#O'Connell Street

[federer7]

Lunch Hour. O'Connell Street. Dublin, Ireland. 1969

Photo: Robert Brecko Walker

[vyorei]

CALLING THE IRISH 📣

MARCH AND RALLY THIS SATURDAY THE 28TH OF OCTOBER AT 1PM

MEETING AT THE SPIRE ON O'CONNELL STREET AT 1PM

BÍGÍ LINN, DLÚTHPHÁIRTÍOCHT LEIS AN PHALAISTÍN 🇵🇸✊🇮🇪

[greenbagjosh]

Days 5 - 7: Belfast - Dublin, the start of a tram system, Grafton Street and an excellent bacon sandwich to go with my Guinness pint.

Hi everyone, Welcome to Day 5 of my visit to Europe in Summer 2004. It is now Thursday 29th July 2004, and I had stayed two nights in Belfast, and had gone up and down that part of the UK. It is time now to go to Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. I have breakfast at the rail station, called "Ulster fry", take the international train to Dublin, stopping only at Portadown, and arriving about 10:30 AM in Dublin Connolly. I went on a walking tour from the central post office on to Grafton Street, also viewing the Book of Kells at Trinity College. I took a ride on the LUAS from St. Stephen's Green down to Sandyford and back. The next day I went on a clockwise bus tour of Dublin, walked to Drumcondra, rode the train to Dublin Connolly, took the train to Howth and back, ate supper in Howth, then took a bus back to the hostel to sleep for my next journey on 31st July. Hope you will join me.

Dia daoibh, Fáilte go Lá 5 de mo chuairt ar an Eoraip i Samhradh 2004. Is é Déardaoin an 29 Iúil 2004 anois, agus d'fhan mé dhá oíche i mBéal Feirste, agus chuaigh mé suas agus síos an chuid sin den RA. Tá sé in am anois dul go Baile Átha Cliath, i bPoblacht na hÉireann. Tá bricfeasta agam ag an stáisiún traenach, ar a dtugtar “Ulster fry”, tóg an traein idirnáisiúnta go Baile Átha Cliath, ag stopadh ag Port an Dúnáin amháin, agus ag teacht timpeall 10:30 AM go Baile Átha Cliath Uí Chonghaile. Chuaigh mé ar thuras siúlóide ón oifig phoist lárnach go Sráid Grafton, ag féachaint ar Leabhar Cheanannais i gColáiste na Tríonóide freisin. Thug mé turas ar an LUAS ó Fhaiche Stiabhna síos go Áth an Ghainimh agus ar ais. An lá dár gcionn chuaigh mé ar thuras bus deiseal go Baile Átha Cliath, shiúil mé go Droim Conrach, mharcaigh mé ar an traein go Baile Átha Cliath Connolly, thóg mé an traein go Binn Éadair agus ar ais, d'ith mé suipéar i mBinn Éadair, ansin thóg mé bus ar ais go dtí an brú chun codladh do mo chéad lá eile. turas ar 31 Iúil. Tá súil agam go mbeidh tú páirteach liom.

Ciao a tutti, Benvenuti al 5o. giorno della mia visita in Europa nell'estate del 2004. È giovedì 29 luglio 2004, e sono rimasto due notti a Belfast, e ho viaggiato su e giù per quella parte del Regno Unito. Ora è il momento di andare a Dublino, nella Repubblica d'Irlanda. Faccio colazione alla stazione ferroviaria, chiamata "Ulster fry", prendo il treno internazionale per Dublino, fermandomi solo a Portadown, e arrivo verso le 10:30 a Dublino Connolly. Ho fatto un giro a piedi dall'ufficio postale centrale a Grafton Street, visitando anche il Book of Kells al Trinity College. Ho fatto un giro sulla LUAS da St. Stephen's Green fino a Sandyford e ritorno. Il giorno dopo ho fatto un giro in autobus in senso orario di Dublino, ho camminato fino a Drumcondra, ho preso il treno per Dublino Connolly, ho preso il treno per Howth e ritorno, ho cenato a Howth, poi ho preso un autobus per tornare all'ostello per dormire per il mio prossimo viaggio il 31 luglio. Spero che vi unirete a me.

Bonjour à tous, Bienvenue au cinquième jour de ma visite en Europe cet été 2004. Nous sommes le jeudi 29 juillet 2004 et j'ai passé deux nuits à Belfast et j'ai parcouru cette partie du Royaume-Uni de long en large. Il est temps maintenant d'aller à Dublin, en République d'Irlande. Je prends mon petit-déjeuner à la gare ferroviaire, appelée "Ulster fry", je prends le train international pour Dublin, je m'arrête seulement à Portadown et j'arrive vers 10h30 à Dublin Connolly. J'ai fait une visite à pied depuis la poste centrale jusqu'à Grafton Street, et j'ai également visité le Livre de Kells au Trinity College. J'ai fait un tour en LUAS de St. Stephen's Green jusqu'à Sandyford et retour. Le lendemain, j'ai fait un tour en bus dans le sens des aiguilles d'une montre à travers Dublin, j'ai marché jusqu'à Drumcondra, j'ai pris le train jusqu'à Dublin Connolly, j'ai pris le train jusqu'à Howth et retour, j'ai dîné à Howth, puis j'ai pris un bus pour retourner à l'auberge pour dormir avant mon prochain voyage le 31 juillet. J'espère que vous vous joindrez à moi.

Hallo zusammen, Willkommen zu Tag 5 meiner Europareise im Sommer 2004. Es ist jetzt Donnerstag, der 29. Juli 2004, und ich habe zwei Nächte in Belfast verbracht und bin durch diesen Teil des Vereinigten Königreichs gereist. Jetzt ist es Zeit, nach Dublin in der Republik Irland zu fahren. Ich frühstücke am Bahnhof, das „Ulster Fry“ heißt, nehme den internationalen Zug nach Dublin, halte nur in Portadown und komme gegen 10:30 Uhr in Dublin Connolly an. Ich habe einen Spaziergang vom Hauptpostamt zur Grafton Street gemacht und mir dabei auch das Book of Kells im Trinity College angesehen. Ich bin mit der LUAS von St. Stephen’s Green nach Sandyford und zurück gefahren. Am nächsten Tag machte ich eine Bustour im Uhrzeigersinn durch Dublin, ging zu Fuß nach Drumcondra, fuhr mit dem Zug nach Dublin Connolly, nahm den Zug nach Howth und zurück, aß in Howth zu Abend und nahm dann einen Bus zurück zum Hostel, um dort für meine nächste Reise am 31. Juli zu schlafen. Ich hoffe, Sie begleiten mich.

