A/N: All of my faithful readers know that I can't focus on one thing for very long. This story is proof of that. While trying to write the next chapter of The Heart of the Matter, this new story popped into my head. It was a fun concept so I just went with it. I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for reading, please review! :)
"This isn't up for debate. Pack your stuff. Now." Grace shouted in frustration.
Tara folded her arms across her chest and stared at her mother, "are you really going to do this to me again? Make me start another school? Make new friends? Do I have no say in what happens in my own life? You didn't even consult me!" Tears welled up in the young girl's eyes.
"I don't have to consult with you. I'm the adult. You are the child. I'm doing this for you. Now pack your things so we can get out of this hell hole. Don't make me come in here and tell you again." Grace walked out leaving Tara there to pout alone.
Fifteen-year-old Tara Knowles lived with her mother Grace, whom Tara knew was doing the best that she could. Tara's dad died when she was only 9, leaving her mom responsible for taking care of a child with no income, no work history, and no way to make ends meet. She did the only thing she could. She started working as a bartender at the one-niners club house in Oakland. She moved them in with man after man, trying to find someone to love them as much as Tara's father did.
In the six years since her father's death, her mom had remarried three times and was now working on number four. They were moving from Oakland to Charming to live with Piney Winston, a single father and a patched member of the Sons of Anarchy MC.
The ride from Oakland to Charming was quiet. Tara refused to speak to her mom. She was pissed. She wasn't against her mom leaving loser number 3 but she didn't think she had to switch schools and leave all of her friends in the process. They could just get another apartment.
"You will like it in Charming baby." Her mom stated, her tone softer than it had been earlier.
Tara stared out the window, ignoring her mother's attempt to smooth things over.
"We had to leave," Grace persisted, "there was no other option."
"There's always another option, you just always choose the one with a dick that will pay our way."
Grace slammed on the brakes, pulling over to the side of the road. "Is that what you really think? Honestly?"
"If the shoe fits." Tara grumbled.
"Well I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're too pissed off to see that everything I do is for YOU, not me. I want you safe, happy, and have everything you ever dreamed of and we just couldn't have that in Oakland. There was too much violence. I constantly worried about you, and when he hit me that last time I made the choice to get us out."
"So moving us from one gang to another was your solution?" Tara rolled her eyes.
"Piney is different. I know he is. He's kind. He will treat you like his daughter. You will have a brother that will look out for you. According to Piney, the club is all about family and we will be their family, baby. We will have people who will look out for our safety instead of always worrying when the next shoe is going to drop. Please just give it a chance. I promise you, this will be our last move. If things don't work out with Piney, we will stay in Charming regardless. I won't move you again." Grace wiped the tears from her eyes, she wanted Tara on board with this. She hated disappointing her.
"According to Piney, you're just hoping he's not a lying asshole too. Did it ever occur to you that you always fall for the bullshit these men throw at you and we end up in these situations time and time again?"
Grace sobbed. She had put Tara through a lot over the years, and the last thing she wanted was for her daughter to end up resenting her.
Tara's anger softened, "Don't cry mom," Tara squeezed her hand, "I'm sorry I'm being a bitchy teenager. I will give it a try and be as nice as I can."
"Thank you." Grace whispered.
"So the old man's getting remarried huh?" Jax asked.
"Yup," Opie replied, "a lady from O-town with a daughter about our age."
"You doin' okay with it?"
"I don't really have a choice; you know how Pop is when he has his mind set on something."
"Well she must be some woman to get Piney to want to go through the marriage shit again." Jax laughed, "I thought he'd be a permanent bachelor after Mary took off."
"Me too." Opie agreed.
"Have you seen the girl yet? Is she hot?" Jax questioned, tightening the last lug nut on the Impala.
"I've not seen her but if you're smart you won't even try. You know the old man will flip his shit if you mess with her. Ah fuck what am I saying? You're not smart so this is going to get ugly." Opie chuckled.
Jax laughed, "fuck you, shithead. I can't help it the ladies love me."
