#david hale x tara knowles

[drabbles-mc]

Try Enjoying It

David Hale x Tara Knowles

Warnings: 18+, language, pining

Word Count: 2.4k

A/N: I wrote this for the love of my life @garbinge for the Trick or Treat Exchange and I had the time of my life doing it. I've thought so much about these two together in the past and it was so nice to actually get to write something for them. I also realize I haven't really written any canon character x canon character stuff and posted it here but I do have things lurking around in the docs lmao. Anyway! Enjoy!

SOA Taglist: @espieviolet99 @littlekittymeow @i-just-read-stuff @justreblogginfics @withmyteeth @paintballkid711 @jitterbugs927 @fanfic-n-tabulous @mijagif @frattsparty @winchestershiresauce @beardburnsupersoldiers @darqchilddaydreamz @choochoo284 @artemiseamoon @nessamc @proceduralpassion (If you want to be added to any of my taglists, please let me know!)

Halloween in Charming was about what you’d expect from any small town. Kids were running from door to door, parents half-heartedly playing catch-up with them to make sure they didn’t get too far away. Lights were on above almost every doorway, decorations abound. It was a sweet scene, for the most part.

Just like every other town, though, Halloween in Charming came with its own set of trouble and chaos. Teenagers were running amok causing trouble. Twenty-something’s partied a little too hard and made some stupid decisions in the wake of it. Extra work for Charming PD, but nothing that was unmanageable—they knew it was coming every year.

The one thing that set Charming apart from other small towns, all 365 nights of the year not just Halloween, was the Sons of Anarchy. And, while the club wasn’t exactly known for being festive on Halloween, they were known for causing trouble. Real trouble. Again, that wasn’t something that was specific to the holidays. It was easier to try and hide their messes when there were so many other things going on, though. And they tried.

Hale missed what the original call was on the radio. The details of it didn’t make it through the static but what he did hear was the location, and that was all he really needed to hear. He tried to wrap up the current situation on his hands as quickly as possible. After all, it wasn’t like the kids buying beer from the corner store with fake ID’s were really doing any serious damage. Hale would never admit it, but he was actually a little impressed that they at least tried to be creative enough with their costumes to not get busted for using fakes. Too bad the man behind the counter had been working there long enough to have seen every trick in the book.

By the time that Hale got to the clubhouse, there were still cop cars parked at the compound, lights on but sirens off. Pulling in, he saw Gemma yelling at one of his other officers, Clay standing just a few steps away shaking his head at it all. Whatever the call must’ve been that triggered this, it couldn’t have been that serious if Clay was still there.

Stepping out of his car, Hale walked over. The second Gemma heard his footsteps on the ground she turned and focused all of her attention on him. “Are you the one who started all of this shit?” she asked.

Hale lifted his eyebrows slightly, the smirk on his face was unprofessional, sure, but it wasn’t as though Gemma was the type to give a damn about professionalism. “I don’t even know why we’re all here.”

“Just you and your guys, looking for any reason to jam us up.”

He gave a slow nod. “Yeah,” sarcasm dripped off his voice, “sounds like us.”

The officer she’d been speaking to previously cleared his throat, earning his way back into the conversation even if he didn’t want to deal with more of Gemma’s wrath. “They took Teller and Winston down to the station.”

Hale nodded. “Alright. You got things here, then?”

The young officer clearly didn’t want to be left to his own devices again with Gemma, but he also knew that Hale only phrased it as a question to be polite—he didn’t have a choice in the matter any more than Jax and Opie had a choice in getting brought to the station. “I got it here.”

Hale whipped into the station parking lot just a handful of minutes later. Hopping out of his car, he wasted no time heading right in. It was impossible to miss that Jax and Opie weren’t the only people who had been picked up over the course of the night. There were a few teenagers in the holding cells—they probably wouldn’t even end up booking them, really, just calling their parents and getting them in a bit of trouble at home. A few hours in a cell might be a decent deterrent for a bit, though, so they let them marinate in there.

He ran into Unser before anyone else, which he should’ve seen coming considering who it was that was picked up. There hadn’t been a time in recent history when Unser didn’t look annoyed, but he seemed more annoyed than usual under the current circumstances.

“What’s going on, Chief?” Hale asked, more smug than he had the right to be considering he didn’t have any idea what was going on outside of Jax and Opie being picked up.

“Why don’t you tell me. What the hell are you hoping to get out of Jax and his friend in there?”

Hale held his hands out just slightly, palms out like a sign of innocence. “I didn’t bring them in—I just showed up after the fact.” He paused, letting Unser turn that information over in his mind before asking, “What’d they get brought in for?”

“What started off as a noise complaint turned into assault on a police officer,” one of their other officers piped up before Unser could try and respond to downplay the issue.

Hale couldn’t hide the confusion on his face. “Assault on a—”

“Jax took a swing when one of the guys got smart,” Unser said with a shake of his head.

“When he got smart?” David couldn’t stop the incredulity from sneaking into his voice. He knew that Unser was always going to be pulling for the men in the MC, but sometimes it still managed to shock him.

“Yeah,” Unser replied, no hesitation, just as stubborn as the man in front of him. “Maybe we should have the rookies stop following you around—put ‘em with someone who can teach a little bedside manner.”

Hale rolled his eyes. “Like you? Might end up getting a little too close to the be—”

“Yo!” Jax yelled out from the cell. “Hale, what the hell are we doing in here?”

Hale chuckled. “From the sounds of it, you’re here because you assaulted a police officer.”

Jax scoffed. “Assault. Jesus Christ. Gemma’s hit me harder than I hit him.”

Hale didn’t mean to smile but he still did. “I believe that.” He paused, sucking in a deep, dramatic sigh as he dragged the moment out longer than necessary. Anything to get more of a rise out of Jax. “Assault on a police officer. Not great for either of you, considering everything. Bail for that isn’t gonna be cheap.”

“You serious?” Opie piped up.

Hale shrugged. “Or you can ride it out. Go home in the morning.”

Opie grunted before letting his head fall back against the wall. “Fuck that.”

“Well, guess there isn’t anything I can do for you two, then.” He turned to Unser and the other officer. “Make sure they don’t manage to slip out. Cut ‘em loose in the morning.”

Unser tried to stop him. “Do you really think this is the best use—”

“They can post bail or they can wait it out,” Hale cut him off. “Just like everyone else in Charming.”

Hale was turning on his heel and heading towards the exit before Unser could get another word in edge-wise. He left them with a remark about how if they managed to get anything in a report that could actually stick, to leave it on his desk and he would look at it in the morning. Realistically, Hale knew that whatever someone had called in on the club for, wasn’t going to amount to anything. Same way that Jax and Opie getting into it with his guys wasn’t going to stick either. He was aware of all that, but he was also aware of the fact that it was all going to be annoying and inconvenient for the club. That was worth it enough, in Hale’s opinion.

When he was walking down the steps of the station, he saw a familiar car rolling onto the lot. He slowed down as his boots hit the pavement. The cocky feeling that just had him walking tall out of the station evaporated immediately when Tara’s cutlass slow to a stop and park right next to his Jeep.

“Shit,” he mumbled under his breath, forcing himself to keep walking. He didn’t know why he felt guilty as he walked closer to her car—none of what had unfolded was his fault. And it wasn’t even like anything had really happened. It certainly wasn’t the worst run-in Jax had ever had with Charming PD.

Clearing his throat, Hale got her attention as she was putting her car keys into her purse. “Tara.”

Looking up, her eyes widened slightly for a moment in surprise until she saw who it was that was speaking to her. Her expression relaxed a little bit then, her tiredness showing through a little more. “Hey.”

“What’re you doing here?”

She laughed half-heartedly. “I think you know.”

“You’re not,” he motioned over his shoulder with his thumb, “you’re not here to bail him out, are you?”

“You want me to just let him sit in there?” she asked with a small smile.

“I think you know,” he turned his words right back onto her.

She laughed again, this time a little more genuinely. “David.”

He was smiling before he even realized it. One simple utterance of his name from her and suddenly he felt like he was right back in high school all over again. She always said it the same way, that note of softness that he didn’t hear from anyone else. Even back then. And now, when everyone in Charming had taken to calling him by his last name, and usually with no hint of softness whatsoever, it landed a little harder.

He knew he was too late to stop himself from getting side-tracked with the thoughts of it all, of her, but he still tried to distract himself by dealing with the situation at hand. “Let someone else babysit him for the night.”

She rolled her eyes, still smiling. “I’m not his babysitter. I’m…” she trailed off for a moment, amusement dropping from her face for a moment before she tried to recover, “his emergency contact, apparently.”

“Tara.”

He didn’t have to say anything else. Letting her head drop back, she sighed. “I know.”

“Jax is a big boy—he’ll be fine for one night.”

“You’re enjoying that, aren’t you?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

“You should try enjoying it too,” he suggested with a slight grin. There was a beat of a pause as they both chuckled before he got the courage to just ask, “You two…?” He wanted to finish the sentence but he couldn’t, mostly because he was afraid of the possible answers.

She shook her head. “No. We’re…that’s…no.”

“Right.”

It all felt so similar. Hale wasn’t sure how much he bought into the notion of deja vu, but something about standing there with Tara gave him a feeling that was about as close to that as he could imagine. There were a lot of years and changes between who they were now, and who they were back in high school, sure. But some things clearly hadn’t changed. Tara came back and suddenly old routines were kicking up again—her trying to clean up after Jax, Hale trying to get her to stop. The longer he stood there and looked at her, the more he realized that old habits were accompanied by old feelings. That sense of pining settling into his chest again—it didn’t feel any less hopeless now than it had then. Back then it had always been her looking at Jax, Hale looking at her. He had to hope that some things could be different now, though. That maybe he had a shot now that he hadn’t back then.

“You should go,” he said, firm enough to not sound quite like a plea even though it was one.

She sighed, nodding. “Maybe.”

He saw the slightly lost look on her face and frowned for a moment. Resting his hands on his belt, he said, “You remember, what was it, sophomore year?”

She raised her eyebrows slightly, but there was a hint of a smile on her face. “It’s all a bit of a blur—you’ll have to be more specific.”

Hale chuckled. “Halloween, sophomore year. All of us were supposed to be going to—”

Recognition flashed across her face. “The haunted house.”

He nodded, smiling. “The haunted house, yeah. We were about to head in when a bunch of their friends came by and pulled them away.”

Her laugh turned into a scoff. “To go and egg houses.”

Hale nodded again. “Right.”

Tara gestured towards the police station. “I think this is where they ended up that night too.”

He laughed. “Probably.”

“I was so mad.”

He laughed a little harder. “I remember.”

“That wasn’t a bad night, though.” She crossed her arms over her chest, smiling as it all came back. “We went to the diner, right? Ate our body weights in breakfast for dinner.”

“Yeah,” he said, the grin on his face coming a little more easily now, less guilt behind it.

There was a pause. Tara was waiting to see if Hale was going to get into his Jeep, and Hale was waiting to see if she was going to do what she’d originally shown up to do and go into the station to bail out Jax and probably Opie too. That was the position they were always left in, always waiting for the other to do or say something more. If only either of them had ever figured out what the other was thinking.

Reaching back into her purse, Tara pulled out her car keys. When she looked back at Hale, she smiled, looking a little less tired than she had a few minutes before as she asked, “Are you busy right now?”

He shook his head, caught between feeling relief and excitement at the question. “Was just about to head home.”

She motioned towards her car. “Wanna go eat? Bet the diner still does breakfast for dinner.”

He nodded without hesitation. “Absolutely.” He chuckled. “Think I’ll get a discount if I tell them the uniform is a costume?”

Tara laughed. “Should’ve worn my scrubs.” She shook her head with another laugh before saying, “I’ll meet you there?”

“Yeah, yeah that sounds good.”

[tumbleweed-writes]

Death and the Lady: Chibs Telford X Reader. Chapter Twelve

TAG LIST: @youngadult9016  @mrsfilipchibstelford @mamawiggers1980 @ravennaortiz @liveinsteadofdreaming @redwoodmaya

PREVIOUS CHAPTER HERE

18+ Only. Crude sexual language.

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Chapter Twelve: Lamb

The door to the deputy sheriff’s office in Charming’s local P.D., was yanked open so hard that it could almost be considered a miracle it did not fracture the drywall against the doorknob as it slammed against the wall.

Deputy David Hale stared down at Agent June Stahl, his eyes dark and narrow the words flying from his lips. “You had my guys pull records on Tara Knowles and Y/N Y/L/N?”

Stahl gazed up at the infuriated deputy, her voice calm and cool showing no regard for his anger, she not even caring enough to address the question. “Did you enjoy your lunch break?”

Hale glared down at the ATF agent spotting the files spread out across the desk, his stomach turning at the clear sight of old mugshots featuring both Tara and Y/N along with police reports.

He didn’t understand what angle Stahl was working here. If she was interested in ol ladies then surely Gemma Teller Morrow would be a better choice. 

Tara and Y/N weren’t exactly on the same level as the Queen of SAMCRO. What could they possibly provide Stahl to build a RICO case against SAMCRO?

Both Tara and Y/N having questionable taste in romantic partners didn’t exactly mean they were involved in gun running. 

Deputy Hale slammed the door shut behind him not wanting any nearby ears to pick up on the conversation he was about to have with Stahl. He knew he’d already attracted a few gazes from both ATF agents and his fellow department coworkers by bursting in here clearly pissed off. 

He spoke his voice harsh, as he glared down at her, the agent looking all too comfortable sitting at his desk. “They have nothing to do with this investigation.”

“Oh, David. How willfully naive. They have so much to do with this investigation. You aren’t seeing the possibility behind these two.” Stahl remarked an amused smirk crossing her lips at how worked up the good deputy seemed to be over the mention of these two women.

It seemed that she had struck a nerve in him, and she was unable to avoid the temptation to strike again.

Hale let out a scoff at the comment addressing his first concern. “Tara Knowles left Charming and SAMCRO behind. She might have had a wild past, but she’s cleaned up her act. She went out to Chicago and got a medical degree. She’s not opening beers for outlaws anymore.”

“Oh, we both know that’s not entirely true. All these photos Agent Kohn provided seem to indicate that Dr. Knowles is starting to get a little close and personal with one very patched in Jackson Teller. Those two have a history judging by these police reports. Arrests in the nineties for public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and possession of stolen property, all in the company of one Jackson Teller.”

“They dated back when we were teenagers. We all did stupid things as teens. She left town at nineteen and left Teller and the MC behind. She’s been gone for over a decade now. She only came back because her dad died and she got a job opportunity out here.” Hale snapped Agent Stahl rolling her eyes at the comment.

“She was out in Chicago, David. She was top of the class from the looks of it. Brilliant young woman with the accolades to back it up, just how many job opportunities must those brains and accomplishments have brought in for her? With her background she could take a job anywhere in the country at any hospital of her choice. Why’d she pick Charming? I can’t imagine it's just homesickness that led her back here. She could have stayed out in Chicago and made a hell of a lot more money than Saint Thomas is probably offering her. Why pick Saint Thomas and Charming? I think we both are well aware of Agent Kohn’s real reason for coming out to Charming. Agent Kohn is one sick puppy and I can’t imagine Tara was too keen on sticking around up in Chicago with him hanging around. Tara’s ex boyfriend becomes her stalker and she comes back to a town where her first love has a dangerous reputation. You don’t think that’s a little convenient? '' Stahl pointed out Hale gritting his jaw unwilling to admit that the answer to just why she’d come back home lay in Jax Teller.

He spoke, still refusing to admit that Tara could possibly have any possible information to build a RICO case. “I’m sure Jackson Teller’s boy being premature has made Tara and he take some walks down memory lane, but Tara is no ol lady. She’s not getting any pillow talk about gun running from anyone in SAMCRO. Agent Kohn has been taken care of. He’s heading back to Chicago to answer to his superiors. Tara Knowles isn’t looking to seek protection from Teller.”

Stahl raised a brow at the comments, shrugging her shoulders as she spoke. “That may be the case, but you do have to be a little curious about the similarities between Dr. Knowles and Miss. Y/L/N. Both young women with troubled criminally prone backgrounds who left town only to come back after losing their fathers. Both women have been seen in the company of at least one patched in member of SAMCRO. In fact, both women share some similarities in their rap sheets. Looks like they have both been arrested in the company of one Jackson Teller. I do have to wonder if Dr. Knowles knows that Jax found a new Bonnie to his Clyde in her absence.”

Hale let out a huff at this, his voice holding an edge of irritation as he glared down at Stahl. “Y/N had some difficult years in her late teens and early twenties. Jackson and she shared a bond given her brother’s accident.”

“Yes, Daniel Y/L/N. It’s a shame what happened to him. Miss. Y/L/N dutifully pays those institutionalization bills to keep him cared for.  Looks like he wasn’t on the best path though. He ran around with Harry Opie Winston and Jackson Teller from what I’m gathering from Daniel’s police record. Looks like his first few arrests weren’t anything too grand, arrests in his late teens for possession of marijuana…not enough to get him more than a fine…some drunk and disorderlies around the same time. He was arrested with both Winston and Teller for a drunken brawl out at the Hairy Dog back when he was twenty one. The arresting officer commented that Mr. Y/L/N seemed elated by the violence. Judging by the black eye and the grin on his face in this mugshot, he was in his element. Strange how he never prospected for the MC. Looks like he was as thick as thieves with Teller and Winston before the accident.”

“His father kept him on a tight leash. After that arrest at twenty one he gave him an ultimatum, some tough love to get him on the right path. From my understanding he told him to get his shit together and enroll in community college or lose access to Y/N. His father didn’t want him leading her down that path. Daniel loved his little sister dearly. She worshiped Daniel and their father knew she’d follow him anywhere. His accident was heartbreaking for her. He may as well have died with as hard as she took it. He was more than a brother to her. I'm sure she viewed Daniel as being her best friend.” Hale explained shifting in place his stomach turning at the mention of a young man he’d once considered a friend before Daniel started going down a bad path with Opie and Jax.

