The late July afternoon was hot and arid in Charming when the ragged Oldsmobile sputtered through Main St, hauling a U-Haul to the line of houses just outside of downtown. The residents first fear was that it was a new addition to SAMCRO, but once the UCLA sticker came into view, they breathed a sigh of relief. Just a college kid, coming to settle down. Nothing wrong with that.

Except this wasn't a college kid. Ana Lewis was very much an adult, who was coming with a fresh master's degree in hand, snapping up the teaching job at the high school, and determined to make a new life in a place where no one knew her. No one could tell her she was a failure, and no one could remind her just how badly she could wreck someone's life.

She drove slowly, singing along to her Motown CD as she looked at the numbers on the houses, trying to find the house that would be her home for at least a year. After what felt like forever, Ana looked at the address in her hand and matched the numbers to the house at the end of the street. She smiled at the picturesque little cottage with approval. This would be just fine.

She pulled into the driveway, and turned the tired car off.

"Easy, girl, that's enough for today," she said to the ailing car, getting out and wiping her head free of the sweat drops that threatened to fall.

A black towncar pulled in behind her, and her landlord, Elliot Oswald, got out with a welcoming smile.

"Hi, Ms. Lewis," he said, extending his hand.

"Mr. Oswald," she replied, extending it. "Nice to meet you, finally."

"Likewise. I thought I'd come and make sure everything was ready for you to move in," he said, jingling the keys on his belt. "How do you like Charming so far?"

Ana laughed without humor.

"You mean the whole ten minutes I've been here?" she asked sarcastically. There was no humor on Oswald's face so she sighed. "It's okay, I guess. I just need to get around more."

"It grows on you. Nothing like Los Angeles, though, that's for sure," Elliot replied.

Ana nodded, and prayed he was right. Los Angeles nearly destroyed her, and Charming was going to be her fresh start.

The first day of the school year arrived quickly, and Ana was nervous as the students filed into her classroom. She'd taught a middle school class in Los Angeles, but this would be the first time she taught only history, and to ninth and tenth graders at that. She was barely older than them, just over a decade older, if that, and her looks didn't help much either. She'd been mistaken for a student three times at the open house, and, with the looks she was given by parents, she knew the people of Charming were having some doubts about her teaching skills. She didn't care. She had a plan to have all her students pass, and then Ana'd be the one snickering at the looks of disbelief.

She sighed as the tardy bell rang, and stood at the whiteboard with a smile that some students-mostly the boys-returned.

"Good morning, class," she said.

"Morning," they replied.

"I'm Ms. Lewis, and we'll be studying American History in here," she continued. "History is probably one of the most important things to learn. Can anyone tell me why?"

Ana looked around the room and saw no hands raised. She quirked an eyebrow and smiled. "No one?"

"Do you even know?" asked one of the boys in the back row, and Ana rolled her eyes as his friend snickered. So this was how it was going to be.

"Okay, before we continue, is there anything you all want to know about me?" she asked. "The more we all know about each other, the easier it is for all of us to get through this class without any miscommunication or mistrust."

There was shifting in the class and finally one of the guys raised his hand.

"No offense, Ms. Lewis, but how old are you? You look like you go here, not teach here."

Ana wiped off the whiteboard and began to write as she spoke.

"I'm twenty six years old. I went to Pacific State for four years and double majored in History and Education. I moved to Los Angeles two years ago and got my masters in History at UCLA. I moved to Charming so I can help the History department. Your principal picked me especially for the job, and I'm happy to be here."

She turned back to the class, who were looking at the phone numbers she'd wrote down on the board in confusion, and gave them a smile.

"Those are the numbers to my academic advisors at both schools if you or your parents are doubting my competence. Any questions?"

The class shook their heads, and Ana went back to her lesson, wondering how many more times she was going to go through this.

"No, no no no NO!"