On Thursday 29 July 2004, I had been staying at the Belfast YHA hostel. It was time to check out, and go south to Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. I would take the international train from Belfast Lanyon Place, then called Belfast Central, and ride in first class to Dublin Connolly. The train would stop only in Portadown, just north of the border. I checked out, with my luggage, walked to the Botanic rail station, took a 80 class train to Lanyon Place station, and went upstairs to the cafe for "Ulster Fry". Ulster Fry is not much different from Full English breakfast, except that it has a few more fried items. I had egg, bacon, sausage, a "potato farl", kind of like a hash brown patty, and a fried mushroom. I had one cup of tea, and another of coffee. About 7:50 AM, I went downstairs to the platform where the train to Dublin would depart from. I found my seat in First Class. Somehow I ended up in the dining car, but did not order anything.

The train left about 8 AM. I had my radio with me, on one of the local FM stations, they played "Ninety Miles from Dublin" by Christy Moore. The train made a prerecorded announcement of the train arrival in Dublin Connolly in the middle of the song. Later on, I heard "Lola's Theme" by the Shapeshifters as well as "Inner Smile" by Texas (a Scottish band that started in the late 1980s but did not achieve fame until at least their "White on Blonde" LP in 1997 / 1998). It seemed, from Belfast to Dublin, that it would be impossible to notice the difference between Northern Ireland and the Republic. It was only after the train passed through Drogheda (pronounced "Draw-dah"), that I would notice that I was in the Republic of Ireland. The train did not make any stops between Portadown and Dublin Connolly. The weather was a bit on-and-off rainy.

Most of the Irish railway system is unelectrified. Only from Howth to Bray was there any electrification on the main line, when I last read an article about the Irish railway system. I was surprised, already at Malahide there was electrification. The train was not very far from Connolly station. The train arrived about 10:30 AM on its own track. The exit was gated, so I had to go through the gates to exit the station for the bus to the hostel. I did not see any left luggage area in that station, though I have been told that there is one at the Heuston station due west of Connolly.

Leaving Connolly station, the statin building itself looks like something I might have seen in Northern Italy, kind of like from the Sforza family of Milan. Across the street from Connolly Station is the Busaras, or the central bus station. I asked about how to get to the hostel, but I was told to go to O'Connell Street by Abbey Street Lower and get a city bus from there. Although the LUAS red line tracks were being tested, that line would not go into operation until at least September or October that same year (2004). I had to walk along the sidewalk following the tracks to O'Connell Street. I saw a few light rail vehicles pass by. I knew of the green line, but it would not go farther north than St. Stephen's Green for many years (in 2024 it goes as far as Broombridge).

The Central Post office is at 47 O'Connell Street Lower. In at least one of the six Ionian columns, bulletts were shot into them in the 1920's struggle for independence from Great Britain. Nearby is an obelisque and on the opposite side of the road, towards Connolly Rail Station, is a statue of the writer James Joyce, who wrote "Ulysses". Incidentally, James Joyce was buried in Zurich, Switzerland, which I would visit on 7th August that same year. Only in the early 2020's, did the LUAS green line start operating along O'Connell Street Lower.

When I arrived at the post office bus stop, I found the bus route that went right to the hostel. It was about the corner of Dorset and Wellington Streets. Some time in the 2010s the actual building had been torn down, and has been replaced by university housing. I bought a day pass for the bus, which I think was 4 Euro back then. The bus went past Parnell Square before it made its stop on Dorset Street. I checked into a room with six beds. At the time, I did not see that an actual bed assignment would make any difference. Most of the time, no one minds if the wrong one might be accidentally taken. I would find out very early Saturday morning, that people would make a fuss. But for now, I would charge up my phone and my video camera, and in about an hour's time, walk to the bus stop at Blessington and Dorset, to go into downtown.

After I alighted from the bus at the post office, I walked along O'Connell Street. I made sure I had a good photo of the James Joyce statue. Then I walked past Middle Abbey Street, then along the Liffey to The Famine Memorial, at the Talbot Memorial Bridge. Many of the statues of the Famine Memorial looked lifelike. Then I went back to the O'Connell bridge, crossed the Liffey and stopped by the Mr. Screen cinema. There was nothing playing that I wanted to particularly see, so I walked farther south to College Street and on to Grafton Street. I entered the university at Nassau Street and went north to the library past Fellow's Square. The Book of Kells did not allow any photography. I was able to notice the pages of the bible, written on calfskin using various pigmentations.

Leaving the library, I went along Grafton Street to the St. Stephen's Green rail station. In general, Grafton Street is a pedestrian only passage. I passed by the Bewley's Cafe. They make good toffee sweets. At the time, the LUAS green line did not operate anywhere north of St. Stephen's Green. I walked to FitzWilliam Street Lower, along to Merrion Square. At the northwest end of the park, there was the Oscar Wilde statue. He was sitting, more like lying, on a rock, as if it were a bean bag. I walked by the Leinster House, the current seat of government for the Republic of Ireland, and also one of the ministries, probably for health and human services or similar.

At St. Stephen's Green, I bought a two ride ticket for LUAS. LUAS at the time, did not accept the bus pass, so I had to pay about 5 Euro for a day pass. I validated it, and boarded the next green line LUAS to Sandyford. The train went straight down Harcourt Street, before turning left on Adelaide Road, and turning right onto its own right of way. The LUAS went past Beechwood but somehow I had drifted off to sleep. I think it was still the jet lag. I was inspected by a fare inspector, and they said my ticket was fine. I alighted at Sandyford, the current southern terminus of the LUAS green line, and waited for the next one back to St. Stephen's Green. Once the LUAS arrived at St Stephens Green, I walked up Grafton Street, past the O'Connell Bridge to the post office, took the bus to Dorset Street, then went to the hostel. I think I went to sleep after that. I don't remember doing much else, other than listen to the radio and record local station broadcasts, some in English, some in Irish Gaelic.

On Friday 30th July 2004, it was a much nicer day than Thursday the 29th. I woke up, took a shower, and went downstairs to eat breakfast. The "Full Irish Breakfast" was at an extra charge, where the continental one was included in my stay. I went for the Full Irish breakfast, but it did not contain any black and white pudding, which is like a blood sausage, or a morcillo for those who know about Spanish sausages. I would hope to go into town and maybe have some black and white pudding, but I eventually waited for the next day.