“Looks like the ultimatum was in vain. Daniel Y/L/N has his motorcycle accident and that same year Y/N gets arrested in the company of Jackson Teller. She got busted for public intoxication. Scandalous considering she was all of eighteen and Mr. Teller was about twenty three, a little too old to be sniffing around her, but we both know the MC isn't filled morally upstanding guys. Her being barely out of being considered jailbait must have been thrilling for the boys at SAMCRO.” Stahl provided proudly displaying the mugshot.

Hale gazed down at the mugshot of an eighteen year old Y/N, her face still holding baby fat, her hair a faded pink that had gone a peachy tone, a dazed look in her eyes; she was clearly under the influence. He could spot chipped black nail polish on her fingers and a silver stud in her left nostril. The tank top she wore was far too low cut revealing the red lace of a bra. The slight smirk on her red painted lips showed that she felt little shame for her very first arrest.

Stahl spoke again providing more information about Y/N’s arrest record. “She continued to become a frequent flier in your jail cells. Looks like she got picked up a few more times at eighteen and nineteen, drunk and disorderly, driving under the influence, driving under the influence on a suspended license, possession of the tiniest amount of pot which wasn't enough to be an issue if she wasn’t clearly drunk, an arrest for shoplifting a pack of cigarettes and a candy bar where the arresting officer noted she seemed intoxicated. You picked her up more than once for some of these arrests…that must have been awkward for you both. Looks like she got a few slaps on the wrist, some fines, and some court ordered community service along with a few alcohol education courses. Didn’t seem to faze her though as the arrests continued…gotta love a small town police department. Most of this crap would have landed her doing some real time anywhere but Charming.”

“Sheriff Unser respected her father…everyone respected her father for the good he did for the community; caring for the deceased. He was a beloved figure around Charming. People saw him as personable and caring for the bereaved and diligent about caring for the dead. He had a reputation for being charitable to those who couldn’t always afford to bury their dead…made him even more adored around town. People felt sorry for him after Daniel’s accident…people around town felt awful for the man losing his son and having a daughter who wasn’t coping well. Lloyd Y/L/N advocated for his daughter to stay out of the system…Unser felt bad given what happened with Daniel, didn’t want Lloyd to lose another kid…The judge who ordered the community service and alcohol awareness courses felt the same way given Unser’s appeals to give Y/N opportunities to get her life on the right track. I don’t know how he kept her out of any real jail time or any harsher punishments…Unser’s a slick son of a bitch. I’m sure some money passed between Lloyd Y/L/N’s palm and the judge’s at least once. Lloyd Y/L/N was morally upstanding, but when it came to his little girl…he was willing and desperate enough to break his morals…especially given the situation with his son. He couldn't bear to lose Y/N too.” Hale provided, gritting his jaw at the thought of Unser.

Stahl shook her head. “Guess it’s good to be friends with Unser. Looks like Unser’s appeals kept her out of too much trouble, but she didn’t get her life on the right track. There’s a few more arrests here at nineteen. This one is interesting; an arrest in the company of one Alexander Tig Trager and one Robert Bobby Elvis Munson at a truck stop right on the edge of Charming city limits. Looks like she was about to turn nineteen and all three were clearly very under the influence. Trager was driving erratically and the officer noted that Y/N was so intoxicated that she fell out of the passengers door when the officer opened it. Local PD couldn’t prove that either man had provided the alcohol for Miss. Y/L/N, so Trager and Munson didn’t get more than a slap on the wrist for being in the company of an intoxicated minor. You do have to admit it's troubling a girl her age was hanging out with two men that age. Rumors around town are that Miss. Y/L/N was a regular at SAMCRO’s clubhouse. Looks like she was a…croweater? Isn’t that the term the Sons use for the club whores?”

The comment made Hale see red, the man speaking his voice harsh. “She kept bad company back then, but she was not playing the croweater game. She was not spreading her legs for every single guy in a kutte.” 

Stahl smirked at the comment, quickly addressing it. “Sounds like I struck a nerve there, David. You’re getting a little defensive about Miss. Y/L/N’s promiscuous past? One might think you’re sweet on her.”

She smirked all the more as she spotted the way Hale tensed all the more at the comment. She spotted a flash of indignation in the man’s eyes at the implication that Y/N was a club tart. “You arrested her a few times back then, David? That must have been frustrating for you in more ways than one. I bet you wanted to place her in handcuffs in much different circumstances.”

Hale scoffed at this comment shaking his head, his voice tense he refusing to address the innuendo about handcuffs and Y/N the thought making him a little hot under the collar. “I was close with her brother when we were kids. Having to arrest Y/N was not something I found enjoyable.”

Stahl sighed, backing off the teasing as she pulled out another mugshot. “Looks like she was around nineteen and twenty when things got a little disturbing for Miss Y/L/N. Her partner in crime shifted from Jackson and a few members of SAMCRO and to one Nathaniel Gunner Papadopoulos. Nathaniel or Gunner as he goes by is a Son. Looks like he was a nomad at the time, but nowadays he’s fully patched into the Tacoma charter of the Sons. The first arrests with him follow the same path; public intoxication and drunk and disorderly…then things get dark. There were a few calls out to bars around town where the two had some verbal altercations, there were no arrests for these as they vacated the premises and that satisfied the bar owners. Then there was an arrest outside a gas station for being disorderly in public…Y/N is about nineteen here and Gunner is about twenty six…looks like they got into a verbal altercation once again and Mr. Papadopoulos struck Miss. Y/L/N…he was arrested. She was taken in after she tried to argue with the arresting officer and interfere with the arrest of Mr. Papadopoulos. It seems she was frustrated that he was being arrested as she did not want to press charges for the physical assault on her. That was the first arrest for an altercation between the pair where things got physical. Looks like one of the final arrests we have of the pair involved an altercation the two had outside of a diner when Miss. Y/L/N was twenty. You were one of the responding officers from what I see”.

Hale shifted in place, his jaw clenching so tight he looked as though he might crack a tooth. He cringed as Stahl continued. “Chances are you must remember the arrest, but I can refresh your memory. From the police record it looks as though Mr. Popadopoulos and Miss. Y/L/N were under the influence and having a lovers spat in the parking lot of the diner, over the waitress getting a little too friendly with Mr. Papadopoulos, when Papadopoulos struck Miss. Y/L/N. She reacted by hitting him back and it devolved into a full on physical altercation. Looks like she got him pretty good judging by the scratch marks across his face and the bruises he’s sporting. He seems to have gotten her better though given the split lip. The arresting officer who you were with noted past bruises on Miss. Y/L/N and indicated suspicion of domestic violence, but Miss. Y/L/N seemed to brush questions about it off as evidence of rough sexual encounters between Mr. Papadopoulos and her. You noted in your notes on the arrest that you tried to urge Miss. Y/L/N to press charges against Mr. Papadopoulos as her reaction could be written off as self defense..but she was not interested. The two spent the night in jail and one of the Sons, looks like one of Gunner's fellow nomads that was visiting the mother charter, bailed Gunner out the next morning…Gunner then bailed Miss. Y/L/N out…how romantic. The mugshots are not pretty”

Hale let out a heavy breath, his body filled with tension as he gazed down at the mugshot in question. Y/N looked far less proud of herself in this photo. Her right eye was swollen, the hint of a black eye starting to develop. Her lip was split courtesy of one of Gunner’s silver chunky biker rings. She was dressed in another tight tank top and it did little to hide the bruises across her skin, some markings old and some quite recent. Her eyes held an almost empty sense to them as though she was running on autopilot most of the time but disconnected from her surroundings. Her body seemed too thin and it felt as though it was from more than aging. He suspected drug use though he could not place the drug in question without testing her. Her hair had faded back to its natural tone and the nose piercing was gone. She was scowling at the camera clearly filled with rage.

Hale spoke the words leaving him before he could stop them  “I tried to get her to press charges against the bastard. I tried to convince her that he was taking her down a bad path. He had her under some kind of spell or something I don’t know…She left town a few months after that last arrest. Rumors around town said that she was seen using a phone booth near main street looking worse for wear. Her father picked her up and got her out of town.”

Hale took a deep breath, his words harsh he tearing his eyes from the mugshot. “Y/N’s past has no bearing on anything. She has straightened herself out. She’s taken over her father’s business and has stayed on the straightened arrow. She’s grown up.”

“Maybe so…those empty graves that were found back in the cemetery months ago do seem fishy though…given the bodies that disappeared from the Sons warehouse right around the time those bodies from the empty graves were found out in Lodi. Those empty graves were filled by Miss. Y/L/N’s funeral home. Lodi cops seem to have lost steam for the case…and they were satisfied with Miss. Y/L/N’s statements about the incident. Does seem interesting that she comes back to town and just so happens to get involved with a member of SAMCRO right around the time that this whole grave robbing and disappearing bodies situation happens. How convenient for SAMCRO.”

Hale cleared his throat knowing he had his own suspicions about Y/N’s involvement, but he could admit he was choosing to live in denial over the reality of the situation.

He would be lying if he tried to claim he didn’t think of Y/N and didn’t feel some sense of fondness for her.

In some way he still remembered her as the talkative little girl who followed her brother and he around when they were kids.

He thought of her as the lonely child who according to his younger sister never could fit in with their peers.

He'd always felt a sense of care for Y/N none the less. He could remember her being vibrant and brave. She was at times a little too fierce and so unapologetic that it bordered on being rude. He could remember finding the quality somewhat admirable though; her willingness to be so brazen.

As she’d grown she’d seemed determined to follow her brother’s path in the company she kept. Hale had been displeased by her rebellion. He had hoped that her brother's accident would scare her straight but it seemed to push her into a life of chaos. She'd clung to the men who her brother had once run amuck with.

Jackson Teller had seemed willing to take Y/N under his wing and lead her to destruction.

Hale would be lying if he tried to claim he didn’t feel slightly disturbed as he stood aside and watched Y/N grow into an attractive young woman who seemed to be all too comfortable around the local outlaw MC. He’d maybe gone out of his way back then to try to coax her into understanding that she was down a bad path. He'd been a rookie cop back then and had been all too aware of Y/N's bad behavior. He'd tried to reason with her using his past friendship with her brother to coax her into getting on the right path. When Gunner had gotten involved with her that coaxing had increased but Y/N had practically spit in Hale’s face at his attempts to rescue her from her situation.

He’d been grateful when she'd left town. He'd hoped that she was getting her head on straight. When she came back to town Hale had hopes that she’d grown up in her time away. He’d been relieved when it seemed she’d turned over a new leaf.

Hale could admit that he'd been hopeful that she was done with bad boys in kuttes.

He could also admit that he'd felt a sense of attraction for the young woman who had returned to run her father's funeral home. She seemed a far cry from the angry young woman who used to run around with the MC.

He had been stunned to realize that he no longer viewed her as his old childhood friend's rebellious baby sister. She had grown into an elegant young woman who was dedicated to a respectful career.

He had hopes that perhaps her taste in men had matured as well along with the more sophisticated appearance she'd adopted.

He’d maybe even tried to ask her to dinner or coffee once or twice but she’d rejected the offers. He’d told himself not to take offense to her rejection. He'd decided that perhaps Y/N was going through a difficult time, losing her father and being back in a town she probably was not thrilled to be in.

He had told himself to bide his time and be patient. He had hopes that perhaps she would settle into town and then maybe be more inclined to give him at least one date.

He had hopes that perhaps he could shoot his shot with her again, but had his hopes dashed when she clearly became involved with SAMCRO once again. 

When he’d realized she’d chosen Filip Chibs Telford of all men, Hale had been disgusted. The older Scotsman seemed so wrong for her, and she seemed blind to this fact.

It was kind of insulting realizing she'd turned Hale down and chosen Chibs Telford. Though, Hale had a feeling he'd be insulted if she'd chosen any Son after rejecting him more than once.

It was as though Stahl could read his mind because she spoke all too giddy to pull out another file from the stack. “It seems Miss. Y/L/N still favors a bad boy in a kutte and she still likes her men older. Filip Chibs Telford is an interesting man. He has past rumored ties to the True IRA. He’s been arrested a few times in Belfast, but nothing could ever stick. His wife though…he’s still very much married by the way…is True IRA Royalty. Fiona Larkin is third generation True IRA. She got Telford involved in the cause. They were childhood sweethearts from what I know. The two were living as a married couple for a few years before they had their daughter. They have one child, Kerrianne Larkin Telford. She’s about twelve going on thirteen. Looks like they were a happy little family of terrorists for a few years at least. That changed most likely when one Jimmy O’Phalen rose up in the ranks of the cause. Looks like Jimmy O’ didn’t seem to be a fan of Telford. Rumors have it that O’Phalen scarred Telford’s cheeks and took his family as his own…banished Telford from the cause and Ireland. Telford fell in with SAMBEL…guess he didn’t take the threat to get out of Belfast too seriously though it looks like he only remained in Ireland with SAMBEL for a couple of years…he patched over to SAMCRO right around the Spring of 2000. He rolled into town a few months after Miss. Y/L/N left town…can you imagine if he’d made it stateside a few months before she left…the pair would have found each other sooner. Either way it looks like the pair found each other. I spotted them out and about the other day and by the look of affection I spotted him giving her, I would guess Y/N has been given ol lady status by Telford. She doesn't appear to be sporting the crow ink some of the other ol ladies are, but all the same...the looks he was giving her screamed love…do have to wonder if she knows he’s married.”

She paused watching Hale’s jaw tense a smirk crossing her lips before she spoke again. “She knows how to pick them doesn't she? I bet Telford gives Y/N all sorts of juicy bits of pillow talk…sweet little tight thing like her must make him all relaxed and satisfied enough to get those lips moving. Pussy gets men talking; especially trusted pussy that they love. Judging by the looks Telford gives her around town; he’s dedicated. Given his traumatic past and his appearance, I bet it wasn’t hard to get him dedicated. I have a feeling that Y/N doesn’t have to do much to get him talking. Bet she only has to suck him off to get all sorts of information out of him.”

“She’s not going to say a word, if she is an ol lady, she’s been given the orders on how to handle questions about the club. Even if Chibs is giving her details she won’t betray him.” Hale snapped trying to push thoughts of Y/N and Chibs doing anything slightly sexual from his head, the thought feeling him with both disgust and envy of what the Scotsman managed to have with Y/N.

Stahl shrugged her shoulders as she spoke. “Even if she doesn’t know he’s still married? Bet if we dropped some truth on her about her boyfriend’s current marital status, we might get her pissed off enough to run her mouth. If he betrayed her then well…hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

“And if she knows he’s married.” Hale remarked what Stahl was suggesting make bile rise in the back of his throat. Call it a crush or fondness or whatever, but he didn’t like the idea of breaking Y/N’s heart to get information.

“If the tart is fine with being a mistress then I’m sure we can find some other way to get her lips moving. It doesn’t hurt to give her some pressure and see how she handles it.” Stahl provided a smirk crossing her lips at the rage in Hale’s eyes at the statement about Y/N being a tart.

She spoke again, a chuckle leaving her. “Don’t look so gloomy David, this might work in your favor. We get Telford out of the picture and you might just have a shot. Maybe we push her off bad boys, you can play white knight. You can finally put those handcuffs to use with her in a far more pleasant environment. Of course that might put a stop to the fun we’ve been having together hmm, but who am I to stand in the way of true love.”

He scoffed at the comment, his shoulders tensing at the suggestion as well as the implication of what Stahl and he had fallen into.

Stahl let out a sigh. “She can have you when I’m done. Trust me David, we can always press the ol ladies. No information is useless in RICO.”

Hale cringed at the comment, his stomach turning at this plan. 

He took a deep breath, having the feeling that Stahl was in for a challenge. Y/N was a tough nut to crack. 

Pissed off Y/N didn’t run her mouth. She just lashed out.

—----------------------------------------------

Y/N was surprised and relieved to see the roses left on her parent’s gravestones. She could admit she’d not been to the graveside since her father’s burial.

She’d been to the cemetery plenty enough thanks to her work…but she’d not had the nerve to walk over to the section where quite a few of her family were laid to their final rests.

Her paternal ancestors and their spouses were all buried close by one another. The oldest section of the cemetery held her oldest ancestors and their offspring. 

She knew that one day she herself would most likely be buried here alongside her family. There were already two plots at her parents' side that technically belonged to her.

Her father was always one to plan ahead when it came to funerals and had purchased the plots remarking Y/N could keep them for Daniel and herself or if she married and wanted to be buried with her future spouse she could sell her plot.

She had rolled her eyes at the comment about marriage of course. The idea had seemed preposterous given her tumultuous dating history and how most men who might be ideal for a future spouse showed her little interest aside from gazing longingly at her body.

She’d dated a few guys out in New York. She’d even had one pretty serious boyfriend but it had fizzled out before any serious talk about marriage and the future had come to fruition.

She knew her past held her back in her relationships in New York. How was she supposed to explain her past with the MC in Charming to prospective life partners?

She knew her most recent ex-boyfriend had some suspicions about her past…given her tendency to occasionally flinch during moments of intimacy that got a little too rough. She had never worked up the nerve to go into the full story though. She had a feeling her ex had sensed her trauma but had not been equipped to deal with it when she’d shut down any pleas for information about her past.

She was not quite ready to go into her background with that boyfriend. She was certain he couldn’t handle her past. So, she’d pushed him away the same way she did with most boyfriends. Scaring guys and pushing them out with cold behavior was easier than going into detail about her time as a friend of SAMCRO and the pain she’d endured at Gunner’s hands.

Chibs Telford was the first romantic partner who had any knowledge of what Gunner had done to her as well as her past sexual encounters with both Jax and a few other men.

She was stunned by Chibs’ reaction. He not only still wanted her, but had proven to her that he desired her.

It was not an outcome she had imagined when she’d allowed herself to imagine what might happen if she were to ever reveal the darker parts of her past to a man who liked her.

She kept thinking back to the words Chibs had said to her after he’d eaten her out; that he wanted to show her how she deserved to be treated.

It was a new and exciting concept to her; being treated well by a romantic partner.

She hoped that she’d proven to him that she wanted to treat him in kind. She couldn’t help but to think that with his own traumas he deserved to be reminded of how he deserved to be treated as well. 