Her first day was not ending well. She snapped a nail as she locked the classroom door and now her car was not wanting to cooperate. Ana couldn't deny that the car was old, and the trip from LA to Charming took a lot out of the old girl, but this was her first car. Years of babysitting, minimum wage jobs, and hustling term papers were what paid for it, and now after four years, it was giving up on her.

Ana punched the steering wheel in distress, and her reaction was noticed by her co worker, Ethan McBride. She'd met him on the open house day and he'd been one of the few men who'd treated her like an equal.

"Hey, it quit?" he asked, looking at her sympathetically. Ana nodded as she got out, tears in her eyes. She kicked the tire in frustration.

"Jesus, what am I going to do?" she asked.

Ethan pursed his lips and thought for a minute.

"You could call Teller Morrow, they're the local garage and tow company. Gemma and Clay are fair, they'll work with you," he said, writing down a number and giving it to her.

"Really?" Ana asked. She could use fair right now, after the day of consecending crap she had.

"Yeah. Just say McBride referred you, okay?"

"Alright. Thanks, Ethan," Ana said, punching in the number. It rang for a while and right before she was about to hang up, someone answered.

"Teller Morrow, this is Gemma."

"Hi, um, I need a tow. My car's broke down at Charming High School."

"Mom and Dad not home?"

"I'm a teacher?" Ana asked, a little offended. Ethan thought this was fair? "Ethan McBride said you could help."

She heard a sigh on the other end, and it sounded like this Gemma person was sitting down.

"Sorry, darlin, you just sound like a kid and it's been a rough day. I'll have a couple of my guys bring it in, okay?"

"Thank you," Ana said curtly, not buying the apology.

"Name?" Gemma asked directly.

"Analis Lewis."

"Okay, Ms. Lewis, we'll see you in a bit."

Ana hung up and sighed. This was just not her day. She bade Ethan goodbye as she sat on the hood of her car and waited for the tow truck. There was no way this day could get even worse.

Half Sack and Chibs pulled beside the only car in the high school parking lot, where a young woman sat on the hood, looking utterly forlorn. They were thrown off for a minute, but this had to be the right car.

"Gemma said it was a teacher's car," Half Sack said, confused at the youthfulness of the woman.

"Aye, lad, and that'd be the teacher, I suppose," Chibs said, appreciatively. "You Mrs. Lewis, lass?" he called out, getting out of the truck.

"It's Ms. Lewis, and yes, I am," Ana said, looking at the Scot. Her eyes widened at his scars but he smiled anyway.

"New in town, aren't you?"

"Been here since late July," she said, shrugging. "Why?"

"Oh, you'll know soon enough."

Ana rolled her eyes. She didn't have time for mind games, not today.

"Are you here for this piece of shit?" she asked, frustrated.

Chibs's eyes widened at the woman's bluntness. No one had ever been that direct with him, no stranger at least. He was used to people being wary of him. The girl had spunk, that was for sure.

"Aye," he said. "I'm Chibs, that there's Half Sack. We'll be towing your car to the garage. You need a ride?"

Ana nodded, visibly relaxing as she took in their names.

"Yes, thank you," she said. "Half Sack and Chibs, huh? You guys gay porn stars or something?"

Chibs laughed at the woman's nerve.

"No, dearie, I'm all about the pussy and poor Sack over there only has the one nut. They're just nicknames, love."

Ana cracked a smile, despite her shitty day. She liked this Chibs guy.

"I'm just messing with you. I appreciate the help and the lift."

"Well, let's get her hooked up and we'll be on the way."

Forty five minutes after they arrived at the garage, Chibs approached Ana in the office warily. She'd been quiet most of the way back, and since neither Gemma or Clay were around at the moment, he told her to go wait in the office while they tried to sort out her car. Now he had bad news for her, and he was sure that she was already having a crap day.

"Car's gone lass. Nothing we can do, she was an old girl," he said to her carefully as he stood in the doorway.

"Shit!" Ana said, putting her face in her hands. She was on the verge of tears. "How am I supposed to get to work?"

"You give us the hunk of metal for a down payment on one of our repos," said a female's voice behind the Scot.