"Here we are." Grace announced, pulling into a garage.
"Teller-Morrow," Tara read the sign aloud, "I thought you said his last name is Winston?"
"It is. This is the MC's clubhouse." Grace beamed catching sign of Piney walking toward their car. She jumped out of the car and into his waiting arms. "I've missed you." Tara shook her head at their encounter, they were like two teenagers again. PDA and everything. It was gross.
"It's good to see you again, sweetheart." Piney greeted Tara when she climbed out of the car.
"You too." Tara stated, keeping her promise to her mother that she would be give this an honest shot and be pleasant.
"Opie, get over here and meet Tara." Piney gestured to the teenagers that were leaned up against the wall.
One of the boys that was walking over was massive. He was so tall and had a huge build. Her mom must be mistaken about him being the same age as her if he's Piney's son. The blond one was so hot. He was tall and muscular. His muscles stood out underneath his grease stained t-shirt. She really hoped it was not going to be him that's her brother…step brother.
"Damn." Jax stated staring in Tara's direction. "She's sexy as hell. Look at those legs." He admired Tara's slim body, long legs, and the perfect size tits and ass. He couldn't stop himself from thinking about what her porcelain skin looked like underneath all of those clothes.
"I'd prefer not to notice her legs." Opie replied shaking his head, thinking of his soon to be step-sister in a sexual way just seemed wrong on so many levels. He couldn't deny the fact that she was beautiful, he just couldn't act on it. Lucky for him, he had Donna to keep his mind off his cute step-sister.
"Boys, this is Tara, and you already know Grace." Piney said. "Tara, this is my boy Opie." He patted the big one the back. "This is Jax Teller; you'll see a lot of him too. Wherever one is, the other ain't too far behind."
"Hi." Tara answered, her eyes landing on Jax.
"Why don't you boys show Tara around for a little bit." Piney ordered.
"Sure thing." Jax answered. "C'mon darlin'." He placed his hand on Tara's lower back ushering her toward the clubhouse.
"This is the main room of the clubhouse. This is where everyone just hangs out. Over there is the bar. Back here are dorm rooms. Bathrooms. Etc." Opie pointed out all of the places he thought she'd need to know about.
"Okay. Cool." Tara answered, uninterested. She wasn't allowed to spend much time at the one-niners club house so she assumed it would be the same here, so she wouldn't need to learn her way around.
The three of them made their way out to the back of the clubhouse, there were picnic tables under big shade trees. "So what's your story?" Jax asked as they sat down.
"I don't really have one. My life is kind of dull." Tara answered.
"Oh come on, everyone has a story. How old are you? Where are you from?" Jax pushed her for answers.
"I'm 15. I'll be 16 next month. I was born and raised in Oakland. My dad died when I was nine. Now apparently we live here. What about you two? What's your story?"
Opie's phone rang, "I'll be back. It's Donna." He stalked off and answered his phone.
"Donna's his girlfriend." Jax explained, Tara nodded in response. "My story isn't much different than yours. I'm 16. I've grown up here. My dad and Piney were best friends, they were in Vietnam together. When they got out they started this club. It's kind of my legacy to take it over when I'm old enough. My old man was killed in a wreck last year and my mom remarried his other best friend who took over the gavel. So believe me when I say, I know how you're feeling."
"Sorry." Tara dropped her head. At least there was someone who understood her pain, even if she wouldn't wish this pain on anyone. "My mom's been married three times since my dad passed. Piney makes number four. Hopefully this is the one that sticks. All I want is for her to be happy…and for my life to not keep getting uprooted. Some stability would be awesome."
"Piney's a good guy. He's always been like a second dad to me. I think you will like him and here."
"I hope so. She's a loser-magnet, so it will be great to break the trend of alcoholics that like to beat up on her."
"Piney doesn't believe in hitting women. None of us do. So that's one worry you can let go of. No one here will hurt either of you."