She’d been more certain that he deserved all the tenderness and adoration on the planet by his reaction to the knowledge that she was planning on going to the gravesite today.

He’d offered to come along with her. He’d wanted to provide her with emotional support when she’d admitted she’d not gone to her parents' gravesite since her father’s funeral.

Y/N could admit she’d been tempted to let him tag along.

She’d resisted the urge to allow it though. She’d told herself that her first visit to the gravesite should be on her own.

Perhaps in the future though; she might let Chibs come with her.

A morbid voice in the back of her head told her it was the most depressing bring the guy you like home to meet the parents' situation, but she shushed the voice. 

She was also overtaken with the realization that she was an orphan now. She had no living parents…so that made her an orphan didn’t it?

A voice in the back of her head told her it was a dumb thought…everyone became an orphan at some point in their lives, so it wasn’t something that was that unique.

She shifted the red roses aside placing the daisies she’d purchased on either parent’s grave.

She had a feeling the roses left on each grave had been Old Charlie’s doing. Roses seemed more his taste than Skeeter’s.

She was not surprised to see that the graves had been well maintained, any flowers that had been left at her father’s funeral being taken away after they’d wilted. The area was clean and polished waiting for her.

She had a feeling that this was both Old Charlie’s and Skeeter’s doing. The men had most likely been out to the gravesite maintaining it until she felt ready to make it out. It was clear that they’d cared enough about her to make it neat and ready for her.

She found herself sitting on the ground directly in front of her father’s tombstone not caring if the dirt below her got her jeans somewhat dirty. It would be a long while before grass grew over the filled in grave. Grass had long ago grown over her mother’s filled in grave given that the woman had died when Y/N was so young.

She sighed, her eyes lingering on her mother’s tombstone for a brief moment. She rarely visited it. Her father had been the one who had gone out to maintain it.

She’d gone once or twice when she was a teenager looking for some maternal connection that she’d craved. She felt foolish for the action knowing she would not find that connection in a cold marble tombstone.

Her mother’s full name was written on the dark marble stone in neat font: Caroline Hope Y/L/N. Beloved Wife and Mother. Her birthdate and death date were written below the inscription. A small dove had been carved into the edge of the stone. It was a simple stone and Y/N had been certain her father had struggled to choose it as he’d planned her mother’s entire funeral.

She’d never quite understood how he’d had the mental strength to embalm and bury the woman he loved, but Y/N assumed that in her father’s mind it was just the last act of love he could give his wife. He’d made sure she was cared for. Y/N could distinctly remember seeing the clothing her mother had been buried in…a modest blue sundress with a white floral print and a pearl necklace. She had only been four then, but somehow her mother’s funeral dress was a core memory that had stuck. Her father had allowed Daniel and her to view their mother in the casket at the funeral. Daniel had run away from it but Y/N had remained staring at the woman. 

She was unsure if she loved or hated her father’s choice of giving her this core memory.

She tore her eyes from her mother’s tombstone, hating to admit she felt disconnected from the woman. Y/N felt a sense of love knowing that this was her mother, but she didn’t remember her clearly enough to feel the sense of grief she told herself she should feel.

She’d always held the thought in; certain it would upset her father. Her mother had been the love of her father’s life. She’d been his first and his last everything.

They’d met as teenagers and were one another’s first love. Her mother’s father had worked the funeral circuit preaching around Charming and surrounding towns and he’d brought his daughter along. Y/N’s father had been the funeral director’s son. 

Y/N’s parents had met for the first time at a funeral. It was not the most romantic meet-cute, but it was her parents. 

Her father had never remarried after her mother’s death. He’d not even dated. He’d remained dedicated to her even in death.

When Y/N was younger she’d hoped that she might be lucky enough to find love that deep with someone. 

As she’d gotten older though she’d become jaded by the concept.

She sighed, staring at her father’s tombstone, the dark marble was simple with her father's name engraved into the stone: Lloyd Oliver Y/L/N. Beloved Father. Dedicated Husband. Respected Mortician. 

The last addition had been her father’s request. Even in death he was proud of his profession.

She felt her throat grow tight telling herself this would feel cathartic even if she was just talking to a marble stone. “I’m sorry I haven’t been out here to visit…I’m actually sorry for a lot of things I’ve done lately.”

She clasped her hands together wringing them, her voice tense. “I can say without any hesitation that if you were still here right now…that saying sorry wouldn’t be enough with what I’ve done. I know how proud you were of our work…how proud you were that I followed you into the work you loved. I’m afraid I’ve sullied it though. You would hate what I’ve done…I fucked it up again, just like I always do. You know me; family disappointment as usual.”

She bit the inside of her cheek, her voice soft. “I’m sorry though, I really really am. I went down a path you’d hate. I got greedy and now I can’t get out of this…the sick thing is I was given a possible way out of it by Filip and I told him no. I am so desperate to burn in the hell of my own making. I…maybe I just like the pain. I think I deserve it in some sick way. How else do you explain why I’m so impulsive? I let the flame burn me and I never figure out that fire hurts…maybe I know it hurts but some part of me likes it. Maybe I’m sick? You did always worry about me…when I was a kid, I was way too interested in your job…Remember that teacher I had in elementary…fourth grade…she thought I was disturbed because I talked about your job so much…maybe I am. I mean what kind of person is so willing to do what I’ve done? What kind of girl prefers the company of the dead because the living scare the hell out of her? Maybe people around town are right about me? I’ve had a few boyfriends in New York tell me I’m not normal. Maybe at the end of the day I’m not right in the head…maybe I’m fucked mentally. How else do you explain the choices I make? I’ve always been quick to anger, too depressed, too impulsive, too starved for risk. I never know what’s good for me. I’ve had nice guys ask me out…back in New York…hell even Deputy Hale tried to take me to dinner pretty soon after I got into town… and I would rather scoop my eyes out with a melon baller than let a nice guy love me. I push people away because it protects me. I go for guys who don’t deserve me…I go for what hurts me. I let someone like Gunner violate me more than once and I stuck around. Maybe my brain is just abnormal.”

She sighed, shaking her head. “I always felt bad for you…two bad kids. How could such a nice guy have such bad kids? I used to blame you for it when you’d scold me for whatever crap I had pulled…say that you were too damn nice and that was probably why I was so rotten. I tried to say that maybe if you were less focused on your job and more focused on Danny and me then we’d not have turned out so bad. I know it was unfair to turn it back on you. I think I was parroting the perceptions I heard from people around town though…poor charitable respected Lloyd Y/L/N dedicated to his service to the community but cursed with two ungrateful brats. You were always fighting to keep me out of jail or worse…always dealing with Danny’s health after the accident…always trying to balance the job with making sure your kids stayed alive. I know Danny and I both gave you hell…You died thinking that I was finally done giving you hell…but surprise.”

She let out a shaky sigh, her fingers reaching out to trace the birth and death date on the tombstone. “You died thinking SAMCRO was a thing of my past…you thought your biker whore daughter had finally grown up…I know you’d hate me for calling myself that. You never were fond of my choice in language especially when I used it to degrade myself. I know I always tried to take some high ground and claim that I was nothing like the girls that hung around the MC and threw themselves at anything in a kutte…was I really any better though at the end of the day? I may have been a bit more discerning in who I fucked but…I still liked a man in a kutte and a criminal record a mile long. I loved the danger…I loved the chaos. Nice guys who worked nine to five jobs just didn’t do it for me like the outlaws could. I wasn’t satisfied with a dick unless the guy attached to it had a rap sheet.”

She rolled her eyes, the words leaving her. “I know…just what every man wants to hear about, his daughter’s sex life. I guess you aren’t really here to hear it though…I hope you’re not hanging around watching me that much. That would be kind of creepy if you were just hanging around watching me 24-7.”

She let out another shaky breath as she spoke. “I met someone…Jesus, Daddy, you’d hate Filip. You would take one look at the reaper on his back and kill him on sight. You’d ship me back to New York if you were still here. You would not even give Filip a minute of your time to even attempt to win you over. You would look at his appearance and who he is and want me to get away from him. You’d see the scars on his cheeks and the kutte on his back and that would be that, no chance of accepting him.”

She shook her head, a small humorless laugh leaving her. “I know the age difference would make you less than enthusiastic. He’s forty five years old…just turned forty five. He was about sixteen when I was born. If that wasn’t enough to make you cringe…He’s got a wife and a kid back in Belfast…they’re estranged but they are still there…You’d take one look at those facts and shoot him on sight. I’m sure you’d take me for a fool…your poor damaged daughter hooked up with the married outlaw biker who is way too old for her…and if that didn’t piss you off you’d be so enraged about his past in Belfast even if I’d lie and try to tell you it's only rumors. I know you would just look at Filip and see danger. You’d see a guy who is going to destroy your kid. You wouldn’t think he’s good enough.”

She traced her father’s name, her voice soft. “I know what I’d say to you though. I’d say that he's good enough. I would tell you I don’t care about Belfast or who lives there…The age difference doesn’t bother me. I’d probably try to push your buttons and spit out some bullshit about how I am happy to call Filip Daddy even if he’s not quite old enough for that unless he was a teen dad. I’d probably tell you that a man his age has the experience to know how to make me feel so good, that he’s far more gifted in bed than guys my age.”

She paused, rolling her eyes. “I never was appropriate and I kind of lived to make you cringe back when I was having my rebellious years. I figured out that being vulgar and oversharing about anything sexual could make you back off and not suspect the reality of what I was going through. I was always capable of looking like a proper lady but my mouth and my tendency to love shocking people always ruined the prim lady disguise I wear.”

She cleared her throat, her words genuine. “I would be telling you the truth about him being worthy of me…he reminds me everyday that he wants to be worthy of having me. He’s tried pretty damn hard to woo me. I think even you’d be approving of the effort he’s put into it…the man didn’t run screaming when I told him what a trocar was. That’s impressive, you’d have to admit it. He asks me questions about my job; not to appease me or charm me, but because he wants to hear what I have to say. He’s been good to me. He makes me feel safe. I don’t think anyone has ever made me feel safe…at least not a romantic partner. I’ve never felt this protected with anyone.”

She felt her throat grow tight, spilling more of her heart. “I told him about Gunner…told him more than I even dared to ever tell anyone…even you. Pretty sure he’s the first person besides a therapist who knows all the details. I told him every last detail. He didn't run away like I feared he would. I was sure he’d run…or worse he’d look at me differently…like I am in fact just the biker groupie everyone around town thought I was back then. I was afraid if he knew about Gunner and the others…that he would surely leave. I mean…how is a guy supposed to cope with the fact that some of the men he shares a kutte with have fucked the girl he’s dating…how is he supposed to deal with the fact that one of those men, even if it’s a man in another charter…did what he did to me…I don’t know, I’ve always struggled with admitting what the lack of consent with Gunner meant…saying the word. Filip is the one who said the word…told me how wrong it was…even told me he wanted Gunner dead for what he did to me. I expected my past to be too much for him or for him to develop this weird jealousy issue…you know how guys are when they know someone else has touched their possessions… Filip though, his reaction was to feel sorrow for me…he wanted to show me what being shown love is supposed to feel like…he wanted to protect me and get retribution for what happened to me. He offered to kill for me, Daddy…and he meant it. I know you’d probably not approve of the fact that he’s capable of such a thing…but I’d have to hope that you’d approve of his desire to keep me safe…to love me. Filip doesn’t view me as a possession. I know you’d find that really really hard to believe…men in his world have some pretty fucked views of women. I’m not claiming he’s some abnormality in that world. I just think I’m as much Filip’s as he’s mine though.”

She sighed knowing she was safe to say the words here with no one to listen. “I love him…I love Filip Telford. He doesn’t know about it yet…I’m half afraid to tell him. What if he doesn’t feel the same? I keep thinking of what you’d say…you’d probably tell me that if he’s dumb enough not to love me then he’s too dumb for me. I need him to love me though…it sounds so pathetic to say it…I've never claimed to need anyone to love me...I have always been the type to say that people can love me or hate me and I don't give a damn either way...I like to think I’m independent…that I could go back to life before I met him…I, so much has changed in my life so fast over these past months. I resisted his affections so much when I first met him...I was afraid of what he'd lead me to...of falling back in with SAMCRO. He's made it clear though that he has zero intention of leading me back into the pain that I found with his world...I’m scared of how my life has changed over these past few months, of how things have changed since you died and I came back home, but Filip…he makes it feel so much less scary. I’ve opened up to him so much about my past and I have never felt comfortable enough with anyone to do that. I don't feel so alone with him around. I've never felt that...belonging. I always try to pretend that I don't mind being alone. I try to say that loneliness is just a part of life...Filip makes me want to stop isolating myself...and not accept the idea that I just have to be alone. I have never had that with anyone...the sense that they feel lucky to have me around...the acceptance of me for who I am. I don't have to pretend not to be so morbid or so quick to anger. I don't feel like I have to hide the parts of me that scare other people around Filip. I need him more than he knows. I just keep hoping that maybe he needs me just as bad.”

She shook her head reaching up to wipe at a stray tear threatening to spill from her eye. "I can’t say that you’d be fond of Filip… I can’t say you two would love each other, or even try to pretend to get along…but I think that maybe my loving him would be enough for you…I think me being happy with him would be enough. You always worried about my happiness…about me finding my place in the world. I want to be in his world…it scares me, but I trust that he would keep me safe.”

She spoke again, pulling her hand back from the stone. “I’m going to visit more often…even if you aren’t here, I know you’re not really here…I want to bring Filip sometime. He wants to come with me…to support me. I’m going to let him. I am letting him in…you’d like that…me letting someone in.”

She adjusted the daisies in front of the stone as she spoke. “Even if you wouldn’t be proud of me, I hope you’d still love me. You told me once that a father never stops loving his child. I hope that’s true.”

She stood up, wiping the dirt from her jeans as she spoke. “I love you, Daddy. I’ll see you later.”

She turned ready to make the long trek back to her car hoping that she could maybe get a latte somewhere to perk up enough to make it to the grocery store to gather the items she needed for the week.

She paused as a woman approached her. The professional looking woman was thin and tall with straight dark blonde hair and a pantsuit that screamed Fed. She appeared to be in her mid thirties at least. Her lips were thin and she wore little makeup. She had a narrow straight nose and well manicured brows. Her eyes were dark and they were fixed on Y/N.

She felt a chill run down her spine as the woman approached her giving a calm smile that did not match the intensity of her gaze. “Y/N Y/L/N?”

Y/N nodded her head, her voice tense, she doing her best to appear relaxed and calm. “Speaking.”

The woman pulled a badge from her jacket pocket revealing that Y/N was right to think fed. “Agent June Stahl, ATF.”

Y/N sighed  keeping that same relaxed demeanor as she spoke. “Can I help you Agent Stahl?”

“I’m guessing you aren’t here on business? More of a personal visit?” Stahl asked, nodding down at the dark wash jeans and gray babydoll tee Y/N was wearing. 

Y/N spoke her stomach turning at Stahl’s avoidance of the question. “I’m not here for work.”

She paused speaking again trying to sound more assertive than she felt. “How can I help you?”

Stahl spoke as she shoved her badge back into her jacket pocket. “What do you know about SAMCRO?”

Y/N raised an eyebrow at the question. Stahl apparently was ready to jump right into it. She shrugged her shoulders giving the company line Chibs had taught her to give though she’d known the line long before Chibs and she had become involved. “That motorcycle club? Pretty sure they’re just a bunch of mechanics who are motorcycle enthusiasts. Pretty sure they throw a good wild party.”

Stahl smirked at the comment, not surprised by it. “Of course, Didn’t you used to be a frequent attendee of those wild parties?”

Y/N shifted in place, her arms crossing over her chest. “I did use to prefer Jack Daniels to mint tea. Didn’t everyone have a rebellious phase?”

Stahl nodded her head, not missing the chance. “And what a phase it was for you. I have to say I’m kind of annoyed but impressed, Y/N, several arrests under your belt and you served not a moment in a real jail cell. Looks like you got more than a few slaps on the wrist though…guess it helps that your daddy was buddy buddy with the local sheriff.”

Y/N held her head up high fast to respond, keeping her voice even refusing to address how her father had always been willing to appeal to Unser to keep her out of any real trouble. “I am not proud of my past behavior. If I could go back I’d change a few things.”

“Is SAMCRO one of those things you might change? I have taken a look at that rap sheet of yours, sweetheart, looks like the innocent club of motorcycle enthusiasts got you into some trouble back in the day.” Stahl remarked, stepping closer to Y/N.

Y/N stepped back a frown crossing her features. “Like I said, I indulged a little too hard back then…people do dumb shit when they’re drunk.”

“Is one of those dumb things Nathaniel Papadopoulos? Or Gunner…as he seems to insist on being called?” Stahl remarked not shy about bringing up something that she knew would make Y/N cringe.

The mention of Gunner did just that. Y/N crossed her arms tighter, her voice picking up a hint of tension. “I did dumb shit when I drank as much as I did. He was the dumbest. I was nineteen years old when I met him…I wasn’t mature enough to pick romantic partners who were the best for me. Pretty sure most nineteen year olds pick shit men. I wised up and left him. It’s ancient history at this point in my life.”

“What about now? Just what kind of men are you picking?” Stahl remarked a cool smile crossing her lips as she attempted to prod the answer from Y/N.

Y/N sighed fast to respond. “Ones who don’t beat the shit out of me.”

Stahl reached into the professional looking messenger bag she had slung around her arm as she spoke, pulling out a file. “You do pick men with records though. You should have a peek at his.”

She handed the file to Y/N watching as the woman gazed down at it searching for any hint of a chance to pounce. 

Y/N gazed down at the open file in front of her, raising a brow at what was clearly Chibs’ rap sheet. She shrugged her shoulders, keeping her calm not bothering to read past a few lines not shocked by what she saw. “Is this supposed to mean something to me?”

Stahl smirked, nodding her head down at the file as she spoke. “Filip Chibs Telford is an interesting man isn't he…if you believe the rumors around town…I find that most rumors have some truth to them.”

