A/N: Thanks for the reviews… I'm glad you like the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own SoA!
It's been four days since Crystal got to the house she has inherited and she hadn't left once. She always called out for Pizza and had it delivered. She cleaned the house top to bottom and now every room was shining. She looked around the house and let her thoughts go where they wanted too.
She started to wonder if maybe it wouldn't just be easier to call Katie and have Katie bring Daniel out here. She knew that if she didn't know about the house then there was no way her ex knew about the house. She decided that this would be the perfect place for her to hide for now.
She picked her cell phone up and dialed Katie and when Katie answered she said "Hey babe how is it going out there?"
Crystal smiled a little. "It is actually pretty nice out here. How would you like to move out here?"
Katie's mouth dropped open and she said "Are you serious?"
Crystal chuckled. "Yes, I'm very serious. I figure if I didn't know I had a relative in Charming, California then Jim won't know either."
Katie nodded and then remembered that Crystal couldn't see her so she said "That is true. So do you want me to pack my stuff, Daniel's stuff and Annie's stuff and come out there?"
Crystal grinned because she knew that Katie would love it here. "I just want you to pack your clothes and whatever else you think it is you'll want. The house here is furnished and it has four bedrooms."
Katie thought for a minute and said "I can do that. I'll start now while the kids are at school and we should be with you tomorrow. Is there anything special that you want brought?"
Crystal had to think a moment. "Bring mine and Daniel's birth certificates and the pictures. Everything else can stay behind."
Katie knew why this was and said "Alright sweetie we should be with you tomorrow."
Crystal smiled. "Thank you so much Katie. You don't know how much this means to me."
Katie smiled. "Yes, I do because it means just as much to me. I've helped you and you've helped me. Hopefully we'll both be safe in Charming for a long while."
"I'll speak and see you tomorrow babe." Crystal said. She closed her cell phone and looked around. She really hoped that this would work.
She looked at the clock and saw what time it was. She decided that she needed to finally get out of the house and do some shopping especially with Katie, Daniel, and Annie arriving tomorrow. There was no way she would make them eat pizza every night. Then again even though she ordered it she hardly ever ate it.
She made sure that she had the automatic garage door opener and hit the button and then pulled out. She found the store easily and looked around and was relieved to see that she didn't see any familiar cars not that she thought she would but this had become her habit for the last couple of years. She got out of the car and quickly made her way into the store. She knew what she wanted and needed to get so after grabbing a car she made quick work of it. She didn't want to have to talk to anyone. She was still very jumpy.
She was looking at the cereal as she was walking down the aisle and ran her cart into someone. She looked up and saw an older woman looking at her.
Crystal sighed. "I'm sorry about running into your cart."
Gemma looked the woman over that had run into her cart and noticed a lot of things at once. She knew that this was the woman that her son, Juice and Opie had helped. She also noticed that the woman was apparently didn't eat much and that the woman's eyes keep flicking everywhere like she is waiting for something to happen to her. She also noticed that the woman had had a recently broken arm or had it broken because it looks like she could barely use it.
Gemma felt protective of the woman that she didn't even know but she knew that she would eventually get to know her. "It's alright honey. I'm Gemma Morrow."
Crystal gave a slight smile and said "I'm Crystal. It was nice to meet you but I have to get going."
Gemma watched in shock as the younger woman took off with her cart and decided that she would follow her at least to make sure that she was alright.
Crystal hurried through the rest of the store and grabbed what she needed. She quickly made her way through the check out and paid with cash and then hurried out to her car. After loading her groceries in her car she took the cart back inside and then quickly headed back to her car after looking around and making sure that nobody was watching her. One she was inside her car she sat there for a minute shaking.
She couldn't even handle a simple trip to the grocery story. Every noise she heard made her jump and she couldn't even have a simple conversation with a woman. Would she ever quit feeling like she did? She felt like she should just stay hidden away when she couldn't even handle a simple conversation with a woman. She also knew that she needed to talk to someone about how she was feeling but she couldn't burden Katie with it because Katie had her own demons to fight. She hit the steering wheel with her good arm as she felt the tears fall down her face.