I took the bus to the post office on O'Connell Street Upper, buying a day pass. There was a hop on hop off bus stop, where I could buy a ticket, good for all day transit on the hop on hop off bus. I had to wait until 10:20 AM until the bus departed. The bus went along the route past Parnell Square, the Obelisque, and back again south of the Liffey. The bus went past Trinity College, the house that Bram Stoker of "Dracula" fame once lived, the Molly Malone statue, St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. James Hospital, the Guinness Brewery, Magazine Fort, Heuston Station, and Ha'Penny Bridge. I alighted at Ha'Penny Bridge, and looked for some place to eat. On Anglesea Street just off Fleet Street, I found the Oliver St. John Gogarty pub. It also operated a hostel next door. I ordered a pint of Guinness and a bacon sandwich with fries. It was very good.

I went down the Grafton Street walkway before turning back and taking a bus to the post office. I bought some stamps for postcards at the office. Somehow there after I ended up walking east on Cathal Brugha Street past the Five Lamps to Clonliffe Road. I walked past the GAA Museum at Croke Park. Eventually I would end up at Drumcondra rail station. I could use my Eurail pass to gain access to the train platform for Connolly Station. The section between Drumcondra and Connolly was not electrified in 2004. I was feeling tired after walking so much. I think it was about 4 PM when I caught the train from Drumcondra to Connolly. Instead of the 80 class NIR DMU unit, I was riding on a nice commuter rail train. About where the train crossed Newcomen Bridge, the train came onto the electrified section to Bray/Greystones. At Connolly I transferred to the DART, which also recognized the Eurail Pass. It would be about 4:30 PM when I would board the train for Howth, called Binn Eadair in Irish.

The train to Howth arrived about 4:30 PM. It made about 9 stops before arriving at Howth. Howth is on a peninsula, and on the north side there is a harbor. There is also a shopping area and park close by. I had supper at the Fish Market. I think I had cod and chips along with a salad, and a pint of Guinness. It was really good, cost maybe 15 Euro. About 7 PM I went back to the Howth station to wait for the train back to downtown Dublin. Entering the station, I asked the guard if they would like to see my Eurail Pass, but he said "not particularly" instead of "No". He let me on to the platform. The train did not arrive until 7:30 PM. It departed about 7:40 PM. I stayed on the train until I arrived at Pearse Street. Pearse Street is an elevated commuter rail station. If you look eastward on Westland Row, you might think that you would be seeing a scene of "Glengarry Glenn Ross", where they say "Coffee is for closers". I took the bus back to the post office, and another one of the hostel. Then I went to sleep, at least for a while. Then I was woken up about 5 AM or so. But that's a story for another day.

I hope you will join me in my next journey, from Dublin to Milan. Question: at what airport do I get my passport checked? If you know Ireland's customs union with the UK, it may likely not be at Heathrow, but please stay tuned anyway. See you then!

[wtwn-is-more-oceans]

Already know I’m gonna be obsessed w this blog. How abt 2nd st preforming arts ocean ^_^

ohhh I love her and her little camera… and her bow omg

[low-budget-korra]

Please, stay // I cant 

Did we make it? // Yes, we did

You came // You called

Why are you still here? // I love you, silly

We cant be together  // I know

Are you here for the treasure? // Im here for you

I wish we had more time // Me too

May we meet again // I really hope we do

[nkp1981]

Brendan Fraser and Grover

[hardcore-solangelo-19]

yk that one scene in gortimer gibbons when mel put on those tap dancing shoes which couldnt come off, so gortimer carried her for the whole day ( i think)? It gives noel n ocean vibes.

[ya-gurl-emily]

Back from Dublin comic con

It was super fun! I got tons of cool shit I wanna post later (especially compared to last year where I got 2 transformers, neither of which I still display)

But the most important part by far was adding to the genre of cosplayers in regular places

[musical-hunger-games]

[seven-eleven-slushie]

She's so Ocean O'Connell Rosenberg.

[un1k1tty-m0rn1ngstar]

IM EATING THEM

snow day doodles (mostly)

[theeyeballwoman]

Eilis O'Connell at Solomon Fine Art

Last night, I attended the opening of Eilis O'Connell's new exhibition 'Hardware/ Software' at Solomon Fine Art, Balfe Street, Dublin 2 D02 T802 beside the Westbury Hotel. The Venue was packed and had a lively atmosphere. It was worth the time and effort to go. Loved the sense of form and line in Eilis' work. Her exhibition will continue on Sat 18th Nov 2023.

[cera-writes]

Balcony Tryst

A/N: I've had this idea for a while. Wrote this while listening to House of the Rising Sun by Lauren O'Connell. Summary: Remy LeBeau and you share a private suite overlooking Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Things get heated quickly ;) Tags: voyeurism, nsfw, public sex, handjob

The night air was thick with the heady scent of Bourbon Street and the distant hum of New Orleans' nightlife. The balcony of the private suite wrapped around them like a secret cocoon, shielding their passionate encounter from prying eyes below. Remy LeBeau, his lean body pressed against yours, his hands gripping the balustrade as he steadied himself, his breath hot against your neck.

"Y'feel s'good, chere," he murmured, his voice a low, seductive growl that sent shivers down your spine. His Cajun accent was more pronounced in the quiet of your balcony, each word dripping with desire.

You could feel his hardness against your palm, the rhythm of your stroking matching the pounding of your heart. You moved your hand faster, relishing the way his body responded, the soft moans escaping him, the way he bit down gently on your shoulder, a mix of pain and pleasure sparking through you.

"Remy," you gasped, turning your head slightly to meet his gaze, "you're so... intense."

He chuckled, the sound deep and rich, as he nuzzled your ear. "It's jus' you, ma chérie. Y'bring out dis side of me."

The city lights twinkled below, casting a soft glow over the balcony, highlighting the curves of his muscles as he moved with you. His free hand traveled up your back, pulling you closer, his fingers tracing patterns on your skin that made you shiver.

"Tell me what you want," you whispered, your voice catching in your throat as you felt his body tense with anticipation.

"Remy wan'chu," he breathed, his lips brushing against your cheek, "all of you, right here, right now."

You leaned into him, your body flush against his, feeling the heat between you rise. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you and the intoxicating thrill of the moment.

"Show me," you challenged, your voice barely above a whisper, your hand still moving confidently up and down his length.

Remy's response was immediate. He turned you around, pressing you against the cool cast iron of the balcony, his body sheltering yours from the slight breeze. His hands found your hips, gripping them tightly as he positioned himself behind you.

"Look at me," he commanded, his voice firm yet tender. You obeyed, meeting his fiery gaze over your shoulder. The intensity in his eyes was palpable, a mix of passion and possession that made your breath hitch.

"You're mine tonight," he declared, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "And Remy gon show you how good it be."