She paused nodding down at the file again as she spoke. “You should flip to page two…the arrests in Belfast. He was court martialed and discharged from the Queens Armed Forces at nineteen. Looks like he had a temper in his youth. The arrests in Belfast continue from there. Pretty sure he got into a few brawls on the behalf of the cause…The True IRA tends to frown upon anyone they think may be a loyalist. Looks like Telford took offense to loyalty to the crown, looks like he was not afraid to fight dirty…then there’s the suspicion of a few bombings that he may or may not have been involved in, can’t get a clear answer on that one. Any investigations went nowhere…There were a few rumors about how he may have taken part in the murder of a Northern Irish police officer but there was never any proof to tie him and his associates to it…speaking of his associates in Belfast…his wife…Fiona, she’s definitely True IRA through and through. Third generation, comes by it honestly. Her mugshot is on page three…she got arrested with her husband for one of those brawls I talked about. She is a fiery one…darker than I expected though for an Irishwoman. Pretty sure she’s the Black Irish we always hear about.”

Y/N felt her stomach drop turning the page on autopilot gazing down at the pretty young woman in the photo and a photo of a young Chibs, his face free from the scars that Jimmy O’ had left him with.

Fiona was an elegant looking woman with wild dark curls and piercing dark eyes. Her nose was narrow and her lips were pressed into a smirk that showed she had no worries about having any mugshot taken. She gave off the energy of someone who was well versed in danger and quite content to invoke it if necessary.

Stahl spoke up, a slight smirk on her lips clearly hoping to strike a nerve. “You did know he’s married right?”

Y/N glanced up at Stahl, her face not giving the reaction the woman was probably hoping for. She kept her cool not letting the information of what Chibs had done in Belfast nor the photo of his estranged wife rattle her. “Yes, I was aware. They’re estranged. Divorce unfortunately is not an option…You know how the Catholics are? I’m afraid I don’t know too much about Filip’s years in Belfast aside from the mundane fact that he was a mechanic and that he left some tragedy behind.”

If Stahl was disappointed in Y/N’s reaction she didn’t reveal it as she replied to the comment. “Yes, a true tragedy. I guess you’ve heard all the rumors that fly around Belfast…Jimmy O’Phalen took Fiona and Chibs’ and her daughter for his own…left Telford with a reminder to not even attempt to get them back.”

Y/N clenched down on the file as Stahl motioned to her cheeks lining them along where Chibs’ scars were embedded into his cheeks. She spoke again, a sigh leaving her. “Telford joined up with SAMBEL after that…Guess he was familiar with the MC before hand, so, they were happy to take him on...even though rumor has it O’Phalen banished him from Ireland…guess the banishment finally kicked in though since Telford came stateside back in 2000. He hasn’t seen Fiona or his daughter since Kerrianne was around four. I’m amazed Telford got citizenship in the states…given his record and the trouble he’s gotten into out here.”

Y/N kept her voice flat as she replied. “America is the land of opportunity.”

“That it is…and what opportunity has he found with you?” Stahl dared to ask a small smile crossing her lips hoping to make Y/N squirm.

Y/N spoke knowing the line to give a hint of snark in her voice, deciding that being vulgar might work in her favor. “I open his beers and suck his dick. Pretty sure most men couldn’t ask for more.”

“And what does he say when you wrap those soft lips of yours around that dick of his?” Stahl remarked, proving she was just as vulgar.

Y/N gave her a smile that she hoped read as confident not above continuing with the line of conversation though she was full of shit…they’d not gone that far sexually just yet. “Pretty sure he’s too busy moaning when I take him down my throat. That Scottish accent of his is hard enough to understand on its own…the second he gets is dick wet I may as well not even try to decipher Glaswegian.”

“And what about afterwards…any juicy bits of pillowtalk? Orgasms tend to make lips loose, I find.” Stahl dared to ask she stepping even closer to Y/N.

Y/N gave her a calm smile, the words sliding from her. “He tends to start snoring after he cums…You know men. You rock their world and they reward you by conking out.”

She paused lying through her teeth deciding that playing up the sexual role would work in her favor. 

It was a game she’d learned to play during her time in the clubhouse…when she wanted to entice a man into giving her what she wanted. 

She found that playing the minx could work in her favor with men and could make straight women intimidated enough to slink back. “I will say that that is the one advantage to getting your rocks off with a woman. Women are a little better at pillowtalk…too bad I like a good thick dick more than a nice wet pussy.”

Stahl smirked giving Y/N a reaction that she’d expected to get if she’d been talking to a man. She sighed, the realization hitting her that Stahl was playing on both teams. She recognized a raging bisexual when she saw one. “I can only imagine…what a shame you have your preferences.”

Y/N spoke as she stepped back, dropping the flirty tone from her voice. “I don’t know too much about SAMCRO. I can’t imagine they’re too interesting. Just a bunch of mechanics who love a good Harley and a crazy party…Like I said, any trouble they may find is usually aided by booze…people do dumb shit when they drink. I’m afraid my party days are over. Most people don’t like the idea of the local undertaker sliding around a stripper pole in a biker clubhouse. Pretty sure Filip would not be too into the idea of seeing me on any pole unless he’s the only one watching.”

“I’ll say it again, what a shame.” Stahl remarked that smirk still on her lips though Y/N did spot a hint of annoyance in the woman’s eyes at the fact that Y/N was still feeding the company line on SAMCRO.

She paused speaking again. “Telford and you make an interesting pair…a funeral director and a biker…just how did you meet?”

Y/N gave her a calm smile, the lie sliding from her lips. “My Acura got a flat tire. We got to talking and one thing led to another. I’ve always had a thing for accents.”

Stahl spoke up, nodding over Y/N shoulder at the gravestones. “You came back to Charming to a big mess from what I heard. Your father left you with some debt?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.” Y/N remarked her voice cool and collected she snapping the folder she’d been holding shut.

Stahl nodded her head at the comment she daring to bring out the big guns. “I’ve taken a peek at those debts of yours. You paid a little chunk of them off in cash…Just where did you get the cash? The payment was in the thousands. Lots of cash to having lying around with your debts.”

Y/N remembered the lie Chibs had told her to tell. She was relieved he’d given her enough background about Clay and Gemma’s finances, so that she could tell a believable story.  “Gemma Teller Morrow asked for my expertise. Her poor grandson having such a frightful entrance into the world got her thinking about her own mortality. Her husband and she were willing to pay me quite well for my time to discuss plans. They know my time is valuable and they took up quite a bit of it…They were willing to make it worth my while as they kept me so busy and out of reach from any of my other duties at work…pretty sure Gemma has some oil investments that give her some nice payouts. I came to them for the plans…made a trip out to the garage to discuss it all and went through the trouble of bringing all of the catalogs I have. They choose a luxury option for their caskets…mahogany and satin. I don’t do home visits for funeral planning, so they wanted to make sure I was compensated for the exception I made for them. They paid me double my usual rate plus travel expenses.”

“That is an extravagant payout.” Stahl remarked her tone of voice hinting she did not buy Y/N’s tale.

Y/N shrugged her shoulders, her voice calm knowing she sounded heartless, but it was better to sound heartless than guilty. “People will pay anything to have peace of mind when it comes to death.”

Stahl dared to speak, nodding again at the cemetery around them. “I would have thought they might shy away from using your services…given what happened to those two men you buried a while back.”

Y/N let out a soft sigh shaking her head. “The grave robberies were an unfortunate incident. The families of those poor men were heartbroken over what happened to their loved ones' remains. I did everything in my power to make sure that they were cared for. The family was far more understanding than they had to be. They know I did my part when it came to the care of their loved ones before their final rests were disturbed. I hope the Lodi police find whoever was responsible for such a gruesome act. If I got my hands on them…well let’s just say I don’t approve of anyone fucking with my paychecks.”

Stahl smirked, hating to admit she was impressed with how quick the response was. Y/N was not an easy nut to crack. “And your boyfriend had nothing to do with those empty graves.”

“Why would Filip have anything to do with it? He’s just a mechanic.” Y/N remarked a small laugh leaving her she managing to make the accusation appear as though it sounded ridiculous to her.

“A mechanic with quite the record. You should hang on to that file, Y/N. Take a good look at it. There’s some really interesting bits of information there. Filip Telford is far from innocent. I think you are smart enough to know that. I am also thinking you aren’t so innocent either…that must be why he’s so obsessed with you. If that wife of his is any indication of the kind of woman he likes…then you are one bad girl.” Stahl remarked, nodding down to the folder still in Y/N’s hands.

Y/N gave Stahl a calm smile shrugging her shoulders. “I’m an absolute angel, Agent Stahl.”

She paused, giving the agent a flirty smile as she stepped around her ready to pass. “At least outside the bedroom. Now, if you excuse me. I have some errands to attend to. If you have any further questions you can find me at the funeral home.”

And with that Y/N found herself heading back to her car the folder she held clutched tightly in her hand.

She couldn’t decide if she wanted to burn the folder or not.

—-------------------------------

Chibs sighed rolling his eyes at Juice as he rounded the billiards table for what felt like the hundredth time. 

He spoke nodding down at the pool cue in the younger man’s hands. “Are ya takin yer damn shot or not? I ain’ got all day, Juicey.”

Juice scowled at the older man, his voice tight. “We put money on this okay? I don’t trust you after last time. I still say you hustled me, talked that damn croweater into distracting me and putting me off my game.”

“Aint my fault yer a shite pool player. I won fair an square.” Chibs snapped back a small smirk on his lips knowing that he had maybe talked the buxom blonde croweater Juice was recalling into helping distract Juice from the game.

It hadn’t been too selfish in Chibs’ opinion. He got Juice laid.

Chibs sighed as his cell phone began to chime he yanking it from his kutte knowing he might as well have a phone call since Juice was nowhere near getting on with the game.

He felt his heart lift at the familiar number as it flashed along his screen. He hit accept call, his voice becoming far more cheery than it had been moments before. “Hen, what are ye doin?”

“I need you, Filip.” She blurted out the comment striking him off guard.

The words were appealing but he was not hearing them in the context he would prefer. Her voice seemed panicked.

She spoke again knowing she sounded paranoid but a voice told her if Stahl was interested in her then who was to say that the feds hadn’t found a way to listen in on her calls. She had little idea how bugging phones worked outside of movies. “I need help with my lamb…seasoning it. You know what to do with lamb.”

Chibs furrowed his brow, thrown off even more by the comment. Y/N didn’t eat lamb.

He’d learned that bit of information when he’d mentioned Half Sack’s vegetarianism to Y/N as well as Gemma’s criticism of vegetarians. Y/N had commented that she was not a vegetarian and didn’t think she would be strong willed enough to be one. She did admit that she couldn’t bring herself to eat veal or lamb though. She had commented that she knew it was stupid as she’d eat the adult versions of cows at least…but she couldn’t get herself to eat lamb nor veal as they were both baby animals. He could remember finding the comment kind of sweet though amusing.

He felt his stomach turn it hitting him she was worried that someone was listening in on the conversation. 

He spoke trying to keep his calm and not fly off the handle at the thought. “Are ya safe, Love? Is anyone following ya? Are ya alone?”

“Yeah, no. You know it. I uh…just ran into someone while I was out…we got to talking as she reminded me of how much a pain lamb is to deal with. I know you know just what to do with lamb. So, I thought I’d call in the expert. I thought I might call Gemma about it…you remember what she told me about lamb back when we met to make those future funeral plans for Clay and her. I figured that you might be the person to go to though.” Y/N remarked still keeping her cool not helping but to feel like a moron for this entire charade.

She had a feeling that Chibs seemed to have caught up on the game though and was intelligent enough to decode what she was trying to say.

He spoke tossing the pool cue he’d been holding down on the table not caring if it scattered the balls and alarmed Juice. “Aye, I’ll be there, Hen. Don’t ya worry Mo ghràidh. I’ll handle the lamb fer ye.”

“Okay, be at my place…I’m headed there now.” She provided saying the remaining words in her head. I love you, Filip.

“Aye, I’ll be there soon.” He replied unaware that she was thinking the same thing he was currently thinking. I love you.

He hung up his cell sending Juice nod as he turned to leave. “Game’s over, Laddie. If Clay asks I’m goin to see my ol lady. Gotta help her with some lamb. Tell Gemma to give me a call. She knows what to do with lamb.”

Juice furrowed his brow as he watched Chibs leave the man not paying him any mind. He spoke to an empty clubhouse completely confused by the interaction. “Lamb?”

—----------------------------------------------

Her lips met his the second he walked in the door.

Chibs let himself into Y/L/N and Sons Funeral Home well past knocking and waiting for someone to allow him entrance.

He’d spent almost every night in the home this past week, so formalites like knocking had been forgotten.

He made his way upstairs nodding to Skeeter, the man giving him only rolled eyes in response.

As soon as Chibs stepped past the sliding door that led him into Y/N’s living quarters her lips met his in a bruising kiss.

He returned the kiss, his hands sliding along her body appreciating the figure he’d been shamefully admiring since their first meeting.

She pulled from his lips reluctantly, her voice sounding frantic now that she was far away from Agent Stahl. “An ATF agent ran into me at the cemetery today. Had some questions for me.”

“Shite, who was it?” Chibs dared to ask, having the feeling he already knew the answer.

Y/N took a deep breath trying to calm her anxieties. “Agent Stahl…fucking bitch tried to push my buttons by asking me about my past…Gunner and some other shit. She was eager to mention your wife…and shit that happened in Belfast. Tried to show me mugshots and your criminal record. She left a freaking file with me and told me to take a look at it so I could learn all about you. She’s trying to make me crack and run my mouth. Pretty sure she thinks that if she makes me afraid of you then I’ll turn and give her enough to go after SAMCRO.”

Chibs clenched his jaw, shaking his head, his hold on Y/N tightening. “What’d ye say?”

“I told her I know nothing about what you were up to in Belfast. I know about your wife and am unbothered by it. I know nothing about SAMCRO. I told her all I do is suck your dick and open your beers…I got pretty graphic on that last detail.”

Chibs smirked at the comment, his hand wandering down her body to give her backside a squeeze he was unable to stop himself. “Aye, ye ain given me that privilege yet, Hen. Probably had to use yer imagination on that one, aye?”

She sighed, shaking her head at the comment though it did make a hint of smile cross her features. “I thought the lewd angle would unnerve her…I have the weirdest sense that it turned her on. Pretty sure I can spot a bisexual from a mile away.”

Chibs rose a brow at the information. He spoke, shaking his head at the comment. “Ye know I would rather hear bout ye gettin a woman hot and bothered if she wasn’t a Fed.”

“I know you would…sadly I’m telling you what I told her…pussy doesn’t do it for me the same way a dick does. I have no interest in muff diving anytime soon, sorry to break your heart.” She commented, not shocked by this line of conversation. He truly was a male through and through.

“Aye, can’t say I’m disappointed…I don’t like sharin.” He remarked, surprising her by the certainty in his voice.

He sighed his hand running up and down her back as he spoke again. “Did ye look at the record? My rap sheet?”

“Not really…She mentioned a bunch of crap you pulled in Belfast. Saw a mugshot of Fiona and you…Stahl loved shoving that in my face. She tried to coax me into looking into the entire file.” Y/N explained noticing the tension in Chibs’ body at the mention of his estranged wife and of Belfast.

He felt his throat grow tight as he spoke again knowing that there was nothing he regretted in that file she was discussing. He had to fear that Y/N might find some things she was not pleased to learn about him…especially during his time with the cause. “Wouldn’t care if ye wanted to look at the entire file…ye probably should know bout the lad yer datin.” 

Y/N spoke so certain of the words that left her. “I know who I’m dating. I’m dating someone who has been so sweet and so protective of me right from the start. I’m dating someone who makes me laugh and as I recall eats me out like his life depends on it…which indicates he’s going to be pretty well versed in doing other things in the bedroom.”

She paused, pressing a kiss to his cheek catching the hitch in his breath at the mention of their bedroom activities. She spoke again, her voice soothing. “I’m dating a man who has known more pain than any human being should ever have to know, but still remains so strong and so compassionate. I’m dating a man who is loyal to his brothers and would do whatever it takes to protect what he believes in. I’m dating a guy who goes above and beyond to look out for me. He rushed all the way over here after I called him ranting about lamb like a nutcase…he offered to kill someone for me because he knows they caused me pain.”

She spotted his hold on her grew tighter at the mention of Gunner. She spoke once again, her lips pressing back to his cheek. “The man I’m dating has listened to me cry over my brother and my father on our first date and didn’t run screaming. He doesn’t care if my job scares the hell out of everyone. He treats me better than I ever believed I deserved. He proves to me each and every day that he wants me to be treated with all the adoration and security on the planet. He makes me feel safer than anyone has ever been capable of making me feel. I know just who I’m dating. I don’t need a criminal record to tell me a thing about him. I know who he is outside of shit he’s done.”

He sighed, his lips sliding along hers relief washing over him. She spoke as she pulled from the kiss her voice soft. “I don’t need a fucking ATF agent to tell me who I’m dating, because I know him better than she ever will.”

She spoke again, her voice firm. “I am not telling her shit. I’m sure it won’t be the last time she tries to press me over this. I know that ATF is up SAMCRO’s collective ass right now. I’m not telling her a thing though Filip.”

“Aye, I know, Hen. I trust ye. Ye did so good, Love. Fuckin gash doesn’ stand a chance with my lass.” Chibs praised her, the comment making Y/N preen somewhat. She was surprised by the feeling. She didn’t think she had a praise kink, but anything was possible.

He pressed a kiss to her lips he fast to speak again. “I want ye to keep tellin her the same thing, Hen. Ye don’t know shite. She ain’ got nothin on ye. She probably thought the fuckin life I was forced from in Belfast was some big secret I was keepin from ye.”

Y/N nodded her head knowing that was exactly what Stahl had been hoping for. She spoke a soft sigh leaving her. “She brought up the empty graves…Kept my story the same as always.”

“That’s my hen. Ye know yer in the clear on that mo ghràidh. Ye’d already be in handcuffs and been carted away if they had shite on that.” Chibs reassured her a sense of comfort washing over at at the words.

