Spark in the Dark

Juice gave Shawn three options when they got back to Charming; sit at home with V-lin, go to the clubhouse, or go to St. Thomas where Tara was already being guarded by Phil. She chose St. Thomas, which didn't surprise Juice at all. He dropped her off at the hospital before going home to switch her car for his bike and going to the clubhouse.

Shawn went to a nurse's station to ask where to find Tara. She took the elevator to the right floor. It wasn't hard to find her room since Phil was sitting in a chair right outside the door reading a comic book.

"Hey," she said to get his attention. "How is she?"

"Medicated. Sleeping last time I heard."

"Do you know what happened?"

"Her and Jax were on their way to Oregon. She had a medical conference she was going to they stopped at a park with the boys to eat lunch and someone grabbed her and pulled her into a van when Jax walked away."

"The boys were there?" Shawn asked. Phil nodded. "Jesus."

"I guess the van door slammed on her hand."

Shawn sighed. "Shit. Okay, well, I think me being here means you have to watch Tara and me. I don't want to wake Tara, so I'll sit in this waiting room over here. Make it easier on you."

"Appreciate it," Phil told her with a grin. Shawn went to sit down and watched tv for awhile before Phil appeared in the doorway. "I think she's awake if you want to go in."

"Thanks," Shawn said and stood from the couch. She went into Tara's room and realized Phil had been right about the medicated part. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

Tara shrugged without looking at Shawn. Shawn waited to see if Tara would say anything. Tara finally looked up and smirked at Shawn. "My how the tables have turned."

"What do you mean?" Shawn asked uneasily.

"You were the one in the hospital bed just last week."

"Oh. Right. Only difference is you were my doctor and I am just visiting."

"You ever regret it?"

"Again, I'm not sure what you mean."

"Staying here. Producing porn. Hooking up with Juice."

"No. Never," Shawn answered honestly. "Do you?"

Tara shrugged, again. Shawn began to feel like she made a mistake coming to the hospital. "A lot of bad shit has happened to us because of them."

"I don't blame Juice for what happened to me. That wasn't his fault. That wasn't any of their faults."

"What about the time you were kidnapped?"

"Okay. I know you're upset-"

"I am not upset. I am angry," Tara snapped.

"They had no way of knowing this would happen, Tara."

"Maybe they shouldn't be working with a damn cartel then if they don't have a clue what they're capable of."

"A cartel?" Shawn asked, dumbfounded.

Tara smirked, again. "You didn't know?"

"No."

"Of course not. What else do you think he doesn't tell you?"

Shawn didn't answer. She had known Juice wasn't telling her things, but had never had it thrown in her face like this. "Would you rather be alone?"

"That's probably for the best."

Shawn didn't say anything else. She left the room and was about the leave St. Thomas when she remembered she couldn't, Juice had dropped her off. She went back to the waiting room and sat back down on the couch. She had been there for a little while when motion by the doorway caught her eye and she turned her head to look. Sheriff Roosevelt had walked passed the door, saw Shawn sitting there, and backed up to turn into the waiting room where she was sitting.