With that, he entered you slowly, deliberately, watching your face for any sign of discomfort. You bit your lip, holding back a moan as he filled you, the sensation overwhelming in the best possible way.

"Dat's it, ma chérie," he encouraged, his voice thick with emotion as he began to move, his thrusts steady and deep. "Take all of me."

You closed your eyes, letting the sensations wash over you. Each stroke of his body against yours was a promise, each touch a testament to the connection you shared. The world outside the balcony faded into insignificance, the noise of the bustling streets below nothing but a distant echo.

"Remy," you whimpered, the word torn from your lips as he hit a particularly sensitive spot, "please..."

"What'cha need, chere?" he panted, his movements growing more urgent, his hands roaming over your body, exploring every curve, every dip.

You didn't have the words, not then, not when all you could focus on was the delicious friction, the way he made you feel alive, wanted, cherished.

"Just you," you managed, your voice cracking with emotion. "Always you."

Remy kissed your shoulder, his teeth grazing your skin gently as he quickened his pace, his body slick with sweat, his breaths coming in sharp gasps.

"Lookit dem," he suddenly said, his voice husky as he nodded towards the street below. Your eyes followed his gesture, spotting a couple paused under a streetlight, their shadows entwined. "D'ey can't see us, but d'ey know we're here."

The idea of being watched, even indirectly, sent a thrill through you. It was taboo, dangerous, yet incredibly erotic. You could feel Remy's excitement grow, his grip on your hips tightening as he pounded into you with renewed vigor.

"F-fuck yes," you gasped, your voice mingling with his in a symphony of desire. "Let them know."

Remy's laughter was wild, unrestrained, as he claimed you fully, his body a blur of motion, his emotions laid bare. "D'ey envy us, chere," he growled, his voice raw with passion. "D'ey wish d'ey were us."

The thought was heady, empowering. You arched your back, offering yourself to him completely, your fingers digging into the iron railing as you rode out the wave of pleasure building within you.

"Remy," you cried out, your voice carrying on the night air, "I'm close."

"D'en come for Remy. Unravel for me," he demanded, his own release imminent. "Let me feel it, cher."

With a final surge of energy, you let go, your body convulsing around him as waves of ecstasy crashed over you. Remy followed soon after, his groan of completion mingling with yours, his body shuddering with the force of his climax.

For a moment, there was silence, save for your ragged breathing and the distant sounds of the city. Remy remained inside you, his forehead resting against your shoulder, his body still humming with the aftermath of passion.

"Chere," he murmured, his voice soft, almost reverent, "dat was..."

You turned in his arms, your fingers tracing the lines of his face, his chest, still heaving with exertion. "Perfect," you finished for him, your smile gentle, loving.

Remy kissed you then, a slow, deep kiss that spoke of promises and possibilities, of nights like this and many more to come. When he pulled away, his eyes held a glimmer of mischief.

"Ready for another round, ma chérie?" he teased, his hand trailing down your spine, reigniting the fire within you.

You laughed, the sound light and carefree, as you pulled him closer, ready to explore the depths of your desires once more.

[libraryofgage]

Harlequin Prince (2)

Part of: Steve Deserves Good Parents, Actually

Debbie and Fester Addams One | Two | Three | Four Rick and Evelyn O'Connell One | Two | Three Harley Quinn One | Two (you're here!) 10th Doctor and Rose One | Two (on the way!) Scooby Gang (there are plans for this one lmao, so plz be patient with me orz) Jedidiah and Octavius (from Night at the Museum) One Queen ClarisseRenaldi One | Two

This part was line-jumped on Ko-Fi, which means y'all got it sooner than I originally planned!

If you want to line jump your favorite series, you can learn more here

Ironically, even tho the post says about a week of turn around, I get so excited that somebody wants to line jump that I just write it immediately lmao

Steve finally gets a good fight in this one, but it ends way too soon the poor boy. Either way, he also gets to meet some of the party!

As always, if you see any typos, no you didn't ;)

-------

Steve knew his dad wasn't in the picture, but he never knew why. He never asked, but he started to get this horrible feeling after a while. Harley Quinn's past was well known to Steve, her previous...associate and her relationship with him isn't exactly a secret, no matter how much his mother tried to keep them from him. She couldn't protect him at school, and she couldn't protect him from hearing people talking on the streets.

So, yeah, from the age of nine, Steve walked around with this horrendous knowledge in his gut, a knowledge that he wanted to think was just him being paranoid. But it wasn't. He knew it wasn't. He just couldn't admit that to himself, and he couldn't ask his mother because he didn't want to send her down that particular lane of memories. So it festered, and Steve pretended it didn't exist at all.

Until, that is, his 13th birthday. It was held at Uncle Bruce's mansion because his mother wanted to go all out. It was as much a celebration for her (a full three years without getting sent to Arkham!) as it was for him (managing to stay alive for 13 years in Gotham with Harley Quinn for a mother). Steve hadn't minded, either, especially when he saw the absolute joy she had when picking out the hugest bounce-house she could find with Uncle Bruce's sleek black credit card.

The party was catered by Steve's favorite Indian restaurant, the guests were limited to immediate friends and family, the bounce-house was extra bouncy, and a table was practically buckling under the weight of the gifts piled on top of it. It was, by far, Steve's best birthday, surpassing even the one he spent in Arkham after letting Poison Ivy out of her cell.

"Hey, Dumplin'!" his mother shouted, waving at him from the top of the bounce house she'd managed to climb. When Steve looked at her, she grinned even brighter and jumped, launching off turrets and rolling down sloped walls before landing on her feet on the ground. "Let's get to them presents!"

Steve laughed, looked at the table eagerly, and nodded. Her grin somehow getting wider, Harley turned, cupped her hands around her mouth, and shouted, "GET YOUR ASSES IN GEAR, EVERYONE! STEVIE'S OPENIN' PRESENTS!"

Soon enough, Steve was standing in front of the table, surrounded by everyone, and not at all sure where to start with the mountain of presents. "You should open mine first," Jason said, grinning as he gestured to a bike-shaped package.

It was, in fact, a bike. A motorcycle, specifically, with a red and black helmet and the promise of lessons from Jason whenever he wanted. Steve loved it immediately and ignored Uncle Bruce muttering about driving laws and how Steve couldn't operate any motorized vehicle until he was fifteen. "Well," he said, "as long as I don't get caught by Batman, who's gonna know?"

That had earned him a laugh and his mother's hand ruffling his hair. "Go on, Dumplin', choose another."