She knew he was right. It had been long enough. Lodi had left her alone and she had a feeling the ATF didn’t care about two empty graves when the local P.D. had failed to connect the dots between her, SAMCRO, and those bodies.

She had a feeling the ATF was more interested in the gun running that SAMCRO was secretly engaging in. 

Any pressure Stahl was placing on her was to entice her into slipping up and saying something Chibs had told her in confidence. She knew that the agent was getting nothing from her. 

Y/N would never betray the man she loved no matter how much Stahl irritated her and attempted to intimidate her.

She allowed her lips to slide along Chibs’ , the pair growing lost in the moment. She parted her lips from his knowing that there was only one thing she wanted at this moment that could make this day seem less awful. “I want you to take me to my room and love me so good that I forget all this crap.”

Chibs felt his heart rate increase at the comment, a warm flush of lust spreading throughout him. Was she offering what he hoped? “Aye, is that so? Are ye sure, Hen? Ye want it all?”

She nodded her head stunned at the realization of how badly she wanted this. She pressed her lips to his the kiss feather light before she spoke. “I am so sure. Take me to my room and love me Filip.”

He felt the moan leave his lips as she took his hands in hers leading him from the room to their destination. 

He knew he had every intention of giving her what she was asking for. 

He would give her anything. It was a realization he was quite content with.

[xxshewritesinblacknwhitexx]

A Son’s Destiny

Synopsis: Lena Daniels has been in love with Jax Teller for half of her life. As she finally gains his heart, an old love comes back to Charming and threatens their future. Will Lena be able to handle Tara, and Jax’s steady rise into the President’s chair with SAMCRO?

Pairings:  Jax Teller x Lena Daniels (OC), Jax Teller x Tara Knowles (past, mentioned), Jax Teller x Wendy Case (past)

Time Setting: Seasons 1-7

Warnings:   DARK FIC fluff, angst, unprotected sex (wrap it, before you tap it, folks), pregnancy, miscarriage, insecurities, infidelity, canon SOA violence & gore, STRONG language, drug & alcohol use, lots of taking the LORD’s name in vain, mentions of racism, mentions of rape, and character deaths

Author’s Note:  So, this is my first SOA story.  It is set during the timeline of the entire series, but I’m not going full canon.  There will be things that are actually what happened in the show, but with my own twist, and things that are not show canon.  The narrative is set to fit the story itself.  If you are a Tara Knowles fan, be warned, as this story may not be for you.  Please if you want to be tagged just in time for first chapter, please hit up my ask.  I will gladly tag you all.

Beta: @titty-teetee

➜CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

warnings: mentions of sexual assault, mild threats, gun play

The sounds of blaring sirens, along with their blue and red flashing lights, filled the night air, as Lena watched in a somber silence while an unconscious Chibs was being carted off in the back of an ambulance.  The chaos from the explosion had calmed to a simmer, for the most part, and now it just seemed like everything was moving in slow motion.

Who would do something like this?

Lena didn't even have to question.  She had a strong feeling that this was another act connected to that bastard Ethan Zobelle.  It was as if he was trying to pick off SAMCRO one by one.  Starting with her assault and Gemma's accident.  Apparently, something happened with Big Otto.  Now Chibs.  It would also seem as if Zobelle was succeeding.  Lena knew that this was going drive SAMCRO further into retaliation, and she was scared out of her mind.

"Hey,"

Lena snapped her head up, finding David Hale cautiously approaching her.  Great, just exactly what she needed.

"I already gave my statement, David."  Lena spat, not wanting to deal with this right now.  "I don't have anything else I need to say."

The young Deputy Chief nodded.  "I know.  I just wanted to talk to you."

Lena sighed heavily, avoiding eye contact with Hale.  "I'm really not in a talking mood right now, David."

Hale wasn't going to stop.  "How are you feeling?"

Lena scoffed in irritation.  Of course he wasn't going to leave her alone.  "I'm fine, David."  She huffed.  "I'm just hoping that Chibs—"

Hale immediately cut her off.  "I'm not asking about Chibs, Lena.  Just you."  He stated, but she refused to answer.  "Chief Unser told me that something horrific happened to you a few months ago.  Is it true?"

Lena could feel her resolve crumbling, as a tear slipped down her cheek.  "If I tell you that your boss is a lying sack of shit, would you believe me?"

Hale was quiet for a moment, and he knew it to be true.  "Why didn't you report it, Lena?  We could have—"

Now it was Lena's turn to cut him off.  "David, don't."

"Lena,"

Lena stood from her spot on the bench now face to face with the deputy.  "I said, don't."

Hale released a heavy sigh, eyeing his surroundings, making sure that no one could hear what they were saying.  "If you come in and make a full statement about your assault, we can bring Zobelle and his crew in.  Get justice for Chibs.  For you."

Lena gave an emotionless chuckle.  "You don't give a damn about what happens to SAMCRO, David."

"You're right.  I don't."  Hale spat bitterly.  "But fortunately for them, I'm a cop actually bound by the law."  He stated, waiting a beat, before leaning closer to Lena.  "And I care about what happens to you."

Lena swallowed thickly, watching the Deputy Chief disappear from her sight.

"What was that about?"

Lena quickly wiped the second tear that fell down her cheek, turning to face Gemma, who was now looking at her with curiosity.  "It was nothing."

"Didn't seem like nothing."  Gemma rebutted.  The biker matriarch has known for a while that the Deputy Chief had been sweet on Lena for years.  But she also knew that she didn't have to worry about Lena returning those feelings for the young deputy.

Lena released a heavy sigh, looking Gemma dead in her eyes.  "He knows."

Gemma's demeanor faltered.  "Shit."

"It's a matter of time before Jax finds out."

"Maybe it's time to tell him the truth, Lena."

Jax had been the one against retaliation up until this point.  He knew that this Zobelle guy was smart and somehow always ended up with the upper hand in their fucked up situation.  But now with Chibs being hospitalized for cracking his head open with that car bomb, Jax knew that SAMCRO was going to vote full retaliation on this.  He just needed to find a way to get to Zobelle before Clay did.  It was time that SAMCRO started thinking smarter.

Jax tossed his finished cigarette to the ground just in time to see Hale speaking with Lena.  A little too closely for his liking.  But Jax also knew this wasn't the time or place to deal with that shit.

Jax continued to watch the exchange, as Hale turned to walk away.  It wasn't long before the Deputy Chief started making his way over to him.

"What were you talking to Lena about?"  Was the first thing Jax asked when Hale finally stood in front of him.  "I thought we'd come to an understanding about you being around my Old Lady."

"No, you came to an understanding," Hale huffed, setting his hands on his hips, "I'm just trying to do my job, Teller."  He quickly surveyed the damage done around the garage, before facing his blonde biker nemesis.  "This has Zobelle's name written all over it."

Jax bit his tongue on what he truly wanted to say to Hale, as he realized how he needed to continue to use the Deputy Chief to his advantage.  "Otto, now Chibs.  This guy is really trying to break us."  He then eyed Hale.  "All of us."

Hale looked back at Jax, but then quickly peeped Lena over the blonde biker's shoulder.  A tense feeling set in his gut.  He hated how he was slowly starting to feel sorry for Jax, especially with knowing the gruesome thing that happened to the woman that he knew they both cared about.  Hale wanted Zobelle's head on a platter.  "There's something we got to find on this guy; bring him in."

Jax dug in his pocket to pull out a fresh cigarette, quickly lighting it up.  "He doesn't make mistakes, Hale."  He exhaled a cloud of smoke.  "I was the one who pushed us off retaliation for Otto, but after this, Clay will go at Zobelle full bore.  I got a real bad feeling we'll be walking right into a trap."

Hale never really understood the life of these outlaws.  If you didn't want to retaliate, then don't.  Don't fight violence with more violence.  "Well, then don't play it out."

Jax shook his head, taking another drag of his cigarette.  "Not the way this works.  If someone hurts us, like this, we retaliate.  Plain and simple.  We just have to."

"So, what," Hale began, "that's it?  You're just gonna go running blind off that cliff?"

Jax shrugged, taking one last drag, and tossing his cigarette next to the previously discarded one.  "Maybe not.  I'm thinking if I can get to Zobelle first, I can protect my club."

Hale didn't really like the sound of this.  "And what exactly does happen when you find him?"

"You tell me."  Jax said pointedly.

Hale felt indignant by where this conversation was heading.  "Are you seriously asking me to help SAMCRO?"

Jax gave a humorless chuckle.  "You and I both know that this guy's got some kind of leverage on you.  I say think of this as a self-serving favor."

Hale couldn't believe how right Jax Teller was being.  He couldn't believe that he was going to help these criminals he's hated for so long.  But anything to bring Zobelle down for what he did to Lena, he'd be willing to do.  "Fine, if I go off the grid and help you find this guy, I need you to promise me that you'll hand him over to me alive."

Jax nodded in agreement.  "And what are you gonna do?  It's not like you can arrest him."

I wish I could, Hale thought to himself.  "We can bring him in as a person of interest.  We'll question him for up to 24 hours.  That'll at least give Clay a chance to calm down, maybe get your crew thinking straight."

"A'ight," Jax agreed, "I get to him first, I'll give him directly to you.  Do it by the book."  Jax had never really done anything by the book, but if he was trying to be smart about bringing Zobelle down, this seemed like the way to go.

"Fine," Hale huffed, feeling a bit disappointed that he's voluntarily working with the bad guys, "I'll dig into the cigar shop records, see if I can find his home address."

"And I'm gonna need you to pull Weston's too.  If either of them are a dead end, we can always rattle Darby."  Jax finished, by walking back toward the clubhouse, but stopped and turned to face Hale one last time.  "And just a friendly reminder, Hale.  Stay away from Lena."  He gave him a cheeky grin and continued on.

Lena still had been sitting next to Gemma on the bench, outside of the clubhouse.  She was trying to figure out if Gemma was right or not.  Should she finally come clean and tell Jax about what really happened to her?  She knew the consequences and the effects of what would happen if Jax finally knew the truth.  She still wasn't sure if she was ready to rattle that cage yet.

Or even ever.

It's just this whole thing was starting to get out of hand, and Lena was beginning to feel like she was at fault for the whole thing.

"Sweetheart,"

Lena felt a hand on her shoulder, and she immediately knew that it was Gemma.

"Gemma," Lena turned fully toward Jax's mother, "you of all people should know that if I tell Jax the truth you'd know exactly what would happen?"

"Yeah," Gemma began, "I do."

"Then why even suggest it?"

Gemma sat there for a moment, watching the wheels turn in Lena's head.  "Because, baby, you're carrying this heavy weight, and maybe it's time you should let it go."

Lena never got the chance to say anything else to Gemma, as Jax finally appeared before them.

"Hey, baby," Gemma said, as Jax bent down to kiss her cheek.  "They're waiting for you inside."

Lena casually stood to her feet, when Jax stepped toward her.  He pressed his lips against hers tenderly and pulled her into a tight embrace.

When they pulled apart, Jax immediately noticed the mournful look on Lena's face.  "You okay?"

Lena swallowed thickly, quickly glancing over Jax's shoulder to Gemma.  Maybe she was right.  Maybe it was time to finally come clean to Jax.  This all had to come to an end somehow.

"Uh," Lena began, looking back at Jax, "I," she hesitated for a moment, trying to find the words, "I'm just really sad about Chibs.  I mean, who would do such a thing?"

Lena felt like a failure.  Of course she couldn't do it.  She knew she wasn't ready to tell Jax yet.  She wasn't sure that she would ever be ready.

"We don't know," Jax shrugged, giving her hip a gentle squeeze, "it's probably the same guys who jumped Otto."  He then reached to grab her face in his hands, when he noticed that worry grew deeper.  "Look, I told you, Lee, you don't have to worry about this.  The club will handle it."

Lena sighed heavily, trying to hold back her tears.  This was all starting to become too much.  "I'm just scared, Jax."

Jax knew that something deeper was going on with Lena, but he wasn't able to put his finger on it.  "Hey, you don't have to be scared.  Look, I'm sure that nothing's gonna happen.  We just got to be smart about this —a little more cautious, a'ight?  I'm gonna be okay, babe."  He then pulled her close and kissed her again.  "Why don't you get a ride home with my mom?  I'll get the Prospect to bring your car to the house."

"Okay," Lena nodded in compliance.  Now it was her turn to press her lips against Jax in one last kiss.  "I love you."

Jax gave her a soft smile, kissing her forehead.  "I love you too, babe."

Jax finally let Lena go and made his way into the clubhouse.

The following morning, Lena and Gemma sat in the waiting room of St Thomas, waiting impatiently for any kind of news on Chibs.  Well, Lena was waiting as patiently as she could.  Gemma, on the other hand, was biting her usually perfect nails to the bit.  It was driving Lena insane.

"Okay," Lena spoke, placing a hand on Gemma's shaking knee, "I know you're nervous about Chibs' diagnosis —we all are— but that is kind of grating my nerves."

Gemma's knee stopped shaking, as she turned to look at Lena in shock.  But before the biker matriarch could respond, Lena's heart fell into the pit of her stomach at the sight of Dr. Peters making his way into the waiting room.

"Filip Telford's family?"  The young doctor questioned toward Gemma and Lena, his eyes zeroing in on the latter.

Gemma was the first to stand up, meeting Dr. Peters halfway.  "Yes, we're his family.  How is he?"

Dr. Peters kept his eyes on Lena for a few moments, but then turned his attention to Gemma.  "Mr. Telford is stable, but critical.  Now, he landed on the back of his head and it caused a subdural hematoma.  Which is a large blood clot.  A brain bleed is severe, but if it subsides, it's not life threatening.  For right now all we can do is monitor it."

Lena swallowed thickly, coming to stand up behind Gemma.  "And so what if it gets worse?"  She asked, trying not to focus on the fact that Dr. Peters' presence was a small reminder of that night.

"Then we'll have to go in and relieve that pressure."  Dr. Peterson answered.

"Jesus Christ," Gemma muttered, looking back at Lena and then back to Dr. Peters.  "You mean cut his head open?"

Dr. Peters didn't want to lie to them, but he didn't want to give them false hope either.  "We're hoping that it won't come to that."

"So, are we able to see him?"  Gemma inquired.

Dr. Peters shook his head.  "Not at this time, no.  We want to wait at least the next 24 hours for any visits, and once he's a bit more stable, then we'll have visitation.  But it will be immediate family only."  He explained, looking back and forth between Gemma and Lena, eyes lingering on Lena a little bit longer than he should.  "Anymore questions?"

"No," Gemma stated in a suspicious manner, not missing the way this doctor kept looking at Lena, "we're good for now."

"Well, if you have any more questions, I'm Doctor Peters.  "I'll be the one overlooking this case."  Dr. Peters reached out to shake both Lena and Gemma's hands, before backing out of the room.  "I'll reach out soon to inform you of any updates."

Once Dr. Peters was fully out of their sight, Gemma turned to face her son's Old Lady.  "You want to tell me what that was about?"

Lena feigned innocence, walking over to pick up her discarded purse on the chair she was previously occupying.  "What are you talking about?"

Gemma knew the girl was lying.  "Don't play dumb with me, girly.  What's up with Doctor Handsome making googly eyes at you?"

Lena scoffed at the absurdity.  That definitely was not what he was doing.  "He was not making googly —you know what?  I'm not doing this."  She went to take a step forward, but Gemma blocked her path.  "Seriously, Gemma?"  She released a heavy sigh, knowing that Gemma wasn't going to back down from this.  "Fine.  Doctor Peters was the ER doctor on call the night I was —I wasn't expecting him.  So, I acted out in fear, and I punched him."

"Alright," After a few agonizing moments of silence, Gemma accepted Lena's answer.  "Just making sure."

Lena's brows furrowed in confusion, but decided not to make a fuss about it.  "Well, since we can't see Chibs, and I'm not really up for staying here, can we go?"

"Yeah, that's fine."  Gemma nodding, also walking over to grab her purse.

As the two of them made their way down the halls of St. Thomas, they were immediately stopped in their tracks when they nearly ran into Chief Deputy Hale.  All three of them stood and looked between each other uncomfortably for a few seconds.

"So, how's Chibs?"  Hale was the first to break the awkward silence, but looking straight at Lena.

"Critical."  Lena answered, looking up at David, the feel of nausea bubbled in her stomach.

Hale nodded in her direction, before turning to look at Gemma.  "You got a minute?  I need to talk to you about your accident."

Gemma immediately went on the defensive.  "What about my accident?"

"Well," Hale began, quickly glancing at Lena and then back at Gemma, "I've kind of hit a wall trying to figure out who did this to Chibs.  We all know that Zobelle is somehow connected to all of this.  So, I was actually kind of hoping you would help."

"Me?"  Gemma pointed at herself confused.  "I don't know any more than the guys do."

Hale released a heavy sigh.  "Look, I just want to know if you remember anything else about that night?  Did you see a face or anything?"

"Why are you so interested in helping us?"  Gemma questioned in irritated curiosity.

"I have my reasons."  Was the only thing that David stated, again, quickly looking over at Lena, who was still feeling uncomfortable by this whole interaction.

Gemma looked between both David and Lena, immediately remembering that Lena told her last night that Unser spilled the beans to the Chief Deputy about what happened to Lena.  She then looked back at David.  "Look, when I came to, I do remember seeing someone in my rearview mirror.  It was a girl.  Looked like she was in her 20s.  Cute, blonde —good rack.  It was only for a moment, and then she hopped into her van and left.  That's the most I can remember."

David seemed to be satisfied with that.  "Thank you, Gemma.  And I'm sorry that this happened."  He said looking at Gemma, but they all knew it was meant more for Lena.

As David turned to step away, Gemma stopped him, stepping forward.  "And if you or your cancerous boss tell anyone else about what happened to Lena, I will cut both of your big, soft hearts out."

David nodded, giving Lena one last look.  "Copy that."

It was just a little over an hour later, Gemma and Lena arrived back at Gemma's house.  Once they stepped through the kitchen door, Lena was taken aback by Gemma's white cockatoo just hanging outside of its cage, casually eating, on the kitchen counter.  No matter how many times Lena had been to Gemma's house, that damn bird always freaked her out.

