A/N: Introducing an (OC) this chapter. Oh and FYI:I love Jax & Tara together as much as you guys do (and they will be). But I loved SOA period so I'm trying to write a story that includes ALL the pivotal characters: a history that explains future dynamics…like Jax & David Hale's disdain for one another. Also it might* end up slightly (AU)ish by the time the final chapter is uploaded.

- Veritable Old Lady Crow

If there was one the thing the past twenty-four hours had taught Tara, it was that anger triumphs fatigue—every time.

Handsome blonde teenage boys also seemed to be the trick to counteracting fatigue but Tara was so not about to analyze how she'd gone from laughter and an almost-kiss to feeling like the walking dead in a span of minutes.

She'd rushed straight from the cafeteria to the first floor restroom to change for work. She'd thrown on her black slacks, her shoes and lazily pulled her hair back into a ponytail to keep from yanking all of it out the next time it whipped her in the face.

But no matter how quickly she'd gotten ready she didn't count on David still being on campus when she pushed through the double exit doors of the school.

Hoped was more like it.

She'd hoped he would have the decency to leave her in peace. She'd hoped he'd be smart enough to realize she was running on empty and the last thing she needed was another bullshit heart to heart where nothing got resolved.

And she'd seen the way he looked at her when he walked in the lunch room and saw Jax gripping her in his arms. That was why she also hoped her boyfriend would be smart enough to know that he was already skating on the thin ice… so the last thing he needed to do was give her the third degree about anything.

Even if it was Jackson—make-girls-lose-all-common sense—Teller.

Apparently hoping… was hopeless.

David was leaning against the passenger side of his brother's jeep when she stepped outside.

Thank god for adrenaline—her temper had her on a roll. She was able to ignore the screaming protest in her legs from last night's sprint across town and rushed past him.

But of course he followed her.

"Tara! Hold on a second!"

"Not now David," Tara said without turning back.

Then that damn football captain caught up with her in seconds. He fell in step with her in no time. And when he saw that she had no intention of stopping, he slid in front of her and started walking backwards.

"Babe." He did not just babe me. "Let me give you a ride to work. Last night you hung up so fast we didn't get a chance to talk. How are things with your dad?"

"I'm fine walking."

Tara chose to ignore everything else he said. As far she was concerned if he really cared he would have called her back. He would have carved some time out of his busy schedule being Varsity Football star and found her during her lunch period to talk.

"I know you are," David said, and part of Tara found it amusing how diplomatic he was being. She knew he could tell she was dead on her feet—and that wasn't really ideal for a stroll across the town. "But I can take you," David continued. Tara narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why?" she snapped, finally coming to a stop at the end of the school parking lot. "Because your brother's not around? Where is Jacob anyway?"

David scratched at a spot above his ear. "Sarah finally got in last night. That's why I didn't get a chance to call you back. I wasn't even in school today. I just showed up for practice. Coach let me go early…and I remembered you had detention today."

The prodigal daughter has returned.

Tara recalled how Jacob Jr. used to refer to her best friend as the Golden child. Whatever Sarah wanted, she got—including a pseudo-foster sister when she'd begged her mom to include Tara in everything when they were younger.

Tara knew how much the Hale's loved their daughter—especially her father. She knew right away David was downplaying everything. His father probably had him and Junior running around with bells tied to their necks the second she showed up.

As far as excuses go, David had a good one today.

But that didn't change one very important fact….she was sick of being a ghost.

Tara folded her arms across her chest. "You didn't answer me." When David's eyes narrowed in confusion, she added, "Where's Jacob?"

David nodded his understanding. "He's officially been appointed her chauffer until dad gets her car next week."

Sarah's really back.

Tara didn't know what to feel and she was too tired to figure it out.

One thing that wasn't difficult to interpret? Just how much of a coward her boyfriend was.

"Jake's out of sight. So now you're free and clear to resume your role as the doting boyfriend who cares."

"Tara—"

Tara held her hand up.

"You know what David? I don't just look tired. I am tired. I barely got any sleep last night." Tara pointed down the block. "Right now I'm on my way to work…which is where I'll be for the next six hours instead of the four hour limit a minor is supposed to be working because my manager's a jealous bitch who thinks fifteen year olds have nothing better to do on a school night than stock shelves. And it's not like I'm in a position to complain about it! The extra money will probably come in handy when my father's bar tab burns through his next paycheck."