Dick got him a literal outfit's worth of Wonder Woman merch, accessories included, that made Bruce look ready to pop a blood vessel. Tim gave him small tracking pins and a hacked handheld game console to watch the trackers with the promise of free upgrades anytime he wanted. Damien gave him daggers since he "wasn't good enough for real swords, but everyone should have a blade" on them, just in case. Cass, Steph, and Barbara pooled their skills together (and Alfred, they borrowed Alfred a lot) to make him an Unofficial Robin costume, complete with shorts only slightly less scandalous than Dick's original costume.

Bruce, when he finally stopped glaring at the three of them, gave Steve a fingerprint panic button shaped like a bat and easily attached to a key ring. "For emergencies, Steve," he said, "Just hold your thumb to it for three seconds."

"This is perfect for the next time we run out of ice cream," Steve said, grinning as he attached it to his key chain.

"Emergencies."

"Oh. So if we run out of mint chip, specifically. Got it."

Bruce merely sighed and let him return to opening gifts.

Alfred gave him a tin of homemade cookies that Steve immediately had to protect from the others. Poison Ivy gave him a Venus flytrap and the promise to help him grow it properly. Selina couldn't be there, but Bruce passed along her gift: a pair of goggles Bruce had handed over with a sigh and quiet request for him to use them responsibly.

Steve opened Duke's present last, eyes widening at the red leather jacket. "Wait, seriously?" he asked, holding it up as he looked at Duke.

"You're gonna be a troublemaker, Steve," Duke said. "Might as well make sure you're bulletproof for it."

Steve grinned wider and pulled on the jacket, swimming in the leather but eager to grow into it all the same.

There was nothing from his mother in the pile, but Steve figured the party itself was his present since she'd done all the planning. When she pulled him away to a secluded room in the manor after they'd all had cake, Steve realized it was just because she didn't want to share this moment with anyone.

She smiled at him, reaching up and gently tucking a few strands of hair behind Steve's ears. "You grew up so fast, Dumplin'," she said, sighing softly.

"Ivy says I'm like a weed."

"Ives is right," Harley said, nodding once before looking away. "Okay, ready for your present?"

"Wasn't the party my present?"

"No, no, Dumplin'. The party was for fun," she said, grinning as she reached behind her and pulled a comically-large mallet from seemingly nowhere. "This is your present."

Steve blinked, leaning over to look around Harley. "Where'd that even come from?" he asked.

"Jester Logic, Dumplin'. Don't worry about it. I'll teach you the trick later," she promised, holding the mallet out to Steve with an expectant expression.

When Steve took it, the weight threw him off. He frowned, shifted his grip, and suddenly had no problem holding it up. He took a closer look, noting the scratches and marks on the mallet and the faded paint. "This was yours," he said.

"Yeah, it was."

"I've never seen it before."

Harley sighed, tugging on one of her pigtails with a slight frown. "Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly a great person when I used it, Dumplin'. Tried to forget about that Harley and all," she explained.

"Then why give it to me?"

Harley looked back at Steve and smiled, reaching out to cup his cheek. "Cuz you're so much better than me," she said. "I think you'll do some great things, Dumplin', and maybe all the good you do will erase most of the bad this mallet's got."

Her words were so serious, her smile was so bittersweet, and she looked ready to cry and deny it. This was the closest he'd ever gotten to learning about her past straight from the source, a past he knew about it, a past that involved a certain person that haunts Steve's mind with terrifying potential. Suddenly, he had to know.

Steve didn't really think before blurting out, "Is the Joker my father?"

Harley froze, her shoulders tensing and her eyes widening as she stared at Steve. "You don't got a father, Dumplin'," she finally said, her voice quiet and her expression conflicted.

"Fine. Was he the sperm donor?"

With a sigh, Harley stepped closer and placed her hands on Steve's shoulders. "I won't lie," she said. "He is, but that don't mean a thing. His crazy ain't hereditary, Dumplin', and he's never gettin' anywhere near you."

"Does...does he know?" Steve whispered, "About me, I mean."

"It don't matter," Harley said, her voice firm and her eyes more serious than Steve had ever seen them. "I'll kill him before he gets near ya. Ives will kill him. Hell, Brucie wil---no, wait, he's got those pesky morals. Fine, Jason will kill him before he gets near ya. Actually, Jason'd kill him anyway, but the excuse will be good if Brucie scolds him for it."

Steve couldn't help laughing at that, feeling a little lighter when his mother smiled back at him. When his laughter trickled to nothing more than a smile, he asked, "Then, was I the reason you left?"

Harley nodded and gently tugged Steve into her arms, holding him to her and cradling the back of his head. "Yeah, you were," she said, her voice soft and soothing. "I was excited to tell 'im when I learned about you, but then I heard him talking to some goons. He was laughin' about running a kid over, breakin' their legs, and I realized...you wouldn't be special to him. You'd've been like his goons, all expendable and not even worth a glance. I couldn't put you through that, and I couldn't put me through it, either. So, I got us out the only way I knew how."

"By finding Uncle Bruce," Steve said.

He felt her nod. "By finding Brucie," she agreed. "He tried to deny bein' the Bat and all, but your mama ain't dumb, Dumplin'. I'd done my homework, and the butts matched. Once I explained it all, once I told him about you, he agreed to help."

Steve nodded, listening to his mother's heart beating against his ear. He glances down at the mallet again, tightens his grip, and takes a deep breath. "Thank you," he said, "for the gift and for telling me. I'll do good with it, I promise."

"That's my boy," Harley said, pulling back and ruffling his hair. "Now, lemme explain that Jester Logic to ya."

----------

Hawkins remains boring even after meeting Eddie. After all, Eddie's in high school (his second attempt at senior year, apparently), and Steve...isn't. He should be, probably, but there's no way he's stepping one foot in that suburban nightmare of a building. He can feel the normalcy, the utter boredom, oozing from the place, and he'd rather not subject himself to that.

So, he spends his day wandering around Hawkins, getting a feel for the little town until he could navigate the place blindfolded. He can do the same in Gotham, but it's more impressive there with the winding streets and sprawling sidewalks. Here, it's nothing special.

The most interesting part of his day is when he's sitting on the roof of a video store, one leg dangling over the edge with the other pulled to his chest so he can rest his arm on his knee. He's about halfway through a cigarette when a cop car pulls into the lot and a middle-aged man steps out.

He looks up at Steve, frowning as he calls up, "You shouldn't be there, son."

"I ain't your son," he calls back, grinning as he takes another drag and blows smoke out as the guy rests his hands on his belt. It reminds him so much of Gotham PD rookies trying to posture that Steve can't help laughing. "Is that supposed to intimidate me?"