Lena watched in silence, as Gemma moved around her kitchen.  The first thing the queen of bikers did was take her keys, sunglasses, and the gun —yes that gun— setting them all down on the tray by the door.  As she then went on her second task of putting away the groceries they had picked up on the way there, Lena made her way over to the tray and looked down on it.

It was just a little over a week prior that she'd held this gun.  The weight of it felt like a small anvil in the palm of her hand.  That small anvil she had intended on using to end the life of the man who'd hurt her, and how she failed at doing so.

"I hate how I feel so goddamn intimidated by these things."  Lena said, still looking down at the gun, not wanting to touch it.

"When was the last time you even shot one?"  Gemma asked, pulling more items out of her brown grocery bag.

Lena released a shuddered breath.  "Before last week, I hadn't touched one since my mom—" she cut herself off, also not wanting to bring up another tragic event in her life that she wished would just disappear.

Gemma sighed heavily.  "Just wait here."

Lena stood there confused until Gemma returned with two of her old knitting boxes.  Shaking her head, Lena immediately knew exactly what was in those boxes.  And it wasn't any kind of knitting material.  She watched as Gemma set the boxes down on the island in her kitchen and slid open the lids.  Gemma reached inside and pulled out one gun.

"Here."

Lena should have been surprised, but was not when Gemma handed the gun her way.

"No," Lena shoved the gun back toward Gemma, shaking her head.  "Gemma, we've talked about this.  That's not for me."

Gemma clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth.  "If you don't want to be intimidated by them, just hold it.  Test it out."  She handed the gun back to Lena.

Lena looked at the thing warily, sucking in a deep breath.  Slowly, she took the gun from Gemma's grip, holding it in her hands.

"How does it feel?"  Gemma asked, after a couple of seconds of letting Lena get the feel of the weapon.

Lena weighed the gun in her hand, her initial fear starting wear off.  "It's actually not bad.  It's not too heavy either."

"Good," Gemma stated with satisfaction.  "It's a .38.  It'll definitely blow a good hole."

Hearing that Lena wanted to put the gun down and back far away from it.  But she fought all of her instincts.  She then looked over and saw Gemma stuffing some of the other guns and a few boxes of ammo into her purse.

"What are you doing?"  Lena questioned feeling totally confused.

"Well, now that you're getting comfortable holding one," Gemma began, "it's time that you learned how to shoot it."

"Excuse me?"

When Lena thought Gemma meant by learning how to shoot the guns, she thought that they would head maybe to a gun range or at least an open field.  But no, Gemma brought them right over to CaraCara, where they had been shooting at targets of pornstar posters for the last 20 minutes.

Lena was against it at first, but after her first shot, it was almost therapeutic.  Of course, with no training, she'd definitely hit the brick wall of the building multiple times.  This was something that she desperately needed to get her mind off all of the shit that has been going on lately.

As Lena went to pull the trigger, she watched as it hit the brick wall for the umpteeth time.  She sighed in frustration.

"Hey," Gemma called Lena's attention, "you're gripping it too hard.  That's why you're hitting brick, sweetheart."  She then walked over to Lena, standing behind her.  She quickly aided Lena on what to do next.  "Now, what you want to do is, hold it firm, but let it breathe."  Lena did as told, releasing a deep breath.  "Good, now, put the sight on what you want dead," she helped aimed toward the target taped on the wall, "then take a deep breath. And..."

This time when Lena pulled the trigger, it didn't necessarily hit the bullseye of the pornstar's head, but she definitely popped a hole in those plastic titties.

"Much better."  Gemma complimented Lena, as she went to change out the target for a new one.

At that moment, a white Mercedes Benz pulled into the parking lot.  Rolling her eyes, Lena knew exactly who this car belonged to.  She was proven to be correct when a certain bleached blonde stepped out of the vehicle.

Just as Lena noticed it was Ima in the car, Ima noticed that it was Lena standing there.  The blonde just glared Lena's way.

...now put the sight on what you want dead...

Lena gave the little skanky porn slut a smirk, slowly raising the gun and aiming it toward her.  Spooked, Ima quickly grabbed the rest of her things and bolted for the inside of the studio.

"That was actually kind of fun."  Lena commented, the feeling of satisfaction stirring in the pit of her stomach.

Gemma chuckled softly, now standing behind Lena.  "Well, then you're going to love this."

Lena was curious as to what Gemma meant by that until the biker matriarch shot out the back tire of Ima's car.

Lena, enjoying watching that, took her stance, raising her gun.  She quickly remembered what Gemma told her about the firm holding, sight setting, and deep breaths.  Finger on the trigger, Lena pressed it back slowly.  She will never not get over the heavy kickback she felt after pulling the trigger, but was happy to hear the sounds of the three bullets she put in the passenger side door of Ima's car.

"Thank you so much  for reaching out, doctor Peters.  I appreciate it."  Lena spoke into her phone, as she sat outside of the clubhouse.  Snapping her phone shut, she looked up just in time to see Jax pulling into the parking lot.

Lena quickly stood to her feet and shoved her phone into her back pocket.  She met up with her Old Man just as he was hopping off his bike.

"I just got a call from St. Thomas."  Lena spoke, now standing face to face with Jax.

"Oh yeah?"  Jax questioned, setting his helmet on the handle of his bike.  "How's Chibs doing?"

"The bleeding stopped."  Lena began, explaining to Jax what she was just told.  "He's still critical, but they're saying if it holds, he'll be out of the woods."

A moment of relief flushed through Jax's gut.  "That's great.  Thank you for keeping up with this."  He then reached out to softly caress her cheek.  "I know you're probably still freaked out, and I'm sorry about all of this.  I'm telling you as much as I know."

Lena nodded, stepping forward and throwing her arms around Jax's neck.  "I know.  I get it."  She stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him softly.  "I am a little freaked out, but I know that things will start to ease up soon."

"Yeah, it will."  Jax reiterated, leaning to press his mouth back to hers.  "I, uh, got a call from Luann. Apparently, there was some sort of firearm incident at CaraCara."

"Really?" Lena questioned in an innocent, cheeky tone.

Jax gave her a knowing smirk, before leaning forward and capturing her lips in another kiss.  "Do I have to put you and my mom in a timeout?"

Lena gave a small giggle, stretching to kiss him again. Jax returned the kiss, cupping her face in his hands.

"I love you."  Jax told her, the moment they pulled apart.

"Well you should, Teller."  Lena teased, kissing him once more.

The moment their kiss deepened, the sound of two roaring bikes, driving into the Teller-Morrow parking lot, caused the two of them to break apart.

Lena sighed desolately, watching as Tig and Opie pulled their bikes into their respective parking spots.  She knew that time with her man was probably over for the day.

"I guess you're gonna be needed, VP."  Lena looked up at Jax, tenderly patting the Vice President's patch on his kutte.  When Jax didn't answer her, she quickly noticed that he was looking over at Opie and Tig, who hadn't even acknowledged his presence.  The two of them just headed directly into the clubhouse.  "What was that about?"

Jax shook his head, turning his focus back on Lena.  "Shit's just stressing everyone out, babe."  He then popped one last quick kiss on her lips.  "Keep me updated about Chibs, yeah?"

Lena nodded, pulling away from Jax.  "Yeah, you'll know when I know.  Be careful, okay?"  She told him, heading toward her Mustang.

Later on that evening, Lena hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep waiting for Jax to come home, when the sound of her buzzing cell phone woke her.  Peering over at the alarm clock, she noticed that it was going on 3 o'clock in the morning.  The buzzing continued until she reached over and picked it up.  Propping it open, she saw that Gemma's name was flashing across the screen.

Lena's brows furrowed in confusion as to why Gemma would be calling this late.  "Hello," she answered groggily.

"Hey, baby," Gemma said, and Lena could tell the queen of bikers sounded stressed by the tone in her voice.

"Hey, Gemma," Lena yawned, sitting further up in the bed, looking over at Jax's empty spot on the bed.  He should have been home by now.  "Is everything okay?"

"Not in the slightest."  Gemma spat.

"What's going on?"  Worry now sat in the pit of Lena's gut.  What could have possibly gone wrong now?

Lena heard as Gemma released a heavy sigh, waiting a beat, before finally blurting out, "the boys got arrested."

TAGGED: @mrs-jax-teller​ @gemini0410​ @notokay16​ @notmysinsagain @rosey1981​ @kiss-my-peachy-arse @queenoftheworldisdead​ @freepandapanda  @witching-hour​

[buckyscrystalqueen]

Stepping Up: Part 6

Pairings: Chibs x Reader

Warnings: Swearing, murder (sort-a canon but reader did warn the bitch...), angry followers that have waited entirely too long for this part? Oh, and fluff

Word Count: 2,840

A/N: This is the long awaited finale!!! Enjoy!

Stepping Up Masterlist   Aesthetic by @ravenangel33​

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Did she think I was kidding?” You asked more to yourself than of your step-daughter. Kerrianne shook her head and shrugged as the two of you watched Tara turn down the end of one of the isles in the grocery store and head toward the other.

“Wha’ does tha’ mean?” She asked as you made your way down the isle Tara had just left. You glanced down at your sleeping two week old son before looking over at Kerrianne.

“Call your da. Tell him he needs to come get you and Kellan.” With a small nod of her head, Kerrianne pulled out her phone and headed toward the front of the store. It was only a matter of minutes when a firm hand grabbed your arm and spun you around.

“I told ye ta stay ‘ome.” Your brow furrowed as you looked at Chibs, Opie and Happy.

“What? No, just take the kids…” He shook his head as he grabbed the handle of the car seat and your purse and spun you around.

“It’ll be taken care of, love.” He said as he pulled you toward him. You stumbled over your feet as you looked back at where Tara had been, only to find an empty corner instead. Rage filled your veins as you tried to pull yourself out of Chibs’ grip only to have Opie grabs your other arm and practically lift you off the ground. You scowled as Chibs grabbed your keys out of your bag and unlocked your car.

“Chibs…” You tried as Opie pulled open the passenger side door and gently pushed you toward it.

“(Y/N). Get in the car.” You looked over at Chibs and your stomach turned. His face read anger unlike any you had ever seen before but a hint of fear danced in his brown eyes. You smarted as his eyes met yours and he shook his head. “Don’. I’ve it.” You nodded and got into the car as he gestured to his oldest daughter to get in. You didn’t fight it anymore as Opie headed over to his bike as Chibs put Kellan’s carseat in the car. He wordlessly got into the drivers seat and signaled to Opie as he started the car.

“We’re meetin’ Jax an’ Kelsi at the club.” He said as he backed out of the parking spot. “None a ye’r to leave the damn club’ouse, ye ‘ear me?” You glanced over at him and nodded as he pulled into traffic and left the grocery store. You wanted to ask what was going on but you were almost afraid to. You understood the anger he felt but the fear.

“Kerrianne, take yer broth’a and sist’a to the room.” You glanced back at your step-daughter as Chibs pulled into the Teller-Morrow parking lot. Kerrianne nodded as he parked next to Jax’s truck. Chibs didn’t move out of the driver’s seat once he parked until Kerrianne had shut the door behind her and Kellan.

“We’ve known where she was this whole time.” He said with a sigh as he glanced around. “We’ve been waitin’ for a good time for ‘ap ta take ‘er out…” Your brow furrowed as you looked over at him.

“Why didn’t you…”

“‘cause I can’t lose ye too.” He said a little too loudly as he reached over and grabbed your hand. “Why do ye think I’ve done all the shoppin’ eh? Why do ye think Kerrianne always needs yer help with her ‘omework when yer not wit’ the baby, eh? ‘Cause I knew if ye’d seen that gash, ye’d go afta ‘er.”

“But I didn’t…” You chimed in and he squeezed your hands.

“But ye would’ve. If ye’d not ‘ad the kids, ye would’ve. Ye would’ve an’ I would’a lost ye.” He leaned forward and firmly grabbed your chin. “I told ye I’d take care of ye and our bairns. I will take care of this. But ye need ta trust me, love.” You nodded in his hand as he thumbed your bottom lip. “Now, ‘opef’ly ye didn’t ruin this shite.” He said as he turned and shut off the car.

“Wait, ruin what?” He shook his head as he grabbed the diaper bag between the two front seats.