Gemma stood underneath the yawning watching Crystal with concern. She saw her get into the car but when she didn't start it Gemma decided to walk over and make sure that Crystal was okay. When she got near the car that she saw Crystal get into she was surprised to see that the younger woman was shaking and crying. She knocked lightly on the window after a few minutes debate with herself.
Crystal jumped and screamed when she heard the knock on her car window. She looked over at the window scared but then took in a deep breath when she saw the woman that she accidently ran into with her cart. She took another deep breath and then rolled down the window.
Gemma waited on Crystal to roll her window down and said "Honey are you alright?"
Crystal looked up and said "I'm fine."
Gemma huffed and crossed her arms. "Baby I know that you're not fine. If you were fine when I knocked on your car window you wouldn't have jumped and screamed. Whatever is troubling you or whatever is wrong you can talk to me. I know you don't know me but I am someone you can trust and someone who can and will help you."
Crystal took in a deep breath and because she needed someone to talk to she said "Could you follow me to my house? I don't like being out in the open."
Gemma was shocked but hid it and said "I'll be right behind you baby girl. I won't let anything happen to you."
Crystal nodded and didn't know why but for some reason she trusted this woman. She watched as Gemma got into her car and then she pulled out and saw Gemma following her. She hoped that she wouldn't regret doing this.
Gemma took her cell phone out and dialed Clay who answered and said "Hey baby."
Gemma smiled. "Hey baby I won't be back at the shop for a while."
Clay frowned and then said "Is everything alright? Do you need help?"
Gemma chuckled. "No baby I'm fine I promise. But I ran into the woman that Jax, Juice and Opie told us about. She is deathly scared of something. She ran into my cart and after apologizing I noticed a lot about her. I'll tell you when I see you later. Right now I just want to make sure that she is alright."
Clay sighed. "Baby this isn't like you. Why are you doing this?"
Gemma should have known that Clay would pick up on that. "There is something about her that seems familiar to me. I want to make sure that she is alright. I need to do this Clay. I can't stand by knowing that something is wrong and not seeing if I can help in any way. She needs a friend and I want to be that friend."
Clay sighed again. "Alright baby but be careful. I love you and will talk to you later."
"I love you too baby and talk to you tonight." Gemma said.
She looked at the house that she was stopping in front of and she realized why the woman looked so familiar. She was LuAnn and Otto's niece. She remembered LuAnn talking about her niece Crystal but she never put two and two together. She also knew then that whatever was wrong with Crystal that SAMCRO would help because she was SAMCRO even if she didn't realize it.
Gemma got out of her car and quickly hurried into the garage and wasn't surprised that as soon as she stepped into the garage that Crystal shut the garage door to hide her car. She hurried over and helped get the groceries from the car and then followed Crystal inside.
She smiled as she looked around. Everything that LuAnn held dear was still in the house. She wondered where the car was at though.
"It's been a while since I've been in this house." Gemma said with a sigh.
Crystal looked up at Gemma in surprise. "You've been in here before? You knew my aunt?"
Gemma gave Crystal a sad smile. "Yeah I knew LuAnn. She was one of my best friends. I took it hard when she was murdered. I wondered what they were doing with the house. Clay asked Otto who is LuAnn's husband and he said that they were trying to track down a niece because they both wanted her to have the house. I guess that they finally found you."
Crystal nodded. "Yeah the lawyer said they had been looking for me for almost a year but they could never track me down. Which is a good thing because if a lawyer couldn't track me down then the SOB I'm on the run for hopefully won't be able to track me down."
Gemma looked over at Crystal in concern and said "Who is after you baby?"
Crystal took a deep breath and then said fuck it and got in the drawer that held a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and took one out and lit it before leaning against the counter. "I got pregnant at the age of sixteen. Even at that young age I didn't believe in abortion so I had my baby and he was worth everything I went through. I've been on and off with my son's father for the last nine years but in the last four years I have been on the run but he has always found me. Although he hasn't found me since two years ago. He's abusive and I saw him kill the one real friend I had. That is when I took Daniel and started running and trying to hide better."