David's frown deepened. "Tara—"

Tara gasped. "OH! I almost forgot. My old man's check clears today. And that's just fuckin awesome because now I'll be swimming in bourbon and dodging all the dishes being thrown at me when I'm finished making sure all the cans and boxes of Cheerios are stacked in even rows!"

"I didn't know it was that bad," David admitted quietly.

Tara flashed him a brittle smile. "How could you? You're not around enough to ask."

"I'm sorry."

Tara shoved hard against his chest—David barely caught his balance.

"I swear to god if you apologize to me one more time I'm-you know what? We're not doing this now. I'm not doing this…because…because right now you are the kind of tired laying my head on a pillow for a few hours won't remedy. I'm exhausted with you. So, please, do me a favor and just leave me the hell alone."

Tara moved to walk around him but he gently placed his hands on her shoulders, stilling her where she stood.

"You're pissed, Tara." David pushed the flyaway hair that had escaped from her ponytail out of her face, ignoring the way she turned away from his touch instead of into it. "And if I didn't know how stubborn you are I'd walk away right now. I'm not ambushing you. This isn't me trying to trap you in a car with me. I just want to give you a ride to work. That's it. No questions. No excuses…and no more apologies. I won't even talk. I just want to be there for you."

Because right now it's convenient.

Tara knew David wasn't a bad guy—not even remotely. He was a typical teenage boy. They rarely knew what they wanted half the time and when they finally got it they didn't know what to do with it.

Add that to a borderline-unhealthy need to meet his parent's approval and Tara knew she was fucked before she even accepted his invite to go to the movies with him months ago.

She was doomed years ago really—from the moment she'd sat in front of Chief Unser and lied. When she'd met David's father's eyes that night in Unser's office.

The night she'd told the cops that Sarah had flirted with some random older guy to get him to buy the booze for them the night she'd overdosed. That they'd bought the Tequila with money Tara had stolen from her father's wallet. Gemma Teller was telling the truth, she'd told him—there was no alcohol at Jax's party.

Looking in David's eyes now she could see the sincerity there. He wasn't jerking her around for the hell of it. David never once made her feel like he was embarrassed by her.

They had a single obstacle to overcome—his parents. And he was trying.

But, damn it, she needed him to try harder.

Especially since she couldn't shake the feeling that he was holding back for another reason—one that had nothing to do with meeting the Judge's approval.

There was something he wasn't telling her.

And she didn't have the time nor the energy to play psychic.

Another thing she didn't have the energy for?

Walking all the way to work.

"Tara—"

"FINE!" Tara turned on her heel, headed towards the blue jeep parked in front of Charming High's side exit.

Again he walked ahead of her and opened the passenger side door for her.

Always the gentleman, Tara thought wryly.


David kept his word—he didn't say anything to Tara the whole ride there.

But when he pulled into Monroe market's parking lot, instead of dropping her off in front of the door he slid into a parking spot and pulled the keys from the ignition.

"What are you doing?"

David pulled a folded up piece of paper from his jacket pocket. "Grocery list. Mom's planning a welcome home dinner for Sarah."

"Of course she is," Tara responded, hopping down from inside the jeep.

David walked alongside her in silence, just as he'd promised—until they reached the front entrance of the store.

"Hey, Tara," David began. Here it comes…. "I've been thinking—"

"TARA!"

Both David and Tara looked up to see Opie and Donna walking towards them.

Tara wondered why Donna didn't just join the cheerleading squad. That girl always had way too much pep in her step. And the fifty pounds worth of grocery bags in each of Opie's hands made him look like quite the candidate as an offensive lineman for the football team.

"Jesus, Donna. You want her to take off again," Opie commented. He gave Tara a small smile, even managing a stiff nod in David's direction.

Donna waved him off looking at Tara. "You know when Jax said you're always running I didn't think he meant that literally. Where the hell did you go? One minute you were there, the next poof!"

Tara saw the exact moment David's eyes darkened. "You were with Jax?"

Donna scoffed. "Yeah right. She took off before I could even get them two in the same room again. I hope today's detention went better than yesterday's. You two really need to—"

David held a hand up. And Donna immediately looked up at Opie. "Who the hell is he? And why does he think its okay to tell me to shut up?"

"He didn't tell you to shut up—"

"I know what a raised hand means, Opie. I do it to you all the time. It means shut up."

Tara giggled.

Donna just might be someone she needed around—if for nothing else than a good laugh.

Tara's laughter died on her lips when she saw David's face.

"You were with Jackson yesterday?"

Tara shrugged. "We both had detention."

"And you didn't think to mention that? Is that the real reason you were upset when you called me last night? Did something happen with you two?"

