After hours of passionate lovemaking, Jax and Avery finally succumbed to exhaustion, their limbs intertwined, drifting into a deep sleep around 4:00 AM. A stroke of luck, or perhaps a testament to Abel's newfound sleeping prowess, meant they enjoyed an uninterrupted night. However, this peace was fleeting. At precisely 6:30 AM, Abel's piercing cry shattered the quiet, causing Avery to jolt upright, her heart pounding.

Groggily, she shuffled to his room, her eyes still heavy with sleep. She efficiently changed his diaper, the familiar scent of baby powder filling the air, before gently scooping him into her arms. Cradling him, she made her way to the kitchen, the soft glow of the early morning light filtering through the window. With practiced ease, she prepared his bottle, the gentle clinking of glass against the counter the only sound besides Abel's soft coos.

Bottle in hand, she headed to the living room, seeking the familiar comfort of the plush couch. A fleeting thought of returning to their bed to feed him crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. Jax deserved more sleep after their intense night. Settling onto the soft cushions, she snuggled Abel close to her chest, the warmth of his small body a comforting presence against hers. As he eagerly latched onto the bottle, her free hand instinctively rose to caress his head, her fingers idly playing with his soft, golden curls.

"You don't know how much you have changed my life, little man. I love you so very much," Avery whispered, her voice thick with emotion as she gazed down at her son, her heart overflowing with a love she never knew possible.

"Even more than me?" Jax's voice, husky with sleep, startled her, pulling her from her reverie. She hadn't even heard him emerge from the bedroom, so completely engrossed was she in her profound connection with Abel. A warm flush spread across her cheeks as she met his gaze, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.

"It's a tight race," Avery said, her smile wide and unyielding. "This little guy's just so... I don't know. He's perfect. I never knew that it would feel this good to love someone so much that isn't even my flesh and blood." Her gaze, filled with an overflowing tenderness, remained fixed on the small, squirming bundle in her arms. The baby, no more than a few months old, gurgled contentedly, his tiny fists batting at the air. He was a beacon of pure joy, a testament to the unexpected beauty that had blossomed in their lives.

Avery watched as Jax rounded the couch, a languid, almost predatory grace in his movements. Dressed in loose-fitting sweats and nothing else, she took in the view, her eyes tracing the sculpted lines of his physique. He was all hard abs and tanned skin, a living, breathing sculpture of male perfection. He was the definition of sexy as far as she was concerned, a smoldering intensity that promised both danger and devotion. Damn! I'm one lucky bitch! the thought practically purred in her mind, a secret delight in the quiet satisfaction of her life.

"Keep looking at me like that and we won't make it to the fundraiser today," Jax rumbled, his voice a low, suggestive growl that sent a shiver down her spine. He leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with playful mischief, and placed a lingering kiss on her lips, a soft, intimate pressure that spoke volumes.

"That's today?" Avery asked, her voice a little breathy, the recent kiss still tingling on her lips. She hadn't forgotten, exactly, but everything that had happened in the past few days had blurred the edges of her memory.

"Yeah, Mom just called to remind us. She needs us there to help. Bobby is supposed to be doing his whole Elvis thing—you know, the jumpsuit, the hair, the works. Luann is making chili for the contest, probably her famous five-alarm recipe. Oh, and Opie is doing the fireworks tonight, so it's going to be a big one." He listed off the day's events with an easy familiarity, painting a vivid picture of the chaotic, heartwarming community event.

"Bobby still does that?" Avery asked, a small laugh escaping her lips. The image of Bobby, a man whose gruff exterior belied a heart of gold, belting out "Hound Dog" in a sequined jumpsuit was a truly delightful one.

"Yeah. Son of a bitch makes a killing doing it too. Which I guess is a good thing considering he had to pay child support on two kids that his bat-shit-crazy ex-wife keeps from him. Or at least that's the excuse he gives everybody. I think he just secretly likes to play dress-up," Jax said, a smirk playing on his lips. He took a long drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling around his head like a halo of disdain.

"Wow. I'm taking it you don't like this woman," Avery said, her eyebrows raised in surprise. She gently bounced Abel in her arms, trying to get him to settle.

"Not at all. Precious is certifiable. I mean like way off the charts with her crazy. She makes Mom seem like she's perfectly sane," Jax said, a hearty laugh escaping him. The sound was rough, a little bit cynical, but undeniably genuine.

"No offense, but that's really saying something," Avery responded, a small smile playing on her lips. She knew Jax's mother was a character, to put it mildly.

"Yeah, it is. Mom proudly embraces her crazy. Precious just uses hers to make Bobby's life a living fucking hell," Jax said, his voice hardening slightly at the mention of Bobby's ex. He crushed out his cigarette in a nearby ashtray, the gesture abrupt and final.

Avery just shook her head, a familiar weariness settling over her. She couldn't believe that there were people that petty and vindictive in this world. I mean, who keeps their kids away from their father just to be an asshole? Then again, she probably should believe it, considering she was a lawyer and had seen firsthand the depths of human pettiness in family court. As she thought about all that Jax had told her, a flicker of an idea, a glimmer of a solution, began to form in her mind, like a small light in the darkness of the situation. It was a long shot, but it was something. She started to formulate a plan, connecting the dots of the information Jax had provided.