Gemma was shocked and she looked around. "Where is your son if he isn't here?"
Crystal smiled a little. "Daniel is with a friend I found that is also on the run. Katie, Daniel and Katie's daughter Annie will be arriving tomorrow. That is why I was at the grocery story today. I hate going out in public but I knew that I didn't want the kids living off of pizza either."
Gemma nodded. "I can understand that but baby you are safe here. I won't let anyone hurt you."
Crystal gave a bitter laugh. "You're one woman Gemma no offense. You won't be able to stop Jim."
Gemma gave Crystal a look. "It won't only be me. Listen when your friend and your son and your friends daughter gets here tomorrow call me. I want to introduce you to my husband. Just my husband I promise baby."
Crystal felt drained all of a sudden and she slumped against the counter with her eyes closed. Before she could say anything blackness overtook her.
Gemma caught Crystal before she could fall and she hurried took her cell phone out and dialed Clay again. She knew that she should call one of the other guys but until she knew how Crystal was going to react around other men she wanted and needed her husband.
"Yes, baby. Are you okay?" Clay said as soon as he answered his cell. He knew that something was wrong because Gemma wouldn't call him a second time not even an hour after she called him the first time.
"I need you to come to LuAnn's house and fast. Don't tell the guys and you just get here." Gemma spoke rapidly as she tried to keep Crystal from hitting the floor.
Clay was out of the club house before he responded. "Why am I coming to LuAnn's house?"
Gemma sighed. "The woman I was telling you about is LuAnn's and Otto's niece. She just lost consciousness and I'm about to drop her to the floor."
Clay straddled his bike and said "Shit! I'm on my way. How am I getting in?"
Gemma thought about it for a minute. "I still have LuAnn's other garage door opener in my car. Open the garage door and then shut it. Hurry Clay."
Clay shut his phone and he saw Jax and Happy heading towards him but he shook his head and started his bike and roared out of the T-M parking lot. He made quick work of getting to LuAnn's. He found the garage door opener and opened it and then ran inside. He remembered to shut the door before he entered the house through the garage door.
When he saw his wife holding onto a slip of a woman he hurried over and picked the woman up in his arms and then looked to his wife "She barely weighs anything! Where do I put her?"
Gemma thought about it for a moment and then said "Let's see which room she has been sleeping in. I think it's best if we stay here for the rest of the day and tonight. If she comes back around she doesn't need to be alone."
Clay nodded and followed Gemma and was surprised to see that instead of taking the Master bedroom that woman he was carrying had taken the bedroom next to the Master bedroom. He waited on Gemma to pull the bedding stuff down and then laid his charge in the bed and watched as his wife pulled the covers up over her before they both headed towards the living room.
Clay sat down and said "Do you want to tell me what is going on now?"
Gemma sighed and sat across from Clay. "Crystal is LuAnn and Otto's niece. She has been on the run from her ex for the last four years. She has a son who will be arriving tomorrow with a friend and her daughter."
Clay closed his eyes. "It looks like I need to pay a visit to Otto and see if he knows anything about the ex."
Gemma nodded. "I think that would be a good idea. She's scared Clay and I'm sure I don't know half of what she has been through. Tomorrow you will be meeting her son along with her friend and her friend's daughter. I do know that her ex whose name is Jim something killed one of her friends in front of her."
Clay growled at that. "I'll set it up to where I can go and see Otto tomorrow morning. For now what do you think we should do?"
Gemma looked around. "Can you find out where LuAnn's car is at? I know that her and Otto had it left to Crystal. It may be good if we can find it and Crystal can drive it. Her car looks like it is on its last leg."
Clay nodded. "I can do that. You may want to call your son and let him know that we will be unreachable for a while."
Gemma sighed but nodded. "I don't want him to know where we are at. Is there enough room to pull my car and put your bike in the garage?"
Clay stood up and went over to the door that lead to the garage and opened it and looked out. "I'll have to move her car over some but yes there is plenty of room."
