A/N: thanks as always to the reviewers I'm loving your thoughts and hopes for Happy/Molly.

Anyways here's the latest... enjoy!!

xxx xxx

5 months in...

Happy had managed to score the corner shower that morning, which meant he had some privacy. Sharing the bunk rooms with 50 other men meant little to no private time to 'take care of things' and though the showers had partitions they only covered from mid shin to shoulders meaning that the others could basically tell if you were jacking off. Not that they'd look or say anything if they wanted to keep their eyes. Especially not to Happy, his reputation preceded him, the Tacoma Killer. But having the corner stall meant one less person nearby as you indulged yourself. And indulge he would given it was his birthday. The fifth he'd spent behind bars.

As the luke warm water beat down his skin he let his mind wander to Molly as it often did. He wished he hadn't tainted the memory of their time together by sleeping with the crow eater the next night, she'd been a good lay but not fantasy worthy like Molly. In his mind Molly was the one that mattered. He beat himself up everyday for throwing away what he now realised was what he wanted.

Imagining it was her mouth wrapped around his cock he let himself go with a quiet grunt and moved forward so his head was under the jet.

Fuck I need to sort my shit out. She's with Kyle, a brother, now and I'm not even permanent in Charming anyway. One month left to get this bitch out my thoughts.

xxx xxx

"We need to clean out the garage for Charlie. Maybe put his drum kit in there." Kyle decided that night over dinner. April had agreed to let Kyle have the kids over the weekend, despite her contempt for his living arrangements with Molly.

"No. I can't."

"Why not?" Kyle grunted before taking a swig of his beer.

"Because. It's Henry's room." She said softly, pushing around her mashed potato with her fork.

Kyle scoffed. "Well it's not like he's coming back to claim it. I can't have my son sleeping on the sofa all the time coz you're saving a room for a dead man." He took a mouthful of chicken. "Jesus this is dry, Molly."

Molly sniffed slightly and nodded her head before clearing her throat. "Yeah, ok. I'll clear it out." She put her fork down on the plate and stood to clear away her place.

"Where you going?" He asked.

"Just to have a look at what needs doing." She didn't look at him as she walked past and made her way to the internal garage door.

She stopped with her hand on the door knob for a few seconds. She'd barely been in here since Henry died and just couldn't bare the thought of cleaning out his stuff.

She sucked in a deep breath and walked into the room, flicking on the light and shutting the door behind her. There was only a week until the first anniversary of his death and she knew she'd have to do this at some point. But thinking about it and doing it were two different things.

The soft lighting illuminated the puffs of dust that floated around in the newly disturbed air. The garage had been made weather tight by her dad putting up gyprock sheets and sealing them before painting them. He had been quite the handyman at one point.

Molly studied the various childhood trophies and certificates that adorned the wall above his desk. More recently he had put up some photos from his college and army days in the brief weeks he'd been home. There was even a photo of Melissa, a girl he'd taken quite a liking to during his only semester at college. From what he'd told her they'd stayed in touch during his time in the army but she'd eventually married, however had been very sad when she heard of his passing. Molly still had the photo and condolence card Melissa had sent at the time.

Molly made her way to the bed and sat down on the perfectly made sheets and sighed lengthily. Kyle was right. It wasn't healthy to keep this room waiting. Henry was never coming back and she was just torturing herself by leaving it like this. And one day she wanted to move, and if she did she'd have to do it all then anyway and it would probably hurt more after all that time.

Molly looked over at the photo on his bedside table, it was one of her mom and Henry, his arm wrapped around Molly's shoulder. One of the last of them together before she died. Picking it up Molly ran her fingertip over the happy faces and let out a shuddering breath.

"Where do I start?" She asked the quiet room.

A few moments later Kyle knocked on the door before coming in. He looked over at Molly and sighed, he knew she'd take this hard, he almost felt bad.

"This is the neatest guy's room I've been in." He commented softly as he moved over to sit next to her.

Molly chuckled softly. "Believe me it never used to be like this. Mom and him used to have screaming matches about the state of this place. But once she passed and he got ready to leave for college he smartened it up. I think he felt bad for never doing it while she was alive."