"Has Bobby tried to get his support lowered?" Avery asked, finally breaking the silence. She carefully lifted Abel to her shoulder, patting his back gently to encourage a burp. The baby made a soft gurgling sound against her ear.

"Yeah. Judge denied it because he was in the arrears," Jax replied, his voice laced with frustration. He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of exasperation.

"How far in arrears?" Avery pressed, her lawyer's mind already sifting through the implications. The amount owed would be crucial to any potential legal strategy.

"Last I heard, something like $10k," Jax said, his tone grim. The figure hung in the air between them, a heavy weight.

"Holy shit. Has he even paid any child support at all?" Avery exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief. "$10,000? But yeah, with that amount of money owed, he won't get a reduction. Not without a significant payment, at least." She chewed on her lip, already strategizing. The situation was more dire than she had initially imagined, but not entirely hopeless. She just needed more information.

"Truthfully? No." Jax's voice was low, tinged with a familiar weariness. "When they went to court for support after they divorced, she told him point-blank, in front of the judge, that she would not let him see his kids. You remember how Bobby is, how incredibly stubborn he can be." He paused, a wry smile playing on his lips. "He told her right there in the courtroom, without an ounce of hesitation, that he wouldn't pay her a fucking dime in support if he couldn't see his boys. And he's kept his word, every bitter one of them. Since they divorced seven long years ago, I think Bobby has seen his kids maybe three times, if that. It's a sad, twisted kind of dedication."

Avery listened, her brow furrowed. "I mean, I get that, and I truly feel for him, I do. But he has to know that he's going to end up in jail for failure to pay, right? That's just a matter of time."

"Yeah, he knows." Jax sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Matter of fact, he's already pulled some small stints for nonsupport. Nothing more than two, maybe three months at a time. Just enough to be a nuisance, not enough to be a deterrent."

"That's insane," Avery breathed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"That's just Bobby," Jax reiterated, a shrug accompanying the simple, yet profound statement.

Avery's gaze drifted across the room, a new thought sparking. "So, if he makes a killing doing these Elvis impressions, which I hear he does, what does he do with all his money? I mean, he doesn't dress or act like he has a dollar to his name, much less enough to evade child support for years."

Jax chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Beer, pot, whiskey, and girls. That's the Bobby budget. No fancy cars, no big houses, just enough to keep himself perpetually... disconnected, I guess you could say."

"Wow," Avery said, the single word loaded with a fresh wave of realization. It truly blew her mind that Bobby, despite his undeniable talents and potential, could allow his stubbornness to dictate such a destructive path, especially concerning his own children. The idea that he wouldn't even attempt to reconcile, to do the right thing for their sake, was a concept she struggled to grasp.

"Yeah," Jax echoed, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, the shared understanding hanging heavy between them.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, just watching Abel as he finished up his bottle, tiny gurgles and satisfied sighs filling the quiet room. Jax couldn't help but think that regardless of the situation, no matter the challenges or the bitterness, he would be there for his son, a fierce, protective instinct flaring within him. Avery, meanwhile, was consumed by how much her perspective on Bobby as a person had dramatically shifted. She had always seen him as a wild, charming, but ultimately harmless, figure, almost like an eccentric uncle. But to know that he just cared so little about his kids, that he wouldn't even try to get along with his ex for their sake, tainted him in her view. It was a dark stain on a canvas she had previously seen as brightly painted. She didn't want this revelation to affect the way she treated Bobby in their daily interactions, but she knew, with a certainty that chilled her, that from here on out, she would always judge him for being so unbelievably, unforgivably stubborn.

Breaking the heavy quiet that had settled between them, Avery finally spoke, her voice a touch lighter, as if a small weight had been lifted. "So, what time are we meeting everyone at the fundraiser? I need to start getting ready soon if we're going to make it." She glanced at Jax, a hint of playful impatience in her eyes.

"11:00," Jax replied, his gaze still fixed on the task at hand, a soft hum escaping him as he continued.

"What time is it now?" Avery asked, shifting slightly, a subtle urgency entering her tone.

Jax paused, glancing at a clock on the wall. "Probably close to 8:00," he said, a faint smile playing on his lips as he returned his attention to their little one.

"Okay," Avery declared, a newfound energy coursing through her. "You finish feeding him while I go get a shower and start getting ready. I want to make sure we have everything we need while we're there. You know how these things can be, and I don't want to be caught off guard." She began to gather a few things, already mentally ticking through her preparation checklist.

"Okay," Jax agreed, his voice warm and steady, a silent understanding passing between them. He knew Avery's meticulous nature, and he appreciated it. With the baby contentedly nursing, he had plenty of time to finish up before his own preparations began. The morning, once cloaked in a quiet tension, now hummed with a renewed sense of purpose and the comfortable rhythm of their shared routine.