Ana recognized the voice as the woman she'd talked to on the phone. Chibs moved aside for the woman to step through.

Ana was impressed. She was obviously older, but still dressed like she was in her twenties and looked good doing it. She had a "don't fuck with me" vibe, much like the one Ana tried to carry. This woman carried it much better than she did at the moment.

"Gemma Teller, Ms. Lewis," she said, introducing herself. "Gotta say, you look a little young to be a teacher."

Ana resisted the urge to roll her eyes in front of this woman. She didn't know why, but she got the vibe that this was one chick you just didn't cross.

"I just got my masters this past spring," Ana said, shaking Gemma's hand. "And as for your offer, I don't know if I can even accept it."

Gemma sat down and motioned for Ana to sit as well. As Ana did, Gemma took a puff of a cigarette and sighed.

"Look, I get it. You're new to Charming, trying to be independentand you don't like to accept charity and all that shit. I know how it works, darling," Gemma said, holding up her hand as Ana began to protest. "But the fact is you need a car, Ana, or all that independent bullshit flies out the window. This isn't charity. You'll be making payments and you don't seem the type to get behind, so I'll take that scrap metal out there as a down payment. All you need to do is go into our repo lot and pick out something that you like. Within reason, of course. I'll even send one of my guys with you if you have trouble."

Ana sighed, and saw there was no way of wiggling out of this. Charming didn't have a bus service, and she needed a car.

"Alright," Ana replied. She was in no position to refuse it, and at least something good came from today.

Gemma smiled.

"Good."

"I'll send Juice with her," Chibs said, still at the door as he watched the conversation. "Lad needs to be around women sometimes, he worries me a bit."

Gemma snorted, and Ana did roll her eyes this time. What the hell was it with the guys' names around here?

"Yeah, send Stupid Tat with her, that'll be fun."

Chibs winked at Ana and left, with Gemma in his wake.

"Juicy boy where are you?"

"In here, Chibbie," Juice called from his dorm room, focusing on shooting a few enemies on Call of Duty. "Die motherfuckers die!"

Chibs rolled his eyes as he opened the door. There was Juice, shirtless and playing a stupid video game on his day off. Chibs loved the boy to death, but there was no understanding the way his mind worked.

"Get off the game, boy. Gemma has a job for you," he said, sitting on the bed.

Juice paused the game and looked at Chibs with curiousity. Gemma rarely asked him to do anything, so he was assuming this was about computers.

"She finally getting a card reader or something?" Juice asked.

Chibs snorted.

"Don't we wish? No. Teacher came in with a dead car, we need you to help her pick out a repo," he said, hitting the power button on the remote for the TV. He dodged the pillow Juice threw at him with laughter.

"Leave me with the boring clients, I see how you are," Juice said, throwing on a shirt and putting his shoes on. "I hate teachers, they're old and mean and fail people for no damn reason."

Chibs began to speak but thought against it. Let the boy be surprised.

"Gemma will have your balls if you don't," he said.

Juice groaned.

"I'll do it for Gemma, I like my dick attached to my body after all," he said. "Because if she doesn't have my nuts then Clay will, and I'm trying to stay on his good side."

Chibs and Juice walked out of the clubhouse together, dodging the crow eaters that called out to them with ease. Juice was still grumbling about bullshit teachers and Chibs was smirking, knowing he'd shut up when he saw the teacher in question.

Juice walked across the lot as Chibs spotted Jax and walked his way. Juice found Gemma standing in the doorway of her office. She waved him over with a grin and he broke out into a run.

"Hey, sweetie," she said, kissing his cheek.

"What's up, Gem?" he asked. "Heard my services were needed."

"Ana here needs a car, think you could help her?"

Juice looked over at Ana and his mind went blank.

When Chibs said teacher, he'd expected a stern uptight ice queen around Gemma's age, but instead what he got was a woman a little younger than he was. She was short, with long brown wavy hair, tanned skin, and when she turned to face him, he was floored by her eyes. They weren't doe-like or big, but they were definitely expressive and noticable. Brown. A warm brown, like chocolate or something. She had a small oval face with soft features.