“The less ye know, the betta. Ye’r ta stay ‘ere. Catch up wit’ work an’ do NOT leave, ye ‘ear?” You nodded at him as he opened the driver side door and got out of the car. With a heavy sigh, you headed into the club house for your own version of a lock down.

~~~~~~~~~

“(Y/N)?” You glanced up from your computer to look at Wayne Unser, marking your place in your books with your pen. You cocked your eyebrow at him as he leaned against the door frame.

“What’s up, Wayne?” You asked as you leaned back in your chair and crossed your arms over your chest. He heaved a sigh as he glanced back at the guys in the club house.

“Look, (Y/N)… I gotta… I gotta take you in for questioning.” Your eyebrows shot to your hairline as you sat up a little straighter.

“Why do you need to take me in for questioning?” You both looked over at the sound of Kelsi’s sudden screams and watched as Jax and Chibs were placed calmly into cuffs. Gemma went over and picked up Kelsi as Wayne looked back at you.

“The cuffs are just a precaution. Tara Knowles was found dead this morning off route nine.” You tilted your head to the side as you stood up and shrugged.

“Can’t say that I’m sorry. But I’ve been here for three days catching up on work I missed when I was having my son. And I’m sure both Jax and Chibs asked for lawyers, right?” Wayne sighed as he pushed off the door and gestured you forward.

“Let’s go, (Y/N).” He said calmly. As you walked out the door to your office, Gemma came over with Kelsi.

“You be good for mamaw, you hear me. Help her with Kellan so Kerrianne can study. Mommy, da, and daddy will be home soon.” Kelsi nodded and sniffled as she reached for you. Wayne didn’t stop you from taking her from Gemma’s arms.

“I eat all my veg’bles for mamaw, mommy. I pwomise.” Tears welled in your eyes as you nodded and kissed her head.

“I know you will, baby. I know you will.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Look, we know you had issues with her!” Hale shouted at you as he laid the photos of Tara’s body and her blood dappled, abandoned, battered car that Happy had purposely left to let her death land on any and all of the MC’s equally on the table in front of you. You showed zero emotion, just like Chibs and Jax had had your lawyer pass on to you as the officer jabbed his finger into the photo on the table. “I know you’re responsible for this. Now, what happened?!” You looked up at him and gently pushed the photos back at him.

“For the last time, I have been at the clubhouse for three days. As anyone who has gone through there…”

“Oh, because I’m gunna trust a bunch of drug dealing low-lifes.” You cocked your eyebrow and sat back in your chair, following Chibs’ directions to a ’t’.

“Don’ show any sort of emotion. Don’ answer any questions. Don’ give more detail than necessary. Don’ let ‘im break or trick ye. Don’ rat.”

Hale glared at you as he waited for some sort of response. You know he wasn’t mad at you, per say, just that he couldn’t pin the murder on SAMCRO like he wanted to. You couldn’t stop the yawn that crept up your throat; after five hours of sitting in the too cold interrogation room, your breasts ached and needed to be pumped, your ass went numb hours ago and your legs were starting to follow suit. Your back ached, your head throbbed and you were starving. You just wanted to go to home to your babies.

“Got nothing to say?” He snapped as you stretched your legs out under the table and crossed your arms, just waiting for him to just let you go. You nodded and yawned again.

“My butt is numb.” You said as you looked over at Ally Lowen, the club’s lawyer. She stifled a giggle as you laid your head on your shoulder. You looked up at David through your lashes and sighed. “Are we done here? I have kids to get into bed.” He scowled and shook his head as he grabbed the file off the table, leaving the pictures behind.

“No, I have 19 more hours with you.” You heaved a sigh as Ally got up to follow Hale out a second before Unser walked into the room.

“Don’t leave town. Go home, (Y/N).” You flew out of your seat and walked toward the door as Hale began to loudly protest.

“Are you letting either of the fathers of my kids go tonight?” You asked as you stepped out the door of the interrogation room. Wayne looked at you with a sad face and shook his head.

“They’re the main two suspects so we’re holding them over night.” You nodded as you looked over at Hale and pointed at your none existent watch.

“Well, then I’ll see you in 19 hours, dick.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What the hell happened?” You asked Happy as you nursed Kellan with Kelsi fast asleep across the bed using your thigh as a pillow. Happy glanced over at Kerrianne, who was sitting at the desk in Chibs’ old room, working on her homework with headphones on, before looking back at you.

“It was handled. That’s all that matters.” You nodded as you absentmindedly ran your fingers through your daughter’s hair.

“Are they gunna get hooked up for this?” Happy shook his head as he glanced at Kerrianne again.

“No.” He sighed as he looked back at your sleeping daughter and your finally peaceful son. He shook his head and met your eyes, not comfortable with sharing his methods with anyone.

“I never leave evidence.” He growled lowly as he lifted the bottom of his shirt to show you the smiley faces on his stomach. “Never once. It’s just a smoke screen to try to get answers. But I can assure you, it won’t fall back onto them at all.” You nodded to him as he pat your leg and stood up. “Get these babies to sleep. They’ll be home tomorrow.” You nodded at him as he headed to the door, sparing a tight lipped smile as he went out into the hall and pulled the door closed behind him.

“Is my da gon’ be a’right?” Kerrianne asked as she dropped her pencil in her text book and turned around to look at you. You nodded at her as you picked up a now sleeping Kellan and rested him on your chest.

“You, missy, were not supposed to be listening to that.” She blushed slightly as she moved over to the bed with tears in her eyes. “Oh honey, come here.” You stretched your arm out and pulled her toward you. You cradled her head to your shoulder as her tears soaked through your shirt and she bunched the bottom of your shirt in her fists.

“I can’ lose ‘em both.” She sobbed. You shook your head as you brushed your hand through her hair.

“You won’t baby. Your dad is going to be home tomorrow, I promise.” She nodded weakly as you gently pushed her back so you could look at her. “I promise you, that you will never, ever be alone again. If you’re not with your dad, you will be with me or Gemma. We will never, ever abandon you.” She nodded as you reached up with your free hand and wiped her tears away. With a weak smile you gestured to the bed on the other side of Kelsi. “You want her feet or her fists?” Kerrianne huffed a laugh as she wiped the rest of her tears off her cheeks.

“She’s not so ba’ when she sleeps wit’ me.” You nodded as she got up from the bed and walked around to the other side. She effortlessly lifted Kelsi up as she kicked off her shoes and you pulled back the blanket for all of you. With a quick adjust of your shirt, the four of you laid down on the queen sized bed in Chibs’ old dorm room to try to get any sort of sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have thirty minutes, (Y/N).” Hale said as you stormed into the police station the next day. You scowled as you tried to walk past him to go to Unser’s office but he jumped up and stood in front of you. “You can’t go back there.”

“David, move.” You stepped to the side to go around him but he moved in front of you again.

“You can’t go back there.” You popped your hip out to the side and glared at him as you gestured to the back of the station.

“You have had them for twenty-four hours! Let them come home to their kids!”

“I have half an hour to hold…” He countered loudly.

“Oh, hold this!” You shouted as you lewdly grabbed your crotch.

“Did you just proposition a deputy police officer?” He snapped at you and for a moment, you felt like you were fighting with him in the hallways of your high school again.

“Eww, you fucking wish, Hale.”

“Whoa! Whoa!” You both looked over as Wayne walked out of his office and looked at the two of you. He stuck his hands out to the side and looked at you like you were insane. “What are you doing?”

“I have two girls that cried themselves to sleep because they missed their daddies. You let them out of here, Wayne.” He scoffed as he and Hale exchanged a look.

“(Y/N), we’re holding them on suspicion of murder. We are still…”

“Listen here.” You interrupted as you side stepped around David and a few steps closer to where the holding cells were. By this point, the entire Charming police department was staring at you.

“I have never, ever been a pain in the ass to you guys. I was the good Teller kid, remember? But when you have to look a four year old in the eye and tell them that ‘no, da can’t make pancakes this morning’ because someone is trying to pin a murder they didn’t commit on him, you get a little ticked off. And then when you have to explain to that same four year old that, ‘no, daddy and da can’t come to father/ daughter day at daycare’, you sort of lose a bit of your soul. Now, you let them out of those cells or so help me, I will annoy the fuck out of all of you for the next thirty minutes until the hold is up.” You felt a little bad using your daughter as a pawn (since Kelsi was perfectly content with Gemma’s chocolate chip waffles and didn’t have father/ daughter day at a daycare she didn’t attend) but your stomach was in knots at the idea that Chibs and Jax were trapped in holding cells all night for something they really didn’t do.

“(Y/N)… I can’t…” Wayne started to say but he was quickly cut off by the first song you could think of. As loudly and as obnoxiously as you could, you sat down on the ground and began scream singing the chorus of ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen, a song you absolutely despised but knew like the back of your hand. Unser lasted all of three lines. 

“Alright!” He screamed over you, causing you to stop immediately. You could head Chibs’ and Jax’s laughter all the way from the back of the police station as you stood up once more with a smile. “Let ‘em go! Jesus, just get her out of here.”

“Thank you, Wayne.” You said sweetly as you headed out of the front door of the police station to wait for your men. You made it through half a cigarette before Jax and Chibs strolled out, immediately bursting into laughter when they saw you.

“I’ve never loved that song more than I do right now.” Jax said as he jumped over the railing and headed toward the back seat of your car.

“Tha’ was priceless, luv.” You giggled and gave him a chaste kiss.

“Figured if it would torture you and me, I could put it to use and torture someone else with it, too.” You handed him the car keys as you got into the passenger seat and waited until you were off the police station property before inquiring. “So everything, good?” Both men nodded as Chibs glanced over at you with a smile.

“’t’is, my luv. Now there’s nothin’ standin’ in the way of our happily eva afta.”

[drabbles-mc]

Drabbles-MC: David Hale Fics

Fic list under the cut!

David Hale x Grace Teller AU

- State of Grace:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

- Got Your Back

Other David Hale Fics

- Try Enjoying It (David Hale x Tara Knowles)

[xxshewritesinblacknwhitexx]

A Son’s Destiny

Synopsis: Lena Daniels has been in love with Jax Teller for half of her life. As she finally gains his heart, an old love comes back to Charming and threatens their future. Will Lena be able to handle Tara, and Jax’s steady rise into the President’s chair with SAMCRO?

Pairings:  Jax Teller x Lena Daniels (OC), Jax Teller x Tara Knowles (past, mentioned), Jax Teller x Wendy Case (past)

Time Setting: Seasons 1-7

Warnings:   DARK FIC fluff, angst, unprotected sex (wrap it, before you tap it, folks), pregnancy, miscarriage, insecurities, infidelity, canon SOA violence & gore, STRONG language, drug & alcohol use, lots of taking the LORD’s name in vain, mentions of racism, mentions of rape, and character deaths

Author’s Note:  So, this is my first SOA story.  It is set during the timeline of the entire series, but I’m not going full canon.  There will be things that are actually what happened in the show, but with my own twist, and things that are not show canon.  The narrative is set to fit the story itself.  If you are a Tara Knowles fan, be warned, as this story may not be for you.  Please if you want to be tagged just in time for first chapter, please hit up my ask.  I will gladly tag you all.

WARNING:  THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL

CHAPTER 11

Deputy Chief David Hale casually made his way out of a local diner the following morning.  He was carrying a bag of his favorite breakfast treats in one hand and holding a cup of black coffee in the other.  This was his routine at least three times a week.  The coffee Chief Wayne Unser would make at the station was absolutely horrid, and sometimes David hated the vending machine options.  So, every other morning, he would find himself treating himself to some morning goodness.

As David continued to walk to his jeep, his mind kept replaying the events from last night like some cruel joke.  He was having a nice dinner with the woman he’s crushed on since forever, only for his big mouth to ruin everything.

Of course he had to bring up Jax Teller and SAMCRO, and of course, Lena just had to go and defend them like they weren’t a bunch of criminals.  SAMCRO was the reason that David decided to join the police academy in the first place.  He was tired of them always getting away with murder, literally.  He also knew that they had Unser in their back pocket, to help keep all of their dirt covered up.  David never wanted to wish ill on anyone, but Unser’s cancer diagnosis was like a blessing in disguise.  The Chief only had a few more months left, and then he was to retire.  And when he did, David, would be happy to take his place; to finally take SAMCRO down for good.

On the other hand, David also wished that he could go back in time, and tell himself to shut the fuck up sometimes.  But Jax Teller would always remain a thorn in his side.

And speaking of the outlaw biker…

David finally approached his jeep, that was parked curbside, when the sound of a familiar motorcycle pulling up caught his attention.  The Chief Deputy rolled his eyes in annoyance, as he watched his blonde biker nemesis quickly hop off his bike and confidently make his way up to him.

“Something I can do for you, Teller?”  David bitterly questioned.

Jax gave a sarcastic chuckle, staring straight at David.  “You and I need to have a chat, Deputy.”

“About?”

“You know exactly what this is about.”  Jax spat in agitation.  “Why were you at Lena’s place last night?  Harassing her?  Trying to get her to rat on me and my club?”

Now it was David’s turn to chuckle, as he stood toe to toe with the prince of Charming.  “You think I was there to harass Lena?  Well, Teller, clearly you’re mistaken.  What I do with Lena Daniels is none of your concern.”

Jax’s jaw ticked in anger.  “It is my concern when she’s my Old Lady.”

“Well, word around town is that’s not the case anymore.”  David spat with a smug smile.  “Lena can see whoever she wants to, she’s not some property you own.”

Jax could feel the anger radiating off of his skin.  It took everything, but the wrath of God, to stop him from knocking the Deputy Chief to the pavement.  The club was already in hot water as it is, and him going to jail wasn’t going to help the situation.  “You know what, Hale?  You’re biting off way more than you can chew.  Keep pushing my buttons.”

David placed his hands on his hips in a defensive stance.  “Are you threatening me, Teller?”

Jax took a deep breath, exhaling slowly to calm his nerves.  He then looked David straight in his eyes, again, smirking.  “This is your first and last warning, Hale.  Stay…away…from Lena or you’ll find out if I’m really threatening you.”  Was the last thing Jax said, before stalking back off to his bike.

As Jax quickly hopped on, he looked back at Hale for a few more seconds.  Once he established ground, he then kicked started the bike, backing out, and driving down the street.

It didn’t take Jax long before he found himself pulling his bike into the driveway of his best friend’s home.  After Donna’s funeral, Opie had taken off on his own, leaving his kids in the care of Piney and Mary.

Jax knew that his best friend needed the time to come to terms with what happened to Donna, but he was happy that he was finally home.  Although, what Opie was coming home to was just more tragedy.

Jax knew, or had a very high suspicion of, the real person who was responsible for his best friend’s wife’s death.  When it came back that the Niners were not involved with Donna’s death, that suspicion lead to Jax’s own step father, Clay Morrow.  

After a tip, ironically, from Deputy Chief David Hale, Stahl had set up Opie to look like a rat in SAMCRO’s eyes.  That was when Jax realized that it was highly likely that SAMCRO was involved with Donna’s murder.  Jax confronted Clay, but of course, Clay denied having any involvement.  That still didn’t change Jax’s mind.  He knew for a fact that both Clay and his right man, Tig, were the culprits.

Now was hard part of Jax coming clean and telling his best friend the truth or protecting the club.

Jax sighed heavily, hopping off of his bike and setting his helmet on the handle.  He then removed his sunglasses, as he casually made his way up the rest of the driveway and into the garage where he finally spotted Opie, who had met him halfway.  The two embraced in a brotherly hug.

“It’s good to see you, brother.”

Jax pulled away from his best friend.  “How was the walkabout?”

Opie gave him a nonchalant shrug, looking down at his shuffling feet.  “I’m doing okay.”

Jax then in turn gave Opie a smile, before looking over his shoulder and noticing that Opie was starting a new bike project.  “What’s this?”  He nodded, making his way over to the table and found himself surprised by what he saw.  “Holy shit.  Panhead EG.  63?”

“65.”  Opie corrected, also making his way over.

“Where the hell did you find it?”  Jax questioned, still in awe.

“CHP pulled me over,” Opie began, “in Ukiah.”  He folded his arms across his chest.  “Started bullshittin’ with me.  They turned me on to this parts guy.”  He then pointed to the unfinished bike.  “Electra Glide was just rotting behind some garbage.  It’s all there—stock.”

Jax nodded.  “That’ll keep you busy.”

“That’s the plan.”  Opie countered firmly.

Things get quiet for a second, before Jax finally stated, “I missed you, bro.”

Now it was Opie’s turn to nod.  “How’s everything going?  How’s Lena doing?  I forgot to thank her for the help with the kids, Donna’s funeral, and shit.”  Opie questioned, as Jax sighed heavily at the mention of his ex’s name.  “What?  What’d I miss?”  The taller biker’s brows furrowed in confusion.

Jax took a seat on the table, pushing his hair back.  “I fucked up, Ope.”

“What do you mean?”

Jax then looked up at his best friend.  “Tara.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Jax.”  Opie exasperated, immediately knowing what happened.  “How did Lena take it?”

Jax shook his head, staring ahead of himself.  “Not good.  The day of Donna’s funeral, she ended us.”

“And how does Tara fit into all of this?”

“She doesn’t.”  Jax spat.  “It was a stupid fucking mistake that I didn’t realize until after it happened.”

“So, what are you gonna do now?”

“What can I do, Ope?”  Jax questioned, standing to his feet again.  “Lee, won’t even talk to me.  And if she does, she’s seriously pissed.  Like I could blame her anyway.”  

 “You’ll figure it out.”  Opie reassured his best friend.  “So, aside from your chaotic love life, how’s everything else been going?”

Now it was Jax’s turn to shrug, still not sure he should spill the truth to Opie.  “You know, gettin’ it done.  Made a new deal with the Irish.  Gonna run handguns up the coast till the ATF heat dies down.”

Opie’s brows furrowed again, in confusion.  “What does that do for business?”

“We keep supplying Oakland.”  Jax stated simply.  We just need to figure out who that supply goes to.”

“Retaliation.”  Opie said, placing all the pieces together.

“Yeah.”  Jax nodded once more.  “We’re sitting down to figure it out…waited until you got back.”

And before Opie could respond, the boys were interrupted by Opie’s mother, Mary, as she waltzed her way into the garage.  “Hey, Jax.”

“Hey, Mary.”  Jax replied, giving his best friend’s mother a hug.

“He’s too skinny, right?”  Mary pointed at her son, who turned away from her in embarrassment.

“Yeah, well, we’ll beef him up.”  Jax joked, reaching over to playfully backslap Opie’s stomach.

“Kids will be so glad to see you.”  Mary told her son sympathetically.

Jax noticed that his best friend had trouble making eye contact with Mary.  He could see the pain written across Opie’s face.  Even though he was trying to hide it.

“I got some things to take care of.”  Opie brushed off, finally looking at his mother.  “You mind picking them up from school, ma?”

“We can wait, man.”  Jax stepped in, knowing why Opie was avoiding seeing his kids.

Opie shook his head dismissively.  “No.  I’ll see the kids later, ma.”  He kissed his mom on the cheek and turned to Jax.  “See you at the clubhouse.”  He gave Jax’s arm a quick pat, before stalking off.

Jax sighed deeply, watching Opie walk away, shoving his hands into his jean pockets.  He then turned to look at Mary, seeing the desolate look across her face.  “Ope loves his kids.”  He reassured her.  “We all just got to give him a minute.”

Mary nodded in agreement, reaching out to give Jax’s arm a small squeeze.  “Take care of him, Jax.”

“Yeah.”  Jax said, also making himself scarce from the Winston household.

Lena sighed heavily, making her way out of another place, angrily crossing a line through their wanted ad in the newspaper.  Since leaving her job at the clubhouse, Lena was trying to catch up on finding work, so she could afford the important things in life.  Like food and shelter.  She had been out all morning just looking for any kind of work, but everywhere she went was just a string of disappointments.  

Lena was thisclose to calling up Luann and finally accepting her offer.  But she didn’t think she was that desperate.

Yet…

Lena was just about to make her way into the local diner on Main St, when she immediately spotted David Hale storming his way out of said diner in obvious anger.  She knew she shouldn’t bother, considering what went down between them last night, but curiosity and a bit of concern got the best of her.

Against her better judgement, Lena followed Hale all the way back to his jeep.

“David?”  Lena called out, stopping him in his tracks.

The young Deputy Chief turned around and saw that Lena was approaching him.

“Are you okay?”  Lena questioned.

“I’m fine, Lena.  Is there something I can help you with?”  David quickly snapped at his long time crush in irritation.

“Nothing.”  Lena could tell that David was still pissed from last night, and whatever happened in that diner, so she just decided to leave well enough alone and continue on about her business.

David sighed heavily, feeling bad for snapping at Lena that way.  “Lena,” he called out to her, now stopping her in her tracks.  “I’m sorry.”

Lena slowly turned back around to face the Deputy Chief.  “I know you’re probably still mad about what happened between us last night, but it looked like you were upset about something else when you stormed out of the diner.  I just wanted to know if you were okay.”

