AN: this our attempt at a soa/fnl X-crossover set pre to early season 2 for SOA and for FNL its post season 4! which we know hasn't happened yet but anyawys... this also mine and Fleur 27's first co-write together so be gentle if you can! We own nothing at all thanks! please review~Meghan and Fleur 27

When Tim pulled into the parking lot at Teller-Morrow, he'd been on the road for three days. His truck was dusty, he was thirsty, and he hoped that the motorcycle was as good as it had been advertised on Craig's List. Because it would really piss him off he had to drive back to Dillon empty handed.

Tim drove up past a low-slung cinderblock building and parked his truck off to the side, out of the way of the mechanics and the motorcycles. As he climbed out of his truck, he looked around and took things in, getting a feel for the place. He saw a familiar logo on the back wall of the building and smiled to himself.

Tim took the folded up printout out of his hand and walked toward the garage. Two mechanics were working inside the dimly lit space while another guy shuffled through papers at a workbench.

Tim brushed the hair out his face and stepped into the garage.

"Is one of y'all Jackson Teller?" he asked, looking around.

The blonde guy turned away from the workbench, a cigarette dangling from him mouth. He looked hard at Tim. "Who wants to know?"

"I'm Tim - I called you about the motorcycle you're selling," said Tim, his deep voice projecting more authority and comfort than he actually felt.

"Shit, man, I'm sorry. I forgot you were coming today. I'm Jax." The guy pulled the cigarette from his mouth with his left hand and walked over to Tim. He offered his right hand and Tim shook it firmly.

"I'm probably a little early, for once in my life. Traffic after LA wasn't as bad as I thought."

"You drove up here from LA?" asked the older guy who was working on a bike right near the door. He had short, curly-ish black hair and icy blue eyes that seemed to look right through Tim.

"No, Texas."

"Shit. How long'd that take you?" asked Jax as he motioned for Tim to follow him.

"Three days."

Jax led him over to the row of parked motorcycles and wheeled one out. It was even better looking than Tim had hoped. Jax handed him a set of keys.

"Go on and take it for a test ride. See how it feels."

Tim sat on the motorcycle and started the engine, listening carefully as it revved up. He pulled away slowly and took a left turn out of the parking lot. As he drove away, he realized he didn't know the area or where he was going, so he decided a simple out and back route would be best.

He smiled, feeling the wind in his hair. It reminded him of long-ago afternoons, when Uncle Terry, his mother's brother, would visit and would take Tim for a ride. Uncle Terry had stopped by a few times after his mother took off, but Walt's drunken harassment and attempts to fight with Terry put an end to the visits.

Tim rode for several miles, speeding the bike up and then slowing it down, listening to the engine. He tested the brakes and did a few turns to test the steering, always careful to turn right back around so that he stayed on the same main road. When he was satisfied that the bike was pretty much as advertised, he turned around and headed back to the shop.

Tim pulled into the parking lot, eased the motorcycle into the original spot, and got off. As he walked toward the garage, Jax came out to meet him. His walk, with its casual swagger, put Tim in mind of a lion strolling across the plains, secure in his territory and his place at the top of the food chain.

"So, what'd you think?"

"Pretty good. Handles real nice. Just one thing though - it's a little growly, don't you think? Makes me think that a bearing might need to be replaced, and maybe some gears as well."

Jax nodded. "Yeah, it's priced accordingly though. Seriously, you're not going to find this bike in a better condition at this price."

"Still, parts that'll work on an older bike could be a pain in the ass to find. Is this why you're selling it?"

"Nah, I'm selling it because it was my project but now I got a son, so I don't have enough time to work on it. I can give you the number for the parts dealer I use. He's reasonable and will get you the parts you need, no trouble."

"I'll buy it then," said Tim as he pulled out his wallet and extracted enough money to cover the price.

As Jax counted the money, Tim looked around, his eyes taking in the 'Help Wanted' sign in the office window.

"You wouldn't be interested in staying up here, would you? We could use a guy who could listen to engines the way you do."

"You listen, they talk to you," said Tim with a grin.

"That's what I'm always saying."

Tim shrugged, almost to himself, like he'd just answered a question only he could hear. "You know, I don't have anything waiting for me in Texas, really. I wouldn't mind working here."

"C'mon into the office and fill out an application."

Tim followed Jax into a small office that had papers and a few pin-up girls taped to the wall. Jax sat down at the desk and started rummaging through the the desk drawers, so Tim took a seat on the couch. The office was cramped and smelled like cigarette smoke and motor oil.