She felt a sense of relief run through her body. She had been worried, especially since Grace went from one club life to another. None of them had ever hit her, they made crude jokes with their friends about how big Tara's tits were growing or getting an ass on her but they never physically hurt her. They did make her feel extremely uncomfortable nonetheless.
"Sorry about that." Opie muttered, sitting back down beside Jax.
"Trouble in paradise?" Jax asked, biting back a smile. Him and Donna were always fighting.
"She's bitching about me not making it down there to see her, I told her Piney's got me here showing Tara around but she wasn't hearing it."
"You could have gone," Tara stated, "I don't need a babysitter."
"It's cool. Piney will kick my ass if I leave you here alone on your first day." Opie shrugged.
"So let's go. I'll tour the town while you smooth things over with your girl." Tara suggested. She didn't want to complicate his life any more than she had to.
"Sounds like a plan to me." Jax agreed.
"Well…" Opie pondered the idea, "I guess that will work. Thanks."
"No problem." Tara replied.
"Bobby, tell the old man when he comes out that we took Tara around to explore the town." Jax ordered.
"Will do." Bobby smirked at the authority in the boy's voice. He was obviously trying to impress this girl. He was always a cocky little shit though so it didn't surprise him.
"Where the hell have you been?" Donna placed her hands on her hips demanding an answer.
"I already told you," Opie gasped in frustration, "the old man has us showing her the ropes." He gestured toward Tara.
"So spending time with another girl is more important than spending time with me?" She narrowed her eyes at him, rocking back and forth on her heels.
"Of course not." He held her hands, "I'm here now so can we just drop it. Please."
"Fine." She agreed. "I'm Donna." She said finally acknowledging Tara's presence.
"Tara." She answered, trying to figure why Opie stayed with someone so whiney. It would annoy the hell out of her.
"Well…you guys have fun. Text me when you're done making up." Jax smirked.
"It'll be awhile." Donna flashed him her grin.
"Oh, Tara…please don't tell Piney about this. I'm not in the mood to hear him bitch about leaving you to hook up with my old lady." Opie requested.
"No worries. Do your thing. I'm not a rat." She waved him off.
"I think we're going to get along great." Donna smiled at her.
"Don't count on it drama queen." Tara muttered under her breath not quite low enough for Jax to miss. He choked back a laugh.
"So where are we going? I figure it has to be somewhere that it won't get back to Piney that I'm not with Opie. Any ideas?" Tara questioned, hoping he didn't mention what she had just said. They were all friends and she didn't want to piss anyone off this early in her arrival.
"Good point," Jax concurred, "let's just hang out here in the back yard. I don't have my bike or I'd take you to Lodi for some food."
"Sounds good." She followed him around the house. "So when do you take over the club?"
"I can Prospect when I'm 18, I'm trying to talk Clay into letting me and Opie do it sooner since we're guaranteed to get in. I would like to skip Prospecting all together but I don't think the club will go for that. I have to Prospect for a year and then I'll be a patched member. It will all go from there. When Clay steps down, I should be next in line." She watched his eyes light up talking about joining the club, she didn't think until his blue eyes could get any more beautiful until that moment.
"What does a Prospect do exactly?" She had a pretty good idea from the little bit of time she was at the one-niner club house but she wanted to keep him talking about something he loved.
"All of the shit work that no one else wants to do." He laughed, "it could be anything from cleaning the toilets to assisting in club business."
"Eww, I'm guessing cleaning the toilets of a bunch of guys can get pretty messy."
"Yeah. Especially with Bobby. He clogs them up all the time. A Prospect found a thong in one that somehow got flushed, shit was everywhere. Literally. It was fuckin' nasty." He laughed harder and wrinkled his nose in disgust at the thought.
"Gross." She laughed with him.
"Yup." He agreed.
"Well I hope things work out the way you want them to and you guys don't have to clean too many nasty toilets." She smiled at him.
"Me too."
"What kind of things do you like to do?" He questioned, wanting to learn more about her.