"I'm serious, kid," the cop says, apparently ignoring Steve's question. "It's dangerous up there. If you don't come down, I'm gonna have to call the Fire Department to bring the ladder."

Steve sighs and puts his cigarette out on the roof. He gets up, stretches his arms above his head, and stands on the ledge of the roof. He grins at the cop, casually stepping into empty air and hearing the guy shout as he falls. He lands in a crouch on the awning over the door, swings to hang from it, and lands on his feet on the sidewalk.

It wasn't even much of a fall, but the cop looks like he's about to have a heart attack. Steve glances at the badge on his chest. "We done now, Officer Hopper?" he asks.

"Don't do that again," Hopper says, pointing a finger at Steve, "Or I will drag your ass to the station and call your parents."

Steve snorts, doing his best to hold his smile back. "I'll keep that in mind, sir," he says, giving a mocking two-finger salute before turning on his heels and walking down the street.

After a few blocks, he veers off into the forest, figuring he'll wander around the trees for a while before going to the Hideout to bother Bev and stare at Eddie and quietly pray someone else is gonna look for a fight.

Did he mention Hawkins is boring? Because it's fucking boring.

Steve sighs, kicking a stick as he shoves his hands into his jacket. He idly notes the forest is healthy. Sure, a few pieces of litter are strewn around, but it's not as bad as the parks in Gotham can get. Poison Ivy would find this place barely passable, which is hard to manage, and he's tempted to call her when he gets home to tell her about it.

He hums softly as he walks, enjoying the sounds of the forest until they just...stop.

The entire forest falls silent, which is weird; forests are too full of life to go silent. Even the bugs seem to have frozen in place, too scared to risk making a sound by moving. Steve stops, looking around him with a frown and trying to figure out what's caused this.

He gets the answer a second later when he hears a scream. The voice sounds young and cracks slightly, so it definitely belongs to a child. Despite himself, Steve can't help grinning as he takes off in the direction of the scream.

This is the most exciting thing to happen in the four weeks he's been stuck in Hawkins. As he runs through trees and easily jumps over bushes to take the shortest path, he makes guesses on what he'll find. Maybe Hawkins has a villain that's only now showing up. Maybe the town has a secret alligator or something that's decided to have a midday snack. Hell, maybe someone just decided to be a dick today.

He realizes every guess is wrong when he slides into a clearing to see a few kids (two boys, one girl) surrounded by some weird dog-looking...things. They have heads but no faces, crouched low to the ground and growling at the kids they've cornered. There's around ten of them, which would normally make Steve hesitate, but he's so desperate at this point for a real fight that he doesn't care.

Instead, he reaches over his shoulder, thinks about how fucking hilarious it's gonna be to jump out of nowhere with a giant mallet, and grips the handle as he swings it over his shoulder. "Hey, monster mutts!" he shouts, grinning when all the monsters and the kids finally notice him. "Let's play."

Pure, unfiltered joy rushes through him when the first monster-dog jumps at him. Steve's eyes are bright and his grin is positively feral as he swings the mallet and sends it flying into a tree. He roundhouse kicks another dog, using the momentum to bring his foot down on the head of a third before smashing its body with the mallet.

"Are you insane?!" one of the kids shouts.

"Certifiably!" he shouts back, watching as another monster-dog jumps at him. He waits for the perfect moment to back flip, bringing his feet under the dog to send it flying. He brings the mallet up as he lands, clocking another monster under the jaw. It yelps, crashing into another dog.

"Where'd this guy even come from?" the girl asks, turning to look at the boys with her.

"I don't know, but I'm happy to let him deal with the demodogs."

Oh. That's what they're called. Steve hums softly at the name, grinning as he twirls the mallet and swings with all his strength at one of the demodog. He rests the mallet on his shoulder like a baseball bat, watching the demodog arch in the air with an appreciative whistle. "Solid air," he says, nodding once before looking at the remaining demodogs.

There's only three, the others scattered in the clearing. He can't tell if they're dead or not, but he could always smash them to mush when he's done. Steve grins at the remaining dogs. "C'mon, then," he says, only to be filled with disappointment when they creep back, turn heel, and run.

"Damn, that's no fun," Steve says, sighing as he rests the mallet on the ground and leans on the handle. He looks at the kids. "You guys okay?"

The girl has orange hair pulled back into a messy braid. She's staring at him like he's got two heads but is kind of impressed by it. One of the boys has curly hair being smothered by his hat, and the other is wearing a basketball jersey. They're also staring at Steve like he's crazy. "Dude," the curly-haired one says, "that was awesome!"

"Where'd you get that mallet from?" the girl asks.

"Jester Logic," Steve explains, shrugging as he picks the mallet up and walks over. "Wanna hold it?"

When the girl lights up, he passes the mallet to her, snorting when she immediately staggers under its weight. "How do you hold this so easily?"

"Jester Logic. Again. It's funnier when other people find it heavy."

"That makes no sense," basketball jersey says.

"Who are you?" curly hair asks.

"Steve. Moved here recently. What about y'all?"

"Dustin," curly hair says.

"Lucas," basketball jersey says.

"Max," the girl says, her voice strained until Steve takes the mallet back, twirling it like it weighs nothing.

"Great. Nice to meet y'all. Now, what the fuck were those?"

"How much time you got?" Dustin asks.

Steve grins, thinking he's finally found something that can keep him entertained when he's not hanging around Eddie. "Plenty."

---------

Tag list (let me know if you'd like to be added!)

@nectandra, @y4r3luv, @just-a-tiny-void,

[fidjiefidjie]

Bon jour, bonne semaine à tous ☕️ 📰

"The Irish Time" sur O'Connell Street, Dublin 🇮🇪 Irlande 1963

Photo Irish Archives

[samcrosfaith]

A LITTLE LOST 𝟬𝟮| 𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙚𝙬𝙨

Happy Lowman x fem!oc

You can find the introduction chapter and chapter one here, just click on it. You can also find them, and all the future chapters, in my masterlist {pinned post!}

Let me know if you wanna be tagged in future chapters!

a/n; I promise Happy will finally appear in the next chapter. I just had to get this story started in a somewhat logical way. I hope you enjoy! 🤎

word count; 2900

IT WAS TWO DAYS LATER, two days after Juice and Jax made a horrifying discovery, when four speechless men stood across the street from the burger restaurant, shock and fascination etched into their faces.

"Shit man, that's creepyᅳ and it takes a lot to freak me out", Tig spoke first, his hands prepped on his hips, eyes covered by dark sunglasses. "Death seems prettier than everᅳI'd definitely tap that."

