Prologue

July 4th, 1994

I was waiting in Gemma's office for Jax; I had told him I had something important I needed to tell him. All of the sudden the door opened. I quickly looked up before sighing in disappointment seeing Gemma.

"Honey, what are you doing in here? Come join the party." The Queen of SAMCRO said. I just shook my head and pulled at the sleeves of my sweater. "Evie, why are you wearing a sweater? It's 90 degrees outside."

"I don't know, I just wanted to." I lied. I wanted nothing more than to take the damn thing off, but I couldn't. I knew she wouldn't buy it, but thankfully she didn't say anything.

"Alright. Come inside, foods ready. Clay and Big Otto made ribs…your favorite."

"I will once Jax gets here. I want to talk to him and he promised me he'd be here." I told her. She just looked at me sadly and nodded her head before kissing my forehead and going back to the party. Half an hour later the door opened once again and again it wasn't the 16 year old I was looking for.

"Hey, Opie." I said looking up at the tall guy, who I thought of as an older brother.

"Hey. Gemma wanted to bring you this," he said nodding at the plate of food and the can of Coke in his hands, "Why the hell are you wearing a jacket?" He asked putting the food on the desk.

"First, it's a sweater Ope," I said with a small smile, "And because I wanted to." Again hoping he would buy it. He did.

"Alright. I'm gonna go find Donna she should be here soon." I nodded. I liked Donna; she and Opie were perfect for each other. I knew one day they would get married.

"Hey, when is Jax gonna get here?" I asked.

"Didn't he tell you? He is taking Tara out; they are spending the day together."

"Oh." I looked down at my feet, "And no, he didn't tell me. He promised he would be here, since we haven't hung out lately because he's always with Tara. He was supposed to make it up to me today." Opie gently took my hand and pulled me up.

"Alright, that's it, Fireball," He called me that because of my red hair, "You are getting out of this office and we are going to find Donna." I shook my head as he began pulling me out of the office. I tried to fight, but I knew my short, skinny frame had no chance against Opie.

"What about the food?" I asked. Opie shrugged,

"We'll get you a new plate. You know there is plenty of food." I sighed in acceptance and let him drag me out into the parking lot of Teller-Morrow.

"Where's Violet?" I asked. Opie just pointed to a picnic table by the entrance of the club house. I could see my 9 year old sister playing cards with a croweater. I didn't like them looking after her…I was 14 not stupid I knew what they did for the club, but I also knew that they wouldn't dare do anything to get on the bad side of the club. As we walked by the picnic table, Violet jumped up and ran over to us.

"Opie, Evie want to play Go Fish with us?" She asked looking up at us with puppy dog eyes. Ope laughed and ruffled her brown hair lightly,

"Later, Munchkin. Ok?" Seeing her face fall he added, "And if you're good I will give you a piggy back ride." She got so excited and said ok before going back to her game. I smiled at my little sister, before frowning. I had a bad feeling. Opie thinking my mood was about Jax he said, "Hey, don't worry about him. Jax is an ass. I will kick his ass tomorrow and I highly doubt he made plans knowing his promise to you. He probably just forgot that's all, but I will kick his ass so it doesn't happen anymore. No one breaks promises to my Fireball." I smile slightly,

"Can I watch you kick his ass?" Opie chuckles and lifts me up over his shoulder.

"Definitely. I'll even hold him down so you can get a couple punches in." I smile and he puts me down not knowing everything was going to change in a couple seconds. As we opened the door to the clubhouse, we could hear Gemma yelling over the music.

"You can't be serious, Benny! You aren't taking those girls and leaving the club. We are their family!" My heart stops. I beg silently please oh, god no. Opie looks at me in shock when my dad replies,

"I'm taking Evie and Violet away from here. All Charming has caused me is heartache. Everywhere I look I see my dead wife! I can't stay here anymore." I can't listen anymore so I run and yell at my dad,

"I'm not leaving! You can go. I don't care, but V and I are staying here with our family. We can stay with Clay and Gemma. Right?" I look to my second mother.

"Of course, sweetheart. You girls can stay with us." I smile in relief.

" You are going with me. You are my daughter and you will listen to me! You are only 14 you know nothing of the world." My father's mean voice exclaims.

"Oh yeah, I don't know how a father can hu-"I stop at his threatening glare and his warning,

"Evangeline Rose Summers." He growls, scared I look at my feet missing the look the club gave each other.

"Evie, come here." Gemma says. I run to her and she pulls me behind her. I look around her to see Clay and Otto, my godfather, walk to my father before Clay orders him to calm down. My dad takes a couple deep breaths before saying,

"I'm leaving Charming and I'm taking my girls with me." I feel my eyes flood with unshed tears...finally realizing that the music has been turned off. I sniffle trying so hard not to cry, to be strong. Otto hearing it walks over and kneels in front of me.

"Don't cry, Peanut. You can always come visit us. We're your family." I smile and hug him.