Juice pulled himself out of the trance he'd gone into staring at her when Gemma and Ana were both looking at him expectantly.

"Yeah," he said automatically. "Yeah, we can work something out. Come on."

Ana looked amused as they walked toward the lot where all the repos went. Juice was trying to think of something to say where he wouldn't look like an idiot. He was trying to figure out why she was teaching in Charming and not doing something awesome, like modeling in LA or something.

"So, Chibs, with the scars. Half Sack with one nut, and Juice with a Mohawk and tribal tats on his head. Are you three the main attraction, or am I going to see a big buff guy named Tiny soon?" she asked as he led her to the repo lot.

Juice snorted. So she was sarcastic under those looks. He could handle sarcastic just fine.

"We have a very scary guy named Happy who hangs around," he said, unlocking the gate and opening it for her..

"I take it he's not named for his sunny disposition?" she asked.

"Not at all," Juice said. He let her go in in front of him, since it was the gentlmanly thing to do. He knew most of the guys would have already started to flirt with her by now, but he wasn't that type of person. At least, not with women like her.

He observed her as she walked among the cars, peering in the windows to see what condition they were in. She finally stopped at a Miata and leaned against it as she rubbed the back of her neck in frustration.

"I can't believe she's letting me do this," she said as he walked over.

Juice shrugged. He didn't know this woman's backstory, but he knew, even without her having to tell him, that she wasn't used to people doing things for her.

"Gemma's a tough woman, but she's kind, too. We take care of our own in this town."

Ana smiled a little, and Juice felt that weird feeling in his stomach, as if he'd missed a step climbing up a staircase. She had a pretty smile, even if it was a little sad.

"Starting to get that feeling," she said, eyeing the Miata. "I think I'll take this one for now, until I can buy my own."

Juice nodded and jingled the keys on his belt.

"Alright, let me go into that building and get the keys so you can test it out," Juice said. A few minutes later he came back and tossed the keys to her.

She slid in and Juice got in the passenger seat. After a quick test drive around the block, she confirmed she wanted it. Juice rode with her as she pulled it into a parking spot near the office, and bid Ana farewell as she went into the office to do paperwork

"Everything go okay?" Gemma asked as she walked in. Ana nodded.

"He's very...smiley?" Ana said questioningly. "He was a big help, though, and I'm getting the Miata."

"Oh, that's good," Gemma said. Then she smiled affectionately at Juice's retreating figure. "That one is sort of the baby around here. He's a little younger than my son, I think, but he's just one overgrown child most of the time. He's always cheerful." Gemma observed Ana as she filled out the paperwork. "I think that's why Chibs asked him to go with you. You look as if you've had a rough day, sweetheart."

Ana looked up, surprised that Gemma was actually being kind to her. She looked for signs that the older woman had an ulterior motive, but the only emotion in her face was concern.

Ana shrugged, and bit her lip before she answered.

"I'm just...it's weird. I come here because the principal saw my grades in college, saw I had some success with a middle school class in LA, and he wanted me here to help the students succeed. But I get here, and it's like no one trusts me simply because I'm like some little girl or something. I normally don't get flustered but it's just been a bad day."

Gemma nodded, and handed over the Miata keys.

"Well it just got a little better. Welcome to Charming," she said.

"Yeah, thanks," she said, taking them with a smile.

She gathered her bag and walked out to the Miata. The guy named Juice was sitting at a picnic table with some blonde guy and he glanced at her as she opened the car door. He smiled at her and waved, which she returned hesitantly. She looked at the weird reaper that was on the building behind him. For a quick minute, she felt uneasy, but she pushed the feeling away.

As she drove out of the parking lot, Ana had no idea that she'd just got a new car from the most feared people in the town. The Sons of Anarchy.

So I'm revamping the first few chapters. I'm thickening it up from the dialogue-y crap I had earlier. I'm hoping you guys will like it.