"Here it is," said Jax finally, putting the application on a clipboard. He handed it and a pen over to Tim, then leaned back in his chair.

Tim took the clipboard and began to print his name in small, careful letters.

"You want one?" asked Jax, holding out a pack of cigarettes.

Tim shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine. Thanks."

"Look, when you get to the part about references, if you know anybody in a motorcycle club that can vouch for you, that would really help."

"Yeah, my uncle was in your San Antonio charter, but I haven't seen him since.....well, for a really long time. He didn't get on so good with my dad."

"He still alive?"

"I don't know," said Tim as he bent his head down over the clipboard.

"Anything more recent than that?"

"I've done a few favors for a guy. I can't remember who he's with, but I can give you his name and the number of the bar where he drinks every night."

"That'll work."

The door swung open with a burst of air that rattled the papers. Tim found himself looking up at an older woman who had dark hair with blonde streaks. She was pretty but Tim could tell before she even said a word that she'd have a sharp tongue and hard edges.

"What's this, Jax?" she asked, leaning in the doorway and looking down at Tim like he was a rare insect on the sidewalk.

"This is Tim. Don't scare him. He's thinking about working here."

"Hi, Tim. I'm Gemma. Can you hand me that page off the fax machine there."

Tim did as she asked.

"You ever talk?" she asked him.

"No, ma'am, not much actually."

"Ma'am.... I think I'm gonna like this one, Jax," she said before she left.

"You know why I let you take the bike for a test ride without getting any collateral off of you?" asked Jax.

Tim felt confused, like he'd stumbled into the middle of the wrong conversation. "I don't know. Because I looked like an honest guy?"

"No. Because you didn't look stupid."

"Okay," said Tim, even more unsure where this was headed.

"That's my mom. Don't get any ideas."

Tim laughed. "No worries. I learned my lesson on that one the hard way."

The two men lapsed into an easy silence as Tim returned to filling out the application. He wasn't sure what to put for an address, since Dillon wasn't exactly within easy commuting distance. Work history was easy enough as were the references, since Jax had given him a clue about what was expected there. The application asked for three references, so he put Coach Taylor down on the third line.

The door into the garage opened and a man with a scarred face stuck his head in.

The only words that Tim understood were "Jackie boy." Other than that, Tim wasn't even sure he was speaking English. Jax seemed to understand the guy though.

"Does he speak English?"

Jax laughed. "Yeah, but not as we know it. That's Chibs. He's from Scotland and is real solid - you'll like him."

Tim handed the application back to Jax, who looked it over and nodded.

"You didn't put in an address."

"Well, I guess if I get the job, I'll have to find a place to stay. Otherwise, I'm heading back to Texas."

"Right. Look, we got a rental apartment a few blocks away that's sitting empty. Short term, you can stay there. I'm going to take this over to the boss. Be back in a few minutes."

Tim stretched his legs out and folded his arms. He closed his eyes and let his mind go blank. He realized this was an opportunity for a fresh start. The last year and a half since his high school graduation had been pretty miserable. It was weird not being a Dillon Panther anymore, like his life had no purpose.

Every day was the same - working at the garage, drinking at Smitty's, feeling like an unwelcome guest in Billy's house, dreading having to talk to Mindy, avoiding the baby. The only bright spot had been the summer when Julie Taylor was working at Riggins Riggs as the receptionist. She was fun and easy to talk to. And, unlike Billy, she never ragged on him for dropping out of college.

The idea of a fresh start in a new town where no one would judge him by his last name was appealing. Tim found himself hoping that he'd get this job, hoping for it more than he had ever let himself hope for anything.

It felt like days passed before Jax returned.

"Job's yours if you want it."

"For real?" asked Tim.

"Yeah, for real," replied Jax with a smile.

Tim allowed himself a small smile as he nodded his head. "Yeah, I want it."

"Good. I'll show you where you'll be staying and you can start tomorrow morning."

Later that evening, when Tim was sitting alone in a sparsely furnished apartment, he pulled out his cell phone. He knew he should call Billy, tell him what was going on. But he didn't really want to talk to his brother, so he called the garage.

"Hi, Billy, it's me. I'm fine....it's just.....I'm thinking I need a bit of a change, so I'm going to be away for a few weeks at least. Nothing to worry about....we both know things haven't been going that great with me at the garage and I think this'll be best for both of us. I'll talk to you soon."

He disconnected the call and closed his eyes. It felt like the right decision, like everything he'd been missing and everything he'd been looking for could be right here in Charming.