Kyle wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry. But it'll probably be easier now than years down the track."

Molly nodded and leaned against him. "You're right. I need to rip the bandaid off. Maybe it'll be a good marker of his anniversary."

"That's it." He kissed her temple briefly.

"Dunno if I'll get it all done by the weekend though. There's a lot to go through. But Charlie could still sleep in here. Chloe can have the guest room." She leaned over to put the photo back but decided against it, she'd take it to her room now.

"That's fine. I can send the Prospect round to help you move the boxes to storage." He offered.

"I'd like that."

Kyle pulled her up with him and ushered her out of the room, flicking off the light and closing the door behind him. It was things like this that kept Molly complacent. One minute he was making demands and being mean and the next he was emotionally supportive. Any normal person would have whiplash. But Kyle was a master manipulated and he always got what he wanted.

xxx xxx

Molly asked for a couple of days off from TM so she could do some assignments and really start on Henry's room. Charlie had slept in there on the weekend and didn't seem to care that it was filled with all Henry's things. Charlie didn't seem to care about anything much at all. Chloe had been the same, they didn't seem to hold much hope for their father's affections.

Tomorrow was the anniversary and she'd really stepped up the packing game. Everything was separated into boxes. Some for goodwill, some for the dump, and then the ones for storage, and a box of really special things she wanted to keep at the house.

Not long after lunch there was a knock at the front door. Molly figured it was the Prospect being sent to help, poor Half-Sack. But like Gemma said, crap like this was better than dealing with literal crap at the clubhouse. So she made her way to open the door.

Only when she opened it was Gemma on the other side, looking rather annoyed.

"Y'know I barely see you these days and now I have to follow the Prospect around to get a look at you." Gemma had been super busy with Abel. Tara was working full time, but odd hours, and there was some weird club stuff going on that Molly wasn't privy to. So she had been holding down the fort at TM in Gemma's absence.

"Sorry Gem. Guess I've just been busy with school and Kyle." She let them in to the house and followed Gemma to the kitchen.

"What do you need me to do?" Sack asked.

"Uhm I've labeled the boxes. Goodwill, dump, storage."

"Ok I'll get started." Sack left them and Gemma took up residence at the dining table.

"Coffee?" Molly asked, shifting slightly under Gemma's piercing gaze.

"Sure. Then you and I are going to have a little chat." She commanded.

Molly sighed and set about making the coffee. When she was done she sat opposite Gemma and sucked in a deep breath.

"So..." Molly started.

Gemma snorted derisively. "Yes. So. I've heard some interesting things from the guys these past few weeks. But with everything going on I'd decided to watch from a distance. That was until I lost sight of you. What's going on?"

"I don't know what you mean." Molly feigned ignorance. She knew exactly what Gemma meant. Juice had probably been singing like a canary. He'd avoided her the last month since their blow up, it was like they'd never been friends, and that hurt. He just didn't understand.

"Don't play dumb with me Greenwood. You know exactly what I mean. It's not usually kosher to get involved in another Old Lady's business. But I'm worried." Gemma admitted.

"I'm fine Gemma. Really. I'm happy." Molly insisted.

"So the cut on your lip the other week?" She raised a manicured eyebrow.

"Car door. As I explained to Juice, who I'm sure is the one doing the whinging."

Gemma scoffed. "Please. I wasn't born yesterday and I know Kyle. I was there through April and I'm here now. I know damn well what he is like. I can't force you to do anything but just don't make this mistake Molly. I'm warning you. It won't end pretty for anyone."

xxx xxx

Things had been fine in the two weeks since her brother's anniversary. She'd spent the day alternating between crying and reminiscing. Mostly alone, though Kyle did come home straight after work and had been surprisingly good about it. Then in the time since Kyle was unusually affectionate and seemed to be taking great care of her needs. Molly had originally mulled over Gemma's words and considered the warning. But with Kyle's current pleasant attitude she was enjoying being with him. He looked after her like no one else ever had. It was refreshing being the one getting cared for after spending so many years doing the caring for her dad.