"Actually, no she can't. You will never see us again." My father says.

"What? No! You can't do this, Benny!" Gemma and Otto's wife, Luanne exclaim. They club starts yelling at my dad and I run up the stairs and collapse in the hallway to the dorm in tears. I don't realize anyone followed me until Otto gently picks me up. I take a deep breath and breathe in his comforting scent of some kind of cigarettes and whiskey. He smells like home. Otto takes me to his dorm and sits down on the bed with me in his lap.

"Peanut, calm down. You are going to make yourself sick." He says gently rubbing my back as I cry into his chest.

"I don't care."

"Well, I do. So stop."

"I don't want to go, Otto." I whisper my throat hoarse.

"I know, Peanut. I don't want you to go either. No one in the club does." Otto sighs.

"How can he leave? Can't you stop him? He founded the club with JT and Clay. He can't leave! Stop him from leaving…take a vote." I beg, "I don't wanna go."

"It doesn't work that way. We can't stop him from leaving." He says quietly…the pain in his voice clear.

"Please, don't make me go with him. He's changed." I whisper.

"What do you mean? Has he hurt you?" He asks. I want to tell the truth so badly. I hate lying to my family, but then I think of V. She already lost mom…She can't lose dad too.

"No, he's different." I lie tugging on the ends of my sweater. I don't know if he fully believes me or not, but he lifts me off of his lap and sits me on the bed while he gets up and pulls a cell phone out of a drawer. He types a couple things in it before handing it to me.

"Here, I want you to have this," He says as he hands me the phone, "I programmed both Luanne's and my phone numbers in there. Call me whenever you want ok? And if you can't reach me call Luanne and she'll tell me ok?" I nod and hold the phone close to my chest, "Hide it from your dad. I don't know what he would do if he found it."

"I will." I say knowing what would happen, "Can you come visit me? I won't tell dad."

"Of course, Peanut. How could I not see my god daughter?" He says with a smile, "Just call and let me know where you live and I will come when I can." My father calls for me. I quickly put the phone in my pocket until I can get my backpack from the office. Otto and I slowly walk downstairs, where the mood is so far from the party attitude it was half an hour ago. I look at all the faces of family. I see their sadness. I notice V hugging Gemma.

"We are leaving tonight," My dad tells me, "When we get home we are going to pack all our clothes and I will have everything else shipped including my bike once we find a place." He takes Violet, who apparently has already said her goodbyes, from Gemma and walks out the clubhouse saying I have 15 minutes. I feel my eyes fill up again as I look around at my family.

"How can he leave?" I whisper. Clay is the first one to come up to me and Otto.

"I don't know, baby girl, but you and V always have a place here. I promise you that. After all, you are our princesses." He says with a smile. I smile at our nickname…we were the only daughters of a founding member. I kiss his cheek and hug him.

"I love you, Uncle Clay. Take care of Gemma for me." I whisper in his ear.

"You know as well as me, that no one takes care of her." He chuckles. Piney and Opie come up next.

"You take care of yourself." Piney says as he pulls me into a hug.

"I will and every time I see a bottle of Patron, I'll think of you," I say with a laugh, "I love you." I step back from Piney and look at his son. Opie just looks sadly at me,

"You know it's not fair. You are my little sister, I don't care if it's not by blood…you are."

"I know. I get to say my big brother, is Opie the Gentle Giant," I smile before adding, "And the future VP of SAMCRO. We all know there's no one Jax would have as his right-hand man over you."

"Jax and I were supposed to chase off boys who fell for the beautiful princesses of SAMCRO. Now, we'll never get that chance." At the reminder of Jax, I look to the door wishing for nothing else than for him to walk in, "He's gonna be devastated. He loves you. We all do."

"Yeah, well it's his fault that he doesn't get to say goodbye. He broke his promise today…all so he could be with Tara,who he's always with." I snap. Ope just sighs and kisses my cheek,

"Goodbye, Fireball." I nod, before I run to Tig.

"Goodbye, Tiggy. I love you." He hugs me before sending me to Luanne…I continue saying goodbye to the rest of the club until only Gemma is left. I hug her and as tears are streaming down my face, I say,

"Look, after them." Nodding towards the club.

"You know I will. Look after your sister." She replies as tears pool in her eyes. Gemma hardly ever cries especially in front of people so I know how much is killing her.

"I will. Tell him I said goodbye." I reply. She nods and hugs me. I step away looking towards the door for a couple of seconds, when the blonde biker doesn't walk in. I turn to look around the room at the people so many misjudge… "I know, we said goodbye, but we actually should've said see you later. Because I don't care what my dad says; I'll be back," My voice breaks, "This is my home and you guys are my family, but until I get back I want you guys to be careful." I walk to the door before I turn a final time, "See you later."

I run to the office and grab my backpack quickly putting Otto's phone in before I run to my dad's van and leave my home for a while.