Bailey 'The Bullet' Teller

.18.

Up on the roof of the Club House had always been Bailey's favourite spot on the TM Lot. Jax and Opie had her up there from the second she was old enough to climb that ladder. It was where they'd let her drink her first beer, caught her smoking, sat together after hard days. She was just sitting looking over the Lot, joint in hand, her father's manuscript on her lap.

The first section of that manuscript had been quite sweet. It was just John reminiscing on his childhood friend group and how they 'were going to change the world' by doing exactly what every other suburban kids did. But it brought back memories of Bailey running around, causing trouble with Jax and Opie. Becoming a part of the Club. Jax sitting her down and telling her she can be better.

"Thought i'd find y'up here." Jax chuckled as he climbed over the top of the ladder.

"Well, y'found me." Bailey hummed as she shuffled over on the brick block they used for a seat.

Jax sat himself beside her, took the joint from her outstretched hand, and just took in the sight of his little sister for a moment. Her bright red hair flowing messily in the breeze, aviator sunglasses covering her eyes, kutte on her back. She was too young for this. Too smart for this. Too ready to get in trouble for this.

"What would y'do if we didn't have the Club?" Jax asked her softly.

"Dunno." Bailey shrugged. "There was a point when I wanted to be a nurse." She chuckled.

"Yeah?" Jax smiled. "Why don't y'try it?"

"Cause i'm a member?" Bailey reminded on a laugh. "We don't usually get relieved t'go back to school."

"I - err. I already spoke t'Clay. He said he'd take it t'the table if y'wanted to go back to school." Jax admitted. "Wouldn't have to scrape your ink. Or anythin', come back whenever y'want."

"Where's this comin' from?" Bailey asked, confused. "Thought y'liked havin' me close?"

"I do." Jax nodded, passing the joint back to her. "But yesterday, a Mayan had a gun to your head, used you as a sheild, stuffed you in a van, and threw you out on the border of Oakland." He reminded. "And you didn't even seem scared."

"I wasn't scared." She shrugged.

"And that terrifies me." Jax admitted. A sigh later, he turned to his sister. "This can't be the only life you know, Bails. All o'us here, we did absolutely shit in school, didn't have many other options to earn." He spoke gently. "I need to know I at least tried to protect you from this shit."

"Jax -"

"Please look at some schools, me and Clay'll pay for it." He asked softly. "I can't see you get shot, Bailey. Not yet. Please just - just go and try something normal, just for a while."

"Why now?" Bailey asked, smoke pooling from her lips.

"You're eighteen, college age, damn good school grades, can go and see the world. And you're waistin' it, Darlin. Once you're locked into this shit, y'aint ever gettin' out unless it's in a body bag." Jax sounded almost desperate. "Dad wouldn't have wanted you on this road yet."

"Okay." Bailey nodded.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, i'll look into it. But I ain't makin' promises."

She hadn't actually wanted to go at all. Wasn't interested in leaving behind her family. But when she saw a Fast-Track Nursing Undergrad Degree, for 'high achievers', in Queens, she applied on a whim. Not even for a second did she think they'd accept her, with her list of minor criminal charges. But they did. By the time she left Queens, she'd helped run an illegal poker ring at the strip club, money laundered, and killed someone. What a way to get out of the life.