College had let out for the semester and she was glad. Now she just had to wait for her results, which she knew would be fine. And word around TM was that Happy would be out within the week, that she was a bit more worried about.

Kyle had been thinking about Happy, and Juice's comments to Molly about him. She'd never said anything and he'd never brought it up so he didn't see the point in it now. But if he even caught a wink of anything going on between the two he'd unleash.

In the mean time he had more pressing matters. Kyle loved the riches that came with the club. It was relatively easy work and Kyle was good at blending into the background when it came to harder tasks. So he never really had to work hard for his money. In recent years he'd taken up gambling. Black market, underground gambling. Poker mainly. He'd frequent a group in Stockton that ran monthly gigs and in the beginning had made quite a bit. But recently things had been going downhill. Fast.

Now Kyle owed the Asians almost $200k. Something he'd never be able to work off, and not before the deadline ran out at the end of the month. The threats had ranged from bodily harm to death and everything in between. Family had been mentioned, along with Molly's name. Not to mention the club's name. And that was one thing that could never happen. If the club caught wind of him gambling illegally, and with the asians no less, they'd strip him of his patch at the very least.

So tonight he was meeting with his contact to discuss something else he could do to meet the debt. And there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to save his own skin.

xxx xxx

The excitement in the lot was palpable. Happy was on his way back and there was a party of epic proportions being prepared in the clubhouse. Molly had been overseeing the garage all day while Gemma made sure everything was perfect.

There had been a constant stream of Harleys arriving all afternoon, brothers from around the state coming in for the occasion. Mostly the Nomads but a few from other SAMCRO close charters.

Molly didn't plan on attending but Kyle had insisted, so she left a change of clothes in his dorm and as soon as she was done with lockup she'd be over to change and help out. She wasn't an official Old Lady but being Kyle's regular girlfriend there were certain expectations placed on her within the club. Also Gemma would kick her ass if she didn't help out, and at the moment Molly didn't want to be any further down Gemma's shit list.

The disapproval was near constant from both her and Juice. Jax seemed to take the path of 'ignorance is bliss' and refused to acknowledge anything was happening. Tara and Donna had randomly started spending more time with her in the last couple of weeks and she had a feeling they were trying to spy on her during those catch ups.

Either way, Molly was sick of the scrutiny. Couldn't these people just let her be to live her life? She didn't ask for any of them to care about what happened to her, so why did they?

She was startled from her thoughts by a knock at the door. She looked up to see Juice leaning in the frame, back to the lot.

"Hap'll be here soon." He stated.

"And?" Molly said nonchalantly.

Juice rolled his eyes. "You coming over to the party? Or is Kyle locking you in your tower again?"

Molly snorted. "Not this again Juice. I thought we were friends..."

"We are. That's why I'm saying this." He didn't budge from the doorframe and his eyes didn't leave her face for a second. She could feel the emotion in the air and cleared her throat to dissipate it.

"I appreciate that but it's not necessary. I'm happy, Juice."

Juice sighed and shook his head. "Y'know what the worst part is Moll? That you can't see you're not." He shrugged and left his post at the door, leaving Molly sat dumbstruck at the desk.

Massaging her temples, Molly did not want to think about this any more. She flicked off the computer after saving the programs and made her way out of the garage.

Finding Kyle was a mission, he wasn't one of the group who left to Stockton to escort Happy but he was still elusive in the crowded clubhouse.

She finally found him in a corner talking to one of the SAMTAC brothers and made her way over to him.

"Sorry to interrupt. Can I grab your keys so I can change?" She asked softly.

Kyle tossed her the keys with a small smirk and turned back to his conversation. Molly made her way down to his room and quickly got changed. She wasn't sure how she felt about Happy returning. She'd tried not thinking about him, it wasn't good for her to dwell on that night, as steamy as it had been. She'd never felt like that having sex before that and if she was honest she'd never felt like that since. Sex with Kyle was... well, it was good, sure, but it had never been like it was with Happy that night. And for that reason she'd banned all thoughts of him from her mind since that night. And six months was a long time, even if she hadn't ended up with Kyle chances were that Happy wouldn't even remember her upon his release.

