A/N; Hey guys, I ended up rethinking how I want to lay this story out. Sorry if you were expecting a continuation of the original ch1. For now, try to enjoy this prologue.

Stockton, yard, Jax POV

"Hey, you got any idea what's up with Hap?" Clay asks quietly, sitting down next to me on the bench. We both take a moment to discreetly look across the yard toward the bars that inmates used primarily for pull-ups and shit to work off aggression during the few scant hours they spend outside their cells every day. Happy, usually the epitome of control, is furiously wrenching himself up and down. Bobby had reported earlier that he had been constantly doing much the same in their shared cell, rotating between push-up, sit-ups, and any other thing he could in the small amount of open floor space. Hap had also been quiet. Not that he was the chattiest guy normally, but I don't think I'd actually heard him say a single word in the last couple days. Usually, he'd at least throw out the occasional dry one-liner when we're giving each other shit about something stupid.

I sigh and light the smoke that's in my mouth before replying. "Started right after Koz came to see 'im a few days ago. Ain't club related, or we'd'a heard by now, even if it was Tacoma. His mom, maybe?"

Clay nods, looking lost in thought. "Gemma's coming to visit tomorrow. I'll see if she has any insight."

The next day, visit room, Gemma POV

"You know if anything's goin' on with Happy's ma?" Clay asks in the way that tells me he's digging on something.

I think back and can't remember anything. Shaking my head slowly, I tell him that. "I haven't heard about anything." I pause, double-checking my memories. "Koz hasn't been around much this week... Don't think he's been gone long enough to be back and forth to Bakersfield, though. He's looked tired, thought he was just coming down with something, trying to rest up and fight it off. Why?"

Clay looks both disappointed and more curious at that. He shifts in his seat. "Koz came up to see Hap a few days ago; whatever it was about has Hap on edge. In a major way."

If it was an issue with anyone but Happy, I'd call Clay a dumbass and tell him to get over himself and just ask what was wrong. This is one of not many cases that I can understand his reluctance. I've never actually seen Hap anything but mildly amused, or terrifyingly neutral, so I expect seeing him 'on edge' is scary enough without also considering poking the angry bear by questioning him about it. Your answer would probably be him snapping your neck.

"I'll try and poke around." Clay gives me a warning look. "Discreetly." I insist.

2 weeks later, Stockton visit room, Clay POV

I set the pictures down, still smiling. Gem brought a small stack of photos from a Family Dinner last week, citing that I needed to see how big Jax's boys are getting. All the kids have grown, from what I can see. All the guys look worn down, but happy enough. I feel my smile fade as I bring up my next topic. "So… how's Koz? Still fightin' off that bug?"

Gemma has just opened her mouth to respond when I see her eyes widen slightly, catching on something over my shoulder. A moment later, the door buzzes to admit someone from the inmate entrance, and I glance over to see Happy entering, being led to a table in the corner before the guard removes the cuffs. He catches my eye and gives a minute nod to greet me as he sits down, before doing the same to Gemma, then turning his attention to the visitor's entrance, sitting like a statue waiting for whoever is here to see him.

I turn back to Gemma and ask, "Koz come with you?"

Her face is suspicious as she tries not to stare. "No. When I left, he was elbows deep in installing a transmission." We both make an effort to not track the visitor that comes through the door at this moment, heading straight for Happy's table in the corner. The woman stops at the side of the table, and Hap makes the first motion to stand up, before they both pause and look to the nearby guard. The guard looks between them briefly and nods his permission. In the space of a blink, Happy is standing, the woman wrapped up in a hug. She's a tiny little thing, her head landing in the middle of Hap's chest, but I can't see much else about her. The guard gives them a minute before clearing his throat in a warning. Hap pulls away from her, and they slowly settle on opposite sides of the table, both of them leaning in and resting their hands in the middle, fingertips barely touching. It's a common pose around the visit room, where all physical contact is strictly regulated and monitored.

I look back to Gemma as the pair starts talking far too quietly for us to hear from halfway across the room. "Well, that's new." I say.

Gemma looks calculating. "No."

"You don't think so?" I question.

Calculating turns to a familiar 'are you dumb?' expression. "How many women have you ever seen Happy jump up and hug?" OK, she had a point there. "No. She's not new." Gem's on a mission now. Other than his mom and aunt, none of us are aware of any females in Happy's life, and women near her boys' lives is Gemma's special interest. I am relieved. With this shit firmly in female territory, it's no longer my responsibility.

3 months later, SAMCRO Clubhouse, Gemma POV

After I have hugged my son and husband to welcome them home, I start making the rounds to the other guys. Bobby's ex brought the kids to see him, while Tig and Juice have only their brothers and the croweaters. Happy, on the other hand, is looking fondly at and not fighting his mother as she fusses over him slightly. Koz had coordinated for Hap's aunt to bring his mom up for the cookout we're having to welcome the boys home.

Despite my best efforts, I have no information on the mystery woman that Clay and I had seen at the prison that one day. I had tried to follow her from the jail, but she'd been in a plain rental car, and I'd lost her before we even hit the highway. Hap had reportedly gone back to near his usual behavior after that visit, and we hadn't seen or heard anything about her since. Clay had tried to ask Happy about her, but all he could get out of the stoic man was that she was of no concern to the club. Koz obviously knew something, but had only smirked and changed the topic the couple times I tried asking him about her.

With a huff, I put the mystery out of my mind and turn to start rounding up the girls to set up tables and start getting things ready for the cookout, while Clay calls the boys to Church.

2 months later, Denver, SAMDEN Clubhouse, Happy POV

I hang my helmet on a handlebar and swing off my bike, stretching from the ride as a couple brothers walk over to greet me. A few minutes later, they are walking inside, Happy carrying his saddlebags over one shoulder, with his backpack on the other. It had been a solid 5 or 6 years since he'd been in Denver, and he'd be here for a few days, helping them with a local problem that requires his special brand of expertise.

As Hap is greeting a few more brothers inside, the Denver president calls off in the direction of the kitchen behind the bar, "Angel! You got that room ready yet?"

Hap's head whips around in the same direction as he hears a disturbingly familiar voice answer back, "Yeah, Peanut, the room at the end of the hall is clean and ready." The owner of the voice walks out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a bar towel, which she tosses somewhere under the bar as she passes. Happy is somewhat disturbed at seeing what the woman is wearing- a denim mini skirt, a skimpy tank top that shows off the crow over her heart, fishnets, and stripper heels that bring her normally short stature up a solid 6 inches. Not that that is unusual attire for club women - many would consider it rather conservative, in fact - but seeing it on THIS woman had him a little queasy. "Just waiting on a load of towels to dr- Happy?" She has spotted him. Her naturally red hair was streaked with grey, and her laugh lines were more pronounced, but, other than that and the clothes - and the tat- she looks exactly the same as last time he'd seen her, more than a decade ago.

Hap doesn't know how to respond at first. Even if he doesn't talk much, it is pretty rare for him to be speechless. After a moment he forces out "Amy."

She gets over her shock surprisingly fast. With a big smile, she says, "Well, don't just stand there, kid, give your mother-in-law a hug!" and starts moving towards him.