"What the hell, man?" Jax' face twisted in disgust, he snapped his head to the side to glare at Tig. "It's still Hap's Old Lady, have some respect."

"Did he ever have respect?" Juice asked from the left, a sigh leaving his lips. But for a brief moment the slightest grin crossed his features. "I don't think he knows the word respect when there's someone with two legs and a hole he could use."

"Hey, we don't talk about women like that." Tig smacked the back of Juice' head, shaking his head as if he hadn't started it. "Have some respect."

"Boys, enough", Chibs' thick Scottish accent interrupted the little teasing game, earning a grateful look from Jax as his serious gaze landed on the three men. "What d' we do now? Go inside and talk t' her? Juicy? Did ye' check her records?"

"I did", the Puerto Rican nodded, not exactly enthusiastically as he tilted his head to the side. "No one by the name of Josephine Lowman works hereᅳ but a Josephine O'Connell."

"That's her maiden name", Jax thought aloud, rubbing a hand down his face as he let out a deep sigh. "What the hell is this? She was declared dead. Hell, Happy saw her, checked for himself because he didn't believe the doctors."

"Since she's officially declared dead, tha' explains why she uses her maiden name", Chibs also thought out loud, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared thoughtfully through the large window into the burger restaurant, still fascinated by watching someone who was actually dead. "We need t' find out how that's possible, what really happened t' Josy."

"How? We can't just ask her", Juice stated matter-of-factly, uncertainty flashing in his brown eyes. All he wanted was to talk to Josy, to hug his very much alive best friend, to tell her how glad he was that she was still here. "Besides, I can't believe she would ever do this to Happy; letting him suffer and allᅳ that's not like her at all."

"Well, she didn't recognize me, which means she must've suffered some kind of memory loss", which was the only logical explanation in Jax' eyes.

"Or she just faked her death", Tig said dryly as he took off his sunglasses, shrugging his shoulders. "We're going in there now and talk to her."

"Tig!" Jax called after the man, but the man with the black curls was too determined and already halfway across the street, which gave the others no choice and practically forced them to follow him, which all three did with a shake of their heads.

The bell above the door rang as the four bikers entered the restaurant and attracted different glances. Glances that they had long been used to. They looked around carefully until Josy finally appeared, with a sweet smile on her lips that everyone could still remember.

"I know why Hap fell in love with her", said Chibs, without sounding creepy in any way. It was no secret how beautiful Josy was.

"Yeah, she really was a jackpot", Juice agreed wistfully, clearing his throat as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Or still is..apparently."

It was so strange to see the young woman alive, and yet it was a huge relief, a shock in a good way.

As the four men stood in the middle of the restaurant, still considering how exactly they should address Josy, she was already heading towards the small group, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Can I help you?", she asked, polite as always. "If you're looking for a table, I can offer you one over there", she added, spinning around to point to the free table.

"You can help us, darlin'", Jax began, trying his best to hide his fascination as he spoke to the redhead. "Can you give us five minutes of your time? We have a few questions."

"Uh..Iᅳ I'm working right now." The redhead clutched the menu card to her chest, swallowing nervously. Why did four bikers want to talk to her? "Maybe our manager can help?"

"No, we need t' talk to ye', lass." Chibs stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on Josy's shoulder, but removed it quickly when the young woman tensed up. "Sorry, sweetheart", he apologized sincerely. "We just have t' figure somethin' out, ye' know? It won't take more than five minutes."

"We really don't want to cause any trouble, we just want to talk." Juice sent a warm smile in Josy's direction, also stepping a little closer. "Would you give us a moment?"

Somehow the redhead managed to relax at the younger man's smile but she didn't know why. But what she did know was that she should be much more intimidated, much more worried, about the fact that four men from a biker club wanted to talk to her.

Were they old clients from her dad? Maybe they had hired him as lawyer and her father managed to piss them off somehowᅳ which wouldn't be the first time Arthur had angered someone to the point they were seeking for some kind of revenge.

But if there was one thing Josy wasn't, it was judgmental. Her sweet nature, her kindness, would probably, hopefully, always stay a part of her.

"Okay", she said finally, exhaling loudly. Apparently it really did seem important and her curiosity was piqued. "Five minutes, that's all I can do."

"Thanks, lass", Chibs nodded sincerely, as did the other three men. "Maybe we should sit down for tha', I think tha' would be better for all of us."

As if everything wasn't confusing enough already, an uneasy feeling was now brewing in the pit of her stomachᅳ a strange feeling that she couldn't quite shake off.

Josy, her beautiful freckle-covered face framed by her ginger strands, nodded slightly before leading the small group to the free table in a quiet corner and waited until everyone had slid into the booth to take a seat.

Pulling a chair from another table, she placed it in front of the table and slowly plopped down onto it, asking her colleague, who had just scurried past with a slightly confused look, to take over her tasks for a moment.

"Are you okay?", asked the brunette, her voice lowered as she placed a protective hand on Josy's shoulder.

"She's fine, doll", Tig winked with his typical smirk while his eyes checked out the beautiful woman. "I'd feel even better if you sat down too."

"Tig", Jax warned, glaring at the man once again. "Not now."

"Creep", the brunette scoffed; in contrast to Josy, she had a quick tongue.

Clearly amused, Tig raised his hands in the air. "I'm sorry, doll, sometimes I can't keep my mouth shut when I see a pretty face."

"Oh my God, here we go", Juice muttered under his breath, only able to shake his head at Tig's boldness.

"That's enough", Chibs grumbled, a certain vibration in his voice as he saw how uncomfortable and uncertain Josy's expression suddenly seemed. "I'm sorry, lass. My friend here can't control himself sometimes."

"It's okay", the redhead murmured before giving her colleague and friend a reassuring look. "I'm okay, thanks Summer."

"Good." The brunette shot the men a warning look, each and every one of themᅳ although she sheepishly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear at the Puerto Rican, who gave her an apologetic smile before her features turned hard again and she was pointing a scolding finger at them. "Keep your hands to yourself, all of you!"

Josy watched her friend with a small smile, grateful for her boldness, before she looked back at the men. "What could four bikers want from me? How about one of you finally gives me an explanation?"

"Nothing would please me more, darlin'," Jax winked as he shot her his signature smile, his broad shoulders sinking against the orange cushion of the seat. "Your name is Josephine, right?"

"You know my name?" Swallowing the forming lump in her throat, Josy shifted nervously in her seat. "How? I don't know any of you."

"Yes, yes ye' do, lass", Chibs explained with a sigh, his tone calm and reserved. Freaking her out even more wasn't what he wanted. "We know how absurd that sounds, and we'll understand if ye' throw us out in a minute, but give us a chance t' explain everythin', aye?"