Gemma nodded and through Clay her car keys. "While you do that I'll call Jax."
She watched Clay walk out into the garage after getting Crystal's car keys off the counter. She sat back down and sighed as she took her cell phone out and dialed her son.
"Hey Ma do you know where Clay rushed off too earlier?" Jax asked as he answered his cell.
Gemma sighed. "He's with me and we're both fine but we'll be unreachable until tomorrow."
Jax frowned and looked at the guys who were looking at him and he said "Why will you two be unreachable Ma? What in the fuck is going on?"
Gemma knew that her son was going to give her hell about this but she couldn't help it. "Jackson just leave it alone. We'll fill you in when we can. Right now just know that Clay is helping me to protect someone."
Jax frowned again. "Who are you two protecting Ma? Do you want some help?"
Gemma sighed. "No Jax we're fine. I'll tell you what I can tomorrow but for now to make sure the person we are with is comfortable it has to be this way."
"Fine Ma but you call if you or Clay need anything." Jax said. He knew that something was up but he also knew better than to push his mom right now. He would just have to wait until tomorrow sometime.
"I will baby. I love you and be safe." Gemma said. She closed her phone and then leaned her head back and shut her eyes.
When Gemma opened her eyes again she saw Clay sitting in the armchair he had been sitting in earlier and she saw that it was dark out so she said "What time is it?"
Clay laughed and looked at the clock and said "It just turned eight. It looked like you were exhausted so I let you sleep."
Gemma stood up and said "Has Crystal been up?"
Clay shook his head. "No and I have checked on her a couple of times."
Gemma nodded but before she said anything she heard a cell phone ringing and knew it wasn't hers or Clay's and followed the sound to the kitchen. She found the cell phone and picked it up.
"Hello." Gemma said as she answered Crystal's cell phone.
"I'm sorry I must have the wrong number. I'm trying to reach Crystal." a woman's voice said.
Gemma said "You don't have the wrong number. May I ask who is calling?"
Gemma heard the woman take a deep breath and then said "This is Katie."
At first the name didn't ring a bell but then she remembered Crystal saying her friend Katie was coming to live with her. "Hello, Katie I'm Gemma. Crystal passed out and hasn't woken up since this morning. My husband and I our here keeping an eye on her. I knew her Aunt and I know her Uncle. What can I do to help you sweetie?"
Katie took in a deep breath. "We weren't supposed to arrive until tomorrow but my ex tracked me down so I took the kids and what I had packed and ran. We are at the airport now. Do you know anyone who could come and pick us up?"
Gemma gasped and looked at her husband who said "What is it baby?"
Gemma held up a finger to him and she said "Katie I'll send my husband in my car. You'll recognize him by the cut he is wearing. It will have a reaper on the back of it and the patch says President. His name is Clay. He should be with you in about forty-five minutes. Stay inside. How will he recognize you?"
Katie let the relief in her voice show as she said "I have a bandage on my arm from where the bastard cut me before I got away from him today."
"Alright sweetie he'll be there soon. Call me back on Crystal's phone if you need anything." Gemma said before closing the phone.
Clay looked at his wife and said "What is it?"
Gemma swallowed and said "You need to get to the airport. Katie, Daniel, and Annie are there. Her ex found her but she was able to get away but not before he cut her. She will have a bandage on her arm."
Clay growled and grabbed Gemma's keys. "I know you said you didn't want anyone else knowing but I'd feel better about someone having my back."
Gemma thought about it for a minute and said "Get Tig but make sure you don't tell him anything around the others."
Clay nodded and kissed his wife. "I'll be back in a couple hours."
Gemma nodded and then after watching her husband pull out of the garage and shut the door and go down the street she headed to check on Crystal.
Clay was pissed that some man would ever think of hurting a woman as he drove towards the club house. He knew he would probably get heat for driving Gemma's car but he couldn't have one adult and two children on his bike. Once he pulled up to the club house he left the car running and went inside to look for Tig.
He found Tig with some crow eater and walked over and said "Come on brother play time is over. I need you with me. Now!"