No.

YES.

I wi—NO.

Wait, when the hell did I become the one in trouble?

"Aren't you supposed to be shopping for your mother?"

David's eyes narrowed. "Aren't you supposed to be headed into work?"

Tara held out her wrist, tapping a finger to the watch wrapped around it. "I still got twenty minutes before my shift starts."

"Seriously, dude," Donna interrupted. "Who the hell are you?"

David looked over at Tara. She cocked an eyebrow at him as if to say, go ahead.

Give them the old friend speech you gave Elliot when he ran into us at that diner in Lodi.

"Hey, Tara."

When Tara looked over at Opie, the mischievous expression on his face made her ears go pink. "Jax said when I saw you to tell you he could get over the horns if you'd stop being a track star…whatever the hell that means."

Tara fought the urge to smile—and lost. "I'll keep that in mind."

Troublemaker.

And troublemaker, he was. David looked like he wanted punch something—or someone. Tara was ready to diffuse the ticking time bomb before things got ugly…but then his face changed. All the anger melted away.

David turned his body completely to face her. He wrapped his arm around her waist, his hand sliding to the nape of her neck. Leaning down he pressed his lips to hers. Softly, at first. But then the kiss grew urgent as he coaxed her mouth open, tangling his tongue with hers.

They were in a parking lot.

In public.

Broad afternoon daylight—where any number of town gossips could be lurking to catch the latest drama. People who would find it very interesting that the Judge's son was making out with the rumored reason his daughter disappeared from Charming years ago.

In a distant part of her mind, she heard Donna gasp. But she was too focused on the arm snaked so tightly around her waist it was almost constricting. And the hand gently tilting her head back.

He was kissing her like he wanted her to forget her own name. He was kissing her like she wanted to be kissed—without the darkness of secrecy. Without conditions. Without leaving any doubt as to how he felt about her.

David was making his feelings known for any and every one to see. And that was exactly what she wanted all along.

So why the hell was she slowly, but surely getting angry?

Tara pulled away just as Opie cleared his throat for the third time—okay, maybe fourth.

"I gotta go get this stuff for my mom," David said. He brushed his hand lightly across her cheek. "I'll call you later, baby."

Once.

Twice.

He gave her a soft peck on the lips.

Then he looked over at Opie. "Jake's planning something for Sarah soon…to celebrate her coming home. You and your girl here are welcome to come. You can even bring Jax."

Opie's eyebrows shot north. "Yeah, okay."

And that was when Tara realized why she was pissed.

He didn't do any of that for her. He was sending a message via a certain someone's best friend.

Lucky for him he was already too far away for Tara to shove him.

Tara lived for shoving people—especially narcissistic jackasses with penises.

As it turned out, she now had two of them to put up with.

"Oh!" Donna exclaimed suddenly. "So that's who he is! David the secret boyfriend!"

Tara scowled. She glared up at Opie, who was already rolling his eyes to the sky as if he was thinking why me?

"Is there anything you don't tell your girlfriend?" Tara snapped.

"Nope."

Donna's smile couldn't have been smugger. She shook her head at Tara. "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. A secret boyfriend with a spoiled princess for a younger sister and a biker prince with more pride than he can fit inside his big ass head...Did you ever consider falling for someone less complicated?"

Grrrrrrrr. "How many times do I have to say it? I do not like Jackson! We're—"

"—friends?" Donna interjected. "Right. Yesterday you hated him and now your friends. And tomor—wait a minute. Did you just growl at me?"

Opie was laughing so hard, he dropped two of the assortment of bags in his hand.

"I'm walking away now," Tara said.

And she did just that.

Odds were high that the half-giant teenage boy laughing behind her was going to make her commit felony murder—when she hotwired someone's car in the parking lot just to run his ass over with it.

"Stop by Opie's after work if you're not too tired!" Donna yelled at her retreating back. "I'm making him dinner tonight!"

One last supper before I kill him?

"Good!" Tara tossed over her shoulder without looking back. "Maybe if his mouth is stuffed he won't have time to be blabbing about shit that doesn't concern him…or you!"

"Did she just—"

Donna's question was cut off as the glass double doors slide shut behind her. And Tara was happier for it. She would stock shelves for twelve hours straight if it meant avoiding her next door neighbor's pushy girlfriend.

Donna Lewis.

How could anybody call Tara a know-it-all with that chick adding her two cents into every damn thing?

And she did not like Jax.

She didn't want to like him.

And Tara Knowles never did what she didn't want to do.

Nope.