David nodded, starting to feel calm in Lena’s presence.  “Yeah, I’m fine.  What are you doing out here?”

Lena released a deep breath.  “Well, since SAMCRO no longer supplies my checks, I’m job hunting.”  She held up the newspaper in her hands.

“Speaking of SAMCRO,”  David began.  “I had a little run in with your biker ex this morning.”

Lena’s brows furrowed in confusion, as she felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach at the mention of her ex.  “Jax?  Why?”

“What do you think?”  David questioned.  “Apparently, he knew that I was at your house last night and tried to intimidate me.  He was basically marking his territory.”

“That didn’t last long.”  Lena muttered to herself, feeling kind of relieved that she wasn’t going crazy when she thought she heard Jax’s bike last night.  But she was also feeling a bit annoyed that her ex was reneging on what he told her he’d do.  “Listen, David, whatever Jax is trying to do, don’t—”

David immediately cut her off.  “Jax Teller doesn’t scare me, Lena.”

“I never said he did.”  Lena countered.

Things are silent between the two for a few, before Deputy Chief spoke up again.  “Look, I know that you and I have very differing opinions on the situation, but I just…can you please just be careful?”

“Be careful of Jax?”  Lena questioned in uncertainty.  She knew something other than Jax Teller and the Sons was plaguing his mind.

“Not just Jax.”  David began, looking at Lena knowing that there was something else aside from SAMCRO that was starting to brew in Charming.  “I know this town is a little bit backwards at times, but there are some new players in town that you should be wary of.”  He said, thinking about the real reason he had stormed out of the diner from the disastrous lunch he had with his brother and the League of American Nationalists or so they called themselves.

David only saw them as white hate.

“Wary how?”  Lena was definitely confused on what David was trying to get at.  She could see that he was struggling for her sake to not say too much.  “What more enemies for SAMCRO?”

“Possibly, yeah.”  David said.  “But they are not fond of, and I say this with the least bit of offense, people like you.”

“People like me?”  Lena still questioned, as she was becoming annoyed with David’s cryptic talk.  “What, like as in a woman?”  She questioned, and David shook his head, looking down at his shuffling feet.  Lena finally caught on.  “You mean as in a black woman?”

David nodded.

Lena then gave a dry chuckle, hating this town a little bit more.  Although, Lena was of mixed race and grew up mostly around white people, she never questioned who she was.  If her mother taught her one thing; it was to love herself for the skin she was in.  Lena was proud to call herself a black woman in a town that had less than 10% of people of color.  Black and non-black included.  She had dealt with racism in the past.  Being one of two of the only black girls going to her high school.  Then a few years back, she had a short-lived face to face encounter with Ernest Darby and his group of neo-Nazi dickheads.  Jax quickly shut that down, and Darby never came near her again.

Now, they were about to be dealing with this crap again.

“Lena,” David spoke, breaking Lena of her thoughts, “just—I don’t know how many times I have to tell you this, but just look out for yourself, okay?  And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”

Lena nodded, still trying to process this.  “Yeah, I will.  Thank you.”

“I’ve, uh, got to head back to the station.  You need a ride anywhere?”

Lena shook her head at David’s gesture.  “No, I’m okay.  My car is parked across the street.”

Jax pulled his bike up the driveway to Lena’s house, just as her Mustang arrived.  He watched, as Lena hopped out of her car, before shutting off his engine.  He then hopped off his bike and made his way to her.

Lena immediately turned to see her ex approaching her.  “Jax, what are you doing here?”

Lena’s ex just shrugged.  “I was just in the neighborhood, and I just wanted to stop by and check on you.”

“You were just in the neighborhood?”  Lena eyed him warily.

“Yeah.”  Jax nodded.

Lena still looked her ex up and down with weariness in her eyes.  Something was definitely off about him.

“What’s the matter?  Did something happen?”  Lena questioned, hating herself a bit for still caring.

Jax swallowed hard, looking straight at Lena.  “Can we talk?”

“Jax…”  That was the last thing that Lena wanted to do.  She needed a clean break from him, but it seemed like he wanted to make this hard for her.  “If this is about David—“

Jax quickly cut her off.  “No, it’s not about Hale.  I made sure that he already knows the deal.”  And before Lena could protest, he spoke up again.  “I just really want to talk to you.  Please.”  He pleaded.

Lena silently cursed at the pull in her heart, before turning heel and making her way up the rest of her driveway to her front door.  She knew that Jax was following behind her.  Once she opened the door, Lena settled her things on the table in the foyer and continuing to walk toward the living room.  Jax closed the door behind himself and still continued to trail Lena’s tracks.

Jax then found himself dropping onto her familiar ratty sofa, before watching Lena walk into her kitchen.  She returned just a few short minutes later with a bottle of beer in one hand and a bottle of water in the other.  She gave him the beer, and he silently thanked her.  She then joined him on the opposite side of the couch.

Jax took a casual sip of his beer, just staring at Lena.  He knew how much he had missed her, but seeing her now made his heart explode with want and need for her.  She was so goddamn beautiful and if he had the chance, he’d take back that night in a heartbeat.

“You really look good, Lee,” Jax began, taking another sip of his beer.

“Jax,” Lena exasperated, not wanting to tread unchartered waters with her ex.  But God, how much she missed him.  “You said you wanted to talk.  So, talk.”

Jax, again, nodded, sinking down further into Lena’s couch.  No matter how much he complained about that thing, he would give everything just with lay with Lena on it.  “Ope’s home.”

Lena felt a little relief in the pit of her stomach.  She had been a bit worried about her ex’s best friend since he took off after Donna’s funeral.  “That’s good.  He doing okay?”

“He’s still trying to cope.”  Jax answered and then became quiet.  “I…uh…helped him kill a man today in retaliation for Donna.”

In all the years that Lena had known Jax, he was never really open about the things the club did.  He always said it was for her protection. The less she knew, the less chances she had of getting hurt.  So, she was surprised that Jax had volunteered this information as he did with Kohn a few weeks back.

“Jesus Christ, Jax.”  Lena then felt that relief turn into dread.  “Niner?”

Jax shook his head.  “No.  Mayan.”

“Why do I get the feeling there’s a but somewhere in there?”  Lena questioned, knowing Jax was leaving something out.  “I thought you had pinned the murder on the Niners.”

Jax, again, shook his head.  “LaRoy said the Niners didn’t do it, and I believe him.”

“So, who found out it was the Mayans?”

“Clay said he found some information on what happened.  It led us right to the guy.”

“It wasn’t him either, was it?”  Lena immediately knew when Jax looked down at his feet.  “So, an innocent man was killed today?”  She knew that the man wasn’t completely innocent, but in this case he was.  “Do you even know who it is?”

Jax then looked back up at Lena.  “I have my suspicions.  They’re not concrete, but I don’t want to tell you, because I don’t want you to end up like Donna.”

“Jax…”

“Look, Lee, I told you all I could.  Full disclosure.”  Things become quiet between the two, before Jax decided to change the subject.  “Bobby’s coming home tonight.  We’re having a party for him at the clubhouse.  I really hope you’d come.”

“I don’t think so, Jax.”  Lena shook her head and quickly standing to her feet.  She then grabbed Jax’s empty beer bottle and made her way into the kitchen.

Lena didn’t realize that Jax had followed her until she turned around and found him standing behind her.  

“Please, just come to the party.  You can stay as long as you’d like.  We just need a lot of people there who love and support Bobby.”

Lena thought about it for a moment.  She knew that she shouldn’t be going anywhere near SAMCRO, but she felt her resolve giving in.  “Fine.  I’ll go.”

Jax gave her a small smirk, before crowding her space.  “I can give you a ride.  I know you miss riding the bike.”

Lena huffed, rolling her eyes, as she tried to ignore the closeness of Jax.  “If I say yes, will you leave me alone?”

“Maybe.”  Jax playfully teased.  “I have to go finish up some things, but I’ll be back in an hour to come and get you.”

“I feel like you’ve just set a trap, and I fell for it.”

Jax just gave her a warm smile.  “Thanks for the talk.  I’ll see you later.”  He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her cheek, before retreating from her sight.  

Lena sighed in frustration the moment she heard Jax close her front door.  She had a feeling that she was going to regret this.

Lena can admit that she did kind of miss riding on the back of Jax’s bike.  She always loved how freeing it felt and the wind whipping across her hair and skin.  She also loved feeling so close to Jax, as she held onto him tightly.

When Jax pulled his bike into Teller-Morrow, the party was already in full swing.  Classic rock music blasted in the air, while bikers entertained themselves with booze and scantily clad croweaters.

Lena hopped off of Jax’s bike, straightening out her skirt.  Jax followed right behind her, taking the helmet he gave her, and sitting it on the handle of the bike.

Lena turned her attention to her ex as his bright blues looked her up and down, a small smirk forming across his handsome features.  The small amount of annoyance she felt was nothing compared to the butterflies she was feeling at his open staring.  But she wasn’t going to show it.

“What?”

Jax shook his head, his eyes trailing up her thick frame in the outfit she chose to wear for the night.  It was the right amount of sexy without the skanky.  “You look good, Lee.”  

Just those simple words caused Lena’s cheeks to burn in a blush, but again, she was not going to play into his games tonight.  She was here for Bobby and Bobby only.

“Don’t do that.”  Lena chastised her ex playfully.

“Don’t do what?”  Jax questioned in feigned innocence.

“Be you.”  Lena spat, causing Jax to let out a small chuckle.  “Jax Teller; pretty boy outlaw, who can charm the panties off of any dumb broad who walks his way.  Me being here, don’t change nothing between us, Jackson.  I mean it.”

Jax shrugged in a nonchalant manner, taking a step closer to Lena.  “Maybe.  Maybe not.  And besides you’re not some dumb broad.”  He reached up to caress his calloused thumb across the softness of her cheekbone.

Lena, still not falling for his charms, pulled back from his touch.  Her perfectly arched brows furrowed in confusion.  “What the hell does that mean?”

Jax pretended that her rejection didn’t hurt, as he took another step toward her.  “It means, let’s just celebrate Bobby coming home, and we’ll talk about us later.”

Lena shook her head, quickly stopping her ex in his tracks, pressing her hand against the Vice President patch on the kutte he proudly wore.  She tried to ignore the warmth she felt beneath her fingertips.  “There is no us, Jax.”

Jax just gave Lena another smirk, leaning forward.  Her heart began to beat faster in her chest, the closer his mouth got to hers.  He then bypassed her awaiting lips, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.

Jax then whispered into her ear, “we’ll see about that.”

Lena’s body shuddered involuntarily, and she hated herself even more.  She could already feel her resolve starting to crumble a little bit more.

Damn him.  She thought.

Fuck that.  Damn me.

Lena then felt Jax reach down and grab her hand, locking their fingers, and pulling her over to the picnic table where the rest of SAMCRO welcomed her with open arms.  They were excited to see that she was around.  It was as if she had never left.

Lena then looked up to see the Queen of SAMCRO herself approaching her with a grin that matched Jax’s.

“Don’t look at me like that, Gem.”  Lena pointed out to her ex’s mom.  “I know what you’re thinking.  I’m just here for Bobby.”  As she kept reiterating.  She thought if she kept saying it out loud, it would actually be believable enough.  

“I wasn’t thinking anything, sweetheart.”  Gemma said, the shit-eating grin still plastered on her face as she leaned in to kiss Lena’s cheek and wrapped her arm around her son’s ex’s shoulder pulling her into an embrace.  “How you been?  You doin’ alright?”

“I’m fine, Gemma.”

“Come on, let’s go and get you a drink.”  Gemma then pulled Lena away, but not before Lena glanced back at Jax, who just smiled and gave her a wink in the process.

Lena knew exactly what this was.  Let the men talk about club business, while the women-folk occupied themselves with other things.

Of course in the few weeks that Lena had been away, the clubhouse hadn’t changed one bit.  No matter how much she, or the croweaters, or even the Prospect had scrubbed the place from bottom to top, it always reeked of stale beer, cigarettes, and pussy.

Tonight was definitely no different.  Especially, since there was fresh (or not so fresh, depending on how you looked at it) pussy on full display.  Whether it was swinging from the stripper pole or buried under Bobby’s face.

Grossed out, Lena had had enough, and decided to go in search for Jax, who had disappeared out of nowhere.  That hadn’t surprised Lena at all.  She was no longer in the company of his mother, who called it a night and went to go relieve Neeta of her babysitting duties.  She volunteered to tag along, but Gemma turned her down.  So, she found herself just wandering outside of the clubhouse.  

Lena immediately spotted Opie, sitting at the picnic table by himself.  Her heart dropped at the sight of Jax’s best friend.  He didn’t look good at all.  She knew that him losing Donna was still hitting him hard.

“I knew I’d find you out here.”

Opie immediately looked up to see Lena approaching him, as he tried to plaster a smile on his face.  He then stood to his feet, his 6 foot plus frame towering over her, as he embraced her in a hug.

“It’s good to see you, Ope.”  Lena was the first to pull away, as they both took a seat at the table.  “I’m glad you’re home and safe.  I hope your trip gave you some clarity.”

Opie shrugged, finishing off his beer, and tossing it into the trash barrel.  “I’m not exactly sure what it did for me.  I come back home and Donna still ain’t here.”

Lena’s stomach clenched, as she reached out to give his arm a small squeeze.  “I’m so sorry, Ope.”

Opie sighed heavily, and Lena could tell how much he was feeling sorry for himself.  “I forgot to thank you for helping with the kids and helping to take care of everything for Donna’s service.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”  Lena shook her head.  Thanking her was the least of his worries.  “So, how are the kids?”

“They’re alright, I guess.”  Opie gave another shrug.

“You guess?”  Lena questioned.  “Please, don’t tell me you’re avoiding your kids, Ope?  They need you now more than ever.”

“Kind of like how Jax needs you?”  Opie quickly countered, but immediately regretted it.

“What?”  Lena asked, taken aback.  “My relationship with Jax is nothing comparable to you and the kids losing Donna.”

Again Opie released a deep breath.  “I know that, Lee.  Listen, I took Donna for granted when she was here.”  He paused, swallowing thickly.  “You and Jax —you’re good for him, Lee.  Please realize that before it’s too late.”

Now it was Lena’s turn to swallow thickly at Opie’s words.  Looking up into his baby blues, she let his words sink in, before standing to her feet.  “Go home to your kids, Ope.”  She told him, leaning down to place a kiss on his bearded cheek.

Lena was now really ready to call it a night and go the hell home.  So, she went in search for Jax.  As she began to look for her ex, Opie’s words kept burning in the back of her mind.  She tried to erase them and pretend as if he never said them.  She knew that she and Jax had to work through a bunch of bullshit, aside from his indiscretion with his doctor ex, to even begin to think about trying to right the wrongs.

Of course Lena still loved Jax.  That was something that she knew that wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.

But was that love even enough?

Lena had stumbled onto her answer the moment she found Jax.  He was currently sitting on his bike, nursing a cigarette, while smirking (yes, the same smirk), up at some scantily clad, bleached blonde standing between his legs.

Lena recognized that bad dye job and flat ass from anywhere.  Ima Tite was one of Luann’s little porn sluts.  Now Lena would never judge a person by their job considering the man she was in love with was an actual criminal.  But that stringy haired, no ass having bitch was on another level trifling whore.  Where Tara was more of a quiet and reserved whore, Ima wore her skankiness on her sleeve.  Or more like on her rancid pussy that was always hanging out of the lack of clothing she liked to not wear.

Lena knew for a while that Ima was trying to push up on Jax, but he always said that he wasn’t interested in someone’s pussy who’d been around the block a couple of times.

Lena guessed that had changed now.

Clearing her throat, Lena approached the pair.  “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Jackson, I’m gonna head home.”

Jax was surprised to see Lena now standing before him, not looking too happy, at the compromising position he was in.  He quickly pushed Ima off of him and stood to his feet.  “Lee,” he called out to his ex, who was already trying to get away from him.  “Shit.”

Lena just wanted to get away.  She didn’t get too far though.  She felt Jax grab her elbow and turned around to face him.

“That wasn’t what it looked like.”  Jax tried to explain, but he knew that this was going to fall on deaf ears.

Lena took a deep breath, calming the urge to go off on him and that nasty bitch.  She was trying to tell herself that Jax was no longer her responsibility anymore.  “Jax, you don’t need to explain anything to me.  You can do whatever and whoever you want.  Even if that is skanky porn sluts.”  She seethed, but loudly enough for Ima to roll her eyes at.  “So, goodnight, I’m going home.”

Jax tried to stop her again.  “Lee, don’t.  Let me at least give you a ride home.”

Lena chuckled sarcastically, snatching her arm from his grip.  “Oh no,” she threw up a hand, “I don’t want to take up any more of your time.  You go and have fun, Jax.”  She shooed him back to Ima, who was still desperately lingering next to Jax’s bike.

“Lee, stop.”  Jax gritted, chasing Lena once again, but she was too quick for him.  “That’s not what I meant.  Lee, please.”

Lena just ignored Jax’s pleas and continued on her way out of Teller-Morrow with Jax still trailing behind her.  She was only focused on getting away.

Lena knew that she shouldn’t have come to this party.  Of course, she’d live to regret it.  Jax hanging around Ima, while making promises to fix things between them only proved that they were not ready to start over.  She knew that his wandering penis would always be a problem in their relationship.

When Lena finally stopped walking, she realized that Jax was no longer following behind her and that she had walked pretty far away from the garage.  The sound of a revving engine startled her, as she quickly found herself running into the closest alleyway.  The last thing she wanted was for Jax to try to get her back on his bike.

A procession of bikes zoomed right passed her hiding spot, and Lena breathed a sigh of relief.  When the coast was clear, she continued on her way.  She knew of a bus stop that just on the other side of the alley.

<<<<<WARNING: SENSITIVE MATERIAL AHEAD.  IF YOU ARE TRIGGERED BY RACIALLY CHARGED LANGUAGE AND ANYTHING NON-CONSENSUAL PLEASE DO NOT READ.>>>>>

While Lena silently cursed herself for letting herself fall for Jax’s charms again, she hadn’t noticed the vehicle that was slowly creeping up behind her.  It wasn’t until those bright headlights casted a shadow over her form.

Annoyed that Jax had found her, Lena slowly turned around to face him.  She was immediately shocked and surprised to not find Jax’s bike behind her.  Fear and trepidation took over at the stark white van that had come to a complete stop.

Panic began to bubble in the pit of Lena’s stomach, as the engine to the van died, but the headlights stayed on.  The driver and passenger doors opened, as two masked figures stepped out.  Her heart raced, and she jumped in fright as the figures slammed their doors shut in unison.  

“What do you guys want?”  Lena questioned, that fear intensifying in her gut.

The two figures just stood there, intimidatingly, not saying a word.

Although her feet felt like lead stuck in cement, Lena thought to make a run for it.  But she didn’t make it far, as a third masked figure appeared before her.  She immediately noticed a tattoo on the throat of her terror, before his fist collided with the side of her face.

Lena cried out, now feeling herself being dragged by her hair back toward the van.  With every bit of energy she had left, she tried to kick and scream her way out of their hold.  Her scream suddenly died in her throat, the feeling of the wind being immediately knocked out of her lungs.  She had been thrown against the side of the cold, brick wall, causing her to cry out in pain.

“Please,” Lena sobbed, every scenario of her trying to escape what was going to happen to her, flashed through her mind, “what do you want?”

The figure that held Lena steady against the wall, amidst her struggling.  She then felt him lean forward, his breath sending a disgusted shudder down her spine.

“I want you to deliver a message for me, nigger.”  The figure spat, and Lena felt sick to her stomach.  “I want you to tell that race-traiting old man of yours and his little biker gang, to stop selling guns to other niggers and wetbacks.”  He continued, getting frustrated at her struggling.  He then slammed her face into the wall harder for emphasis.  “If not, bitch, we will find you and do this again.”

Lena let out another choked sob, as she was then carelessly thrown to the ground, the side of her head bouncing off the wet pavement.  Her screams of protest went unheard over the heavy weight now pressing against her spine.

Lena continued to struggle, trying her hardest to try and fight back, but they were just too overpowering for her.  She then felt the stockings she wore being torn to scraps, followed by her underwear.  

Lena tried to plead with them not to do this, but that all went ignored. A strong hand covered her mouth, and she let out a muffled scream when her worst nightmare came true.  Her body felt like it was being ripped in half as she was now being violated in the worst way possible.

Lena finally stopped her struggle, now feeling completely numb to it all.  By the time that each of them were done with her, guilt and shame covered her from head to toe.  To add insult to injury, she was warned once again to tell Jax and SAMCRO to stop selling to color or they’d find her and do it all again.

When those headlights finally disappeared, Lena finally let out the choked sob that she had been holding in, curling into herself.

She had no idea what to do next.  

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