Tig pushed the bitch off of him because he wasn't even really getting into it and stood up. He nodded his head towards Jax who was coming towards him and Clay.
Clay turned his head and sighed. He hated lying to his step son but he understood Gemma's reasoning behind it.
"I thought you and Mom wouldn't be reachable until tomorrow." Jax said.
"Your Mom and me are still unreachable but I need to Tig for something. And Jax don't ask right now. I swear we will bring it to you and the club tomorrow." Clay said.
Jax looked at Clay and finally nodded. "Be careful brother."
Clay nodded and walked out of the club house with Tig following him. He knew that Tig wanted to know what was up but until they were by Gemma's car he wouldn't say anything.
Tig followed behind Clay and when Clay stopped at Gemma's car his eyebrows rose and he said "What's going on brother?"
Clay rubbed a hand down his face. "We're heading up to the airport to pick up a woman and two kids. When we get back and get to where we're going I'll explain everything. Right now we need to get there because the woman already has a cut on her from her ex who found her before she managed to get away again."
Tig swore and said "Well let's go brother."
Clay nodded and got into the car and took off with Tig behind him. Forty minutes later they were at the airport and Clay left the car idling in the pickup area as he hurried inside. His eyes sought out the woman he was looking for and was happy to see that she was standing close by him. So he walked over to her with Tig following him.
"Hi are you Katie?" Clay asked the woman. He smiled when he saw her looking at his cut and turned around so that she would see the reaper that Gemma had told her about.
Katie let out a sigh of relief. "Yes, I'm Katie. You must be Clay."
Clay nodded. "Yes, I am and the man behind me is Tig. He will be following us."
Katie nodded and then looked down and sighed when she saw that both kids had fallen asleep waiting. She really hated to wake them up but she had no other choice. She couldn't carry both of them plus get their bags.
Clay looked down and smiled slightly when he saw the two kids fast asleep leaning up against the wall and he said "Tig and I will carry them so you don't have to wake them. Do you have any bags?"
Katie nodded and grabbed the bags. "Yes, and I can get them."
Clay nodded and looked at Tig "You pick up the boy and I'll get the girl. We need to hurry."
Tig nodded and bent down to pick up the kid and he hoped that he was being gentle. He isn't use to kids even though Able was a little over a year old now. When he had the boy in his arms he reached a hand out and grabbed the heaviest looking of the luggage and carried it out to the car with Katie following him and Clay following her.
Once Clay and Tig put the kids in and loaded the luggage Katie whispered "Thank you two so much for doing this even though you don't know me."
Clay shook his head. "You're family and we help out family. Let's get you to where you belong."
Katie nodded and got in the passenger seat and Clay looked at Tig and said "Follow us back. Now that you're in the know you may as well find out the rest of it. But until my say so or Gemma's none of this gets back to the others."
Tig nodded and then walked over and hopped on his bike. He felt rage overtake him as he followed Clay back to Charming. He couldn't believe that some man would deliberately hurt a woman like Katie. He may not know anything about her but in the few sentences she has said he knew that she was a wonderful and caring woman. When he thought about that cut on her arm he got even more pissed. How dare someone hurt her or any woman and especially how dare someone hurt her when she had two kids.
Clay looked over at Katie and saw that she was still shaken up. "Sweetie you'll be safe here. Like I said back there you're family and we take care of ours."
Katie looked over at him with a sad smile. "How am I family? You don't even know me."
Clay shook his head. "You became family the minute my wife found out that Crystal was LuAnn's niece. LuAnn was SAMCRO and so are you and Crystal now along with your children."
Katie sighed. "Just hold off on that until you know everything. You may change your mind."
Once more Clay shook his head. "I won't change my mind. It don't matter who is after you. They come here and they find you they will be dealt with."
Katie didn't say anything she just looked out the car window. She wondered what the story was with the man on the bike following them. Even though it's been years since she actually looked at a man she found him to be hot. She may not trust men but something about him is telling her she could and should trust him. She shut her eyes and sent up a small prayer that her and the children and Crystal would be safe.