"This is getting really weird, I hope you know that", the young woman uttered as she crossed her arms. "What do you want from me?"

"You died a little over one and a half year ago. At least that's what we thought." Tig dropped the bomb before they could make the woman any more nervous, empathy in his tone as he spoke. "And you were married to one of our brothersᅳ that's why we're here."

"I know this sounds crazy", Jax said immediately, his hands resting on the surface of the white table as a frown took over his face. "But it's the truth. At least if you're Josephine O'Connell, born in Roseville on October 10th, 1984. Is that right?"

Josy's lips opened and closed so many times that she would probably get a jaw cramp later, but not once did she utter a word. Instead, an almost hysterical-sounding chuckle slipped past her lips, a sea of emotion pooling in her eyes.

"And you are the mother of a one-year-old girl", Juice explained calmly, sympathy in both his voice and his eyes as he could see the deep shock cross Josy's face. "Well, she's one and a half now, looks just like you. Same red hair and all", he added with a beaming smile. "Her name's Esmee."

"Stop..please..", Josy whispered, sheer horror in her eyes as she listened to the words they were saying. "This has to be a bad joke. A sick, fucked up joke."

Suddenly her chest felt tight, as if someone was squeezing it. Her heart was beating so hard against her ribcage that she could feel it in her throat while the blood rushed through her veins faster than ever before, sending a feeling of dizziness to her head.

"We wish it was just a bad joke, believe me." Jax leaned over the table a little as he was the one sitting closest to Josy. The redhead looked as if she was about to pass out, so Jax put a strong hand against her arm just in case. "Are you okay? Is there anything we can do?"

Her head snapped up, astonished and partly speechless, she stared at the blonde man. "You wanna know if I'm okay?"

The hysterical laughter that sounded from the back of her throat sent a chill down the guys' spines. "You didn't seriously just ask me that, did you?"

"Josy", Juice began, trying to grab Josy's hand from the other side of the table as the redhead's breath faltered and she slowly began to hyperventilate. But the girl pulled her hand back in fright, a film of tears now covering her eyes, shattering Juice' heart. "You have to believe us, please. We may do a lot of questionable things, but joking about things like thatᅳ that's not our style."

"Then why the hell am I here if I should be dead, huh?!", she choked out, her splayed fingers pressed against her chest as she tried to take deep breaths. "I would know if I was married and had a child! What kind of mother would forget about her own child?"

"Normally people don't, that's right", Jax noted with a sigh, feeling bad for the woman who seemed absolutely frightened and desperate. "You had an accident when you were pregnantᅳ you died, the baby, Esmee, was saved."

"Someone must've played us really good, after all you're sitting in front of us, no idea who we are", Tig continued as he leaned forward a little, his arms crossed on the table as his piercing blue eyes searched for Josy's. "And your husband is losing it the more time passes without you by his side."

"I can'tᅳ I can't believe this." The first tears rolled down her pale cheeks, which she quickly wiped away with her palms before shaking her head frantically and shooting up from her seat. Smoothing her apron, she exhaled shakily. "I had an accident, yes. And yes, I've been suffering from anterograde amnesia since it happened", she explained, the words practically bubbling out of her. "But this..", another hysterical laugh fell over her lips. "This is absolutely crazy."

"Who told ye' all of tha', lass? Who was there after you woke up?", Chibs asked urgently as he also stood up without getting too close to the redhead. She was already upset and frightened enough, almost seeming like a little deer without a mother. "Can ye' at least remember what happened after the accident?"

"My family, who else?" All of this was too much for her, her brain no longer able to process all the information that she didn't even know if it was true. "I'm sorry, Iᅳ I can't do this."

"Josy, please!" Jax was the first to grab Josy's arm, causing the young woman to defend herself and yank her arm out of his grasp before stumbling two steps backwards, which caught the attention of the other employees and guests.

"Don't touch me", the redhead snarled, which wasn't normally her style. But at the moment she was so overwhelmed that all she wanted to do was to run away. "Leave me alone, all of you. I don't know what kind of sick game this is, but play it with someone else!"

"You heard her", the brunette from before intervened after she had immediately rushed over to her clearly upset friend, her gaze stern and warning. "You better leave now before I get the managerᅳ or before I call the police."

"Alright." Jax threw his hands in the air with a sigh while Chibs scribbled something down on a napkin. "Come on guys, let's go."

There was no point in staying here. In hindsight, someone would actually call the cops and they didn't need that at the moment. After fourteen months inside, a police station was the last place they wanted to see right now. Maybe they would try again in a few days, outside the restaurant.

"It was nice to see you again though", Jax added sincerely, wistfulness in his blue eyes before he shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded the guys over.

"If ye' change yer' mind", Chibs shoved the napkin into the small pocket on Josy's apron, an almost fatherly smile grazing his lips. "That's the address of our clubhouseᅳ ye' can visit us there anytime."

Josy's body stiffened, the muscles under her skin slowly began to burn from all the tension. Still, she didn't miss how calm she became when the man with the scars on his face shot her that smile. It felt familiar, but she couldn't remember ever having seen the man before.

"We'd love to hear from you." Juice was also back on his feet by now, suppressing the urge to hug his best friend with all his might. Still, he gently bumped her shoulder with his as he walked past her, smiling at her. "It's a relief to know that you're alive."

Tig was the last to walk past the women, giving Josy a warm smile before winking at the brunette, Summer. "You can join her if your friend decides to come by."

"Jesus, you're not giving up, huh?" Slightly annoyed, the brunette rolled her eyes, comfortingly rubbing her friend's arm as she watched the four men reluctantly leave the restaurant. "What a bunch of freaks."

The guests forgot about the incident quicker than expected and went back to their food while business continued as normal. Summer, on the other hand, led Josy into one of the back rooms so her friend could have a quiet moment.

"Do you need something?", asked Summer, concern evident in her tone as Josy slowly sank into a chair. "Want me to call Debbie?"

"No, please don't", Josy answered quickly, not in the mood to have to explain all of this to her sister right now. "I'm okay, Summer. You can go back to work."

The brunette raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, thank you", Josy assured with a weak smile and a nod, watching her colleague leave the room with a shrug and a sigh.

Only then did Josy reach for the napkin in her apron and stare thoughtfully at the address. Maybe she should look into it. If there was any chance that there was any truth behind what the men had said, then she wanted to know. Above all, she wanted to know why her father and sister, who supposedly only wanted the best for her, had lied to her.

Maybe, just maybe, she would take a little trip to Charming this weekend.