the entrance to the dormitories. He rose, pulling her up with him, his hand finding hers once more. His touch was familiar and comforting, a silent anchor in the sometimes-turbulent waters of her life. Together, they began to navigate the clusters of people, their shared purpose a gentle thread connecting them as they made their way back towards the relative quiet of the clubhouse's sleeping quarters.