"Read mostly or write. I write in a journal at the end of every day or whenever the mood strikes me. I started after my dad passed, mostly then it was just pictures but it's something that has stuck with me. I know I'm a big nerd." She blushed.
"Not at all," he grinned, "well maybe a little." He laughed when she shoved his shoulder. "Nah, I think it's cool you write. I do it too." He pulled out a small notebook from his back pocket and showed it to her.
"Hmm… I didn't peg you for a writer." She admitted, impressed with the new information.
"What did you peg me for?"
"Well… honestly, I don't know. I haven't really had time to think about it. I think it's awesome that you write too. Some of my friends used to make fun of me for it. Call it my diary…etc… not that I cared though. Writing has always been my escape or my therapist." She chuckled. "Does that sound stupid?"
"Nope. It keeps stuff from getting too bottled up. It's a release. I'm the same way." He never shared these private details of his life with anyone…especially chics… but he found it extremely easy to talk with this one.
"Exactly," she nodded in agreement, "I've noticed if I get busy and don't write for a couple of days I get kind of bitchy and don't even mean to, so I've made it a priority to take the time to at least write a little bit."
"I bet you are a nerd though," he teased, "you probably get straight A's and shit huh?"
"I got a B once," she shrugged, "but they let me do extra credit to bring it up because I had the flu and was out for a few days. I bet you're really smart but have the bad boy/outlaw rep to protect so most of the time you don't let people see how smart you really are."
"Am I that transparent?" He winked. He was impressed that she had observed so much this quickly.
"Just good at reading people, I guess." She shrugged.
"So what was your read on the drama queen?" He laughed.
Tara's face turned scarlet red, she had been hoping he was laughing at something totally different and not her off handed murmur about his best friend's girlfriend. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"Why are you sorry? I thought it was hilarious. She is a drama queen, but she's cool. You'll like her once you get to know her."
"Maybe. I've always been better friends with guys rather than girls. I can talk to guys. Girls and their whining annoy the shit out of me. I'm not against having friends that are girls…I just…I don't know; I've never liked the damsel-in-distress attitudes some of them get anytime they want a guy to show them attention. I'm more of a straight up this is how it is, if you like me cool…if not the hell with you type of girl. There's no need for all of the fussing and fighting over petty shit just to make up. I see it as if you want sex…just have sex…why bring all of the extra drama and bullshit into the mix. I've never been in love though so maybe I just don't understand yet."
Jax stared at her in amazement. She thought more like a guy than a chic and it was hot. He was definitely intrigued with this girl for something more than getting into her pants, although that was still weighing heavy on his mind.
"What?" She asked and he realized he was just staring at her.
"Nothing. You are just different than practically every girl I've ever met." He replied.
"Is that a bad thing?" She questioned, most guys didn't like the fact that she had a take no shit attitude, but she refused to be her mother and let men or people in general walk all over her.
"Nope. Not at all darlin'."
"So I wanted to apologize for my bad first impression." Donna announced when her and Opie made their way outside. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day and I just needed my man."
"It's cool. Don't worry about it." Tara reassured her.
"So what have you guys been up to?" Opie asked.
"Just talking, waiting on you two nymphos." Jax replied.
"You didn't want to show her around while we were busy?" Donna squinted her eyes in confusion. She thought the whole point of them hanging out was to show her around.
"She pointed out that if you didn't want someone to see us and tip Piney off about you bailing to hook up with your girl we might ought to stay out of sight." Jax countered.
"Good point." Opie nodded.
"That's what I said." Jax smirked. "She's pretty smart."
"Pretty smart? Boy please…I'm a genius." Tara giggled and threw her hands up in mock surrender, "Just kidding."
The group laughed with her. At least she has made some friends here, that would make this a hell of a lot easier as long as everything works out with her mom and Opie's dad.
Donna tagged along as they took Tara on the tour of the town. Charming is a relatively small town so it didn't take long to show her all of the key points. Jax made a mental note to take her on the bike and show her some of his favorite spots outside of town soon.
"Hey kids," Grace, Piney, and Gemma greeted the teenagers when they made their way back to TM, "how did it go?"
"Fine," Tara answered, "it's a nice town."
"What all did you guys do?" Piney interrogated them, Tara wondered if he already knew what was up.
"They showed me around, introduced me to Donna so I'd have a female friend to confide in." Tara lied…sort of…everything she said was true except for the reason Donna was with them now.
"Good." Piney accepted her answer.
"We're gonna head to the house soon to get settled. Are you ready?" Grace beamed. Tara could see the excitement rolling off of her.
"Sure." Tara agreed. "Thanks for hanging out with me. I had fun."
"Me too." Donna answered giving Tara a genuine smile. She hoped the two really could be friends. Donna didn't have many friends. Most of the girls hated her because she was dating the future VP of the MC and she hated them because they were always trying to sleep with her man. She didn't have to worry about Tara though, considering she was going to be his sister. That made her the perfect best friend.
"Anytime darlin'." Jax crooned.
"So how do you like things here?" Grace asked once Piney went off into the kitchen to have a beer.
"So far they're not bad." Tara admitted, "Opie, Jax, and Donna are nice."
"I'm so glad you like it." Grace squealed with delight. "I told you, you would."
"Yeah. Yeah." Tara waved her off, sticking her tongue out.
"Opie's friend seemed to like you…" Grace pulled out one of Tara's shirts from the suitcase and refolded it, placing it in a drawer, "he kept referring to you as darlin'."
"He probably couldn't remember my name." Tara stated but she couldn't hide contain her blush.
"I doubt that's the reason." Grace smirked and continued helping Tara unpack her bag, "I think things are going to work out this time baby."
"If this is what you want, mom, then I support you. One hundred percent. You know that."
"I know sweetheart. You've always been my biggest supporter when it should have been the other way around. Sometimes baby, I think it was you who took care of me all these years."
"It's okay, we're in this together." Tara agreed.
"Yes we are." Grace wrapped her arms around Tara's neck, "I love you so much."
"I love you too. I've got this. Go spend some time with your fiancé before you're officially an old married couple."
"Watch it, I'm not old." Grace chuckled and wagged her finger at Tara.
"That's a matter of opinion." Tara smirked, feeling thankful to be on good terms with her mom again.
"Brat." Grace shook her head smiling as she made her way back out to Piney.
"You know you love me." Tara called out.
"With all my heart." Grace confirmed.
"It's hotter than hell out there," Tara complained, "why didn't you guys decide to have an indoor wedding? With air conditioning."
"Did you see how beautiful the landscape is out there…all of those beautiful wildflowers. I couldn't pass up a chance to get married in such a gorgeous location."
"Yeah, I saw them. They're pretty, but the heat index of 110 degrees…not so much."
"Stop bitching. Help me into my dress."
Tara rolled her eyes playfully, "when your lady business gets sweaty and smelly before your honeymoon, remember this conversation."
"I'll keep it mind. Thanks for the tip." Grace chuckled. "So how do I look?"
"You're beautiful, Mom." Tara smiled and snapped a picture.
"Let me get one of the two of you." Gemma offered, coming into the room to make sure Grace didn't need anything.
"That would be great, thank you." Grace replied.
"Say cheese." Gemma ordered.
"Cheese." Tara and Grace said in unison, both beaming at the camera.
"Beautiful." Gemma handed the camera back to Tara. "They're almost ready for you."
"Okay, we're all good." Grace smoothed out her dress.
"By the power invested in me by the State of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Have at it." The preacher announced.
The crowd cheered and whistled as Piney kissed his new bride.
"You look beautiful." Jax whispered as he escorted Tara to the reception area.
"Thank you." She grinned.
"I guess you're officially stuck with me now…sis…" Opie chuckled.
Tara hadn't been expecting any of them to accept her into their lives so fast. It felt as though she had known them her whole life instead of only a day. She still thought her mom should have had a longer engagement but she wouldn't trade her mom's pure bliss in this moment for anything in the world.