But Molly had no idea what prison was like. For the inmate the world paused while they were in there and for Happy he had nothing but 6 months to obsess over the girl that had offered him so much comfort in such a short amount of time, and that he'd managed to ditch just as quick.

xxx xxx

Riding down the highway with his brothers again was pure bliss. He'd missed them, missed his bike, and missed the wind whipping about his face as they wound through traffic. He was glad Quinn had agreed for him to spend some time in Charming upon his release. Quinn knew it was important Happy spend some time with his mom before going back on the road again, and he'd already waited 6 months to have Happy back on his books again, what was another few days.

One thought dominating Happy's mind, aside from the state of his mother, was getting to see Molly again. He wanted to see for himself how deep she was in with Kyle. So far he hadn't heard of him inking her so in his mind she was still fair game, fuck Kyle. She was his. He'd had plenty of time over the last 6 months to dwell on it.

They pulled into the lot all too soon. Not that Happy wasn't happy to see his brothers or indulge in the party thrown in his honour, but he could have rode all night without tiring. He was just so happy to have his bike back.

But it would still be there in the morning when the hangover had worn off and he was due a ride down to Bakersfield. He could always take a ride up to Lake Isabella, when his ma's shit wore thin. He'd need to stay a couple days at least, but he'd have his bike as an escape. It had been his only getaway as a teenager and remained so whenever he spent time in his Bakersfield house. He'd never call it a home because it never was. He rented it for his ma a couple of years ago when his aunt had called to say she'd run off again. They found her, brought her back, got her back on her meds and Happy footed the bill. Luckily his aunt was able to stay with her most of the time, otherwise he wasn't sure he'd have coped.

Happy sighed and got off his bike, after backing it into its spot. Now was not the time to dwell on that shit. There was a crowd cheering his return and brothers all around waiting to welcome him home.

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"Who you tryin to impress?" Kyle asked as Molly slipped up next to him at the bar.

"No one."

"You're all dressed up." He accused, pointing at her with his beer bottle as his eyes roamed her figure freely.

Molly really hadn't dressed up. It was basically the exact same outfit she'd worn to work that day, just with a goldy coloured cardigan rather than a gray one. And maybe she'd added a lick of eyeliner, but that was about it.

"It's literally the clothes I wear every day Kyle." Molly rolled her eyes, giving a bit of attitude. She stopped short when she realised he wasn't playing. He'd lulled her into a false sense of security the last couple of weeks but he was about to bring her right back to earth.

"Quit the attitude girly. You're dressed up, makeup on, tits out, and flashy tops." He pointed out each of the offending features with his beer bottle.

Molly wrapped the cardigan tighter round her in an attempt to hide her breasts, which were demurely covered in comparison to the present company. "I'm sorry. I can go change if you like?" She offered.

"Too late now." He decided as they heard the commotion outside. "Time to go say hi." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder possessively and moved her with him out to the lot.

Molly hadn't wanted to say hi to Happy. She'd much rather have just floated around in the background. But for some reason Kyle wanted her with him so here she was.

SAMCRO made their way to the front of the crowd to welcome Happy home. Seeing as he was staying at their charter they were the first to greet him.

Happy moved down the line saying hi and getting hugs and kisses from Clay and Gemma, Jax and Tara, Tig, Chibs, Juice, Bobby, Opie and Donna, Piney, and finally Kyle and Molly.

Happy stopped right in front of them after Piney finished clapping him on the back. Kyle watched as Happy's gaze was drawn to Molly for the briefest of moments before he moved to shake Kyle's hand. They did the usual manly bro hug before Happy turned back to Molly.

"Molly." He nodded, with the slightest twitch of his lips.

"Hi Happy. Welcome back." Molly tried to sound gracious, but right now all she wanted was far away from this man. He'd hurt her, a lot, and it had been 6 months. But as soon as their eyes connected she felt that squirming in her stomach and knew she still wanted him, even if he never wanted her.

Molly tore her eyes away from him, she couldn't help stare, he was even leaner and more muscled than before. Turning to Kyle she gave him a small smile. "Want a drink?"

Kyle nodded and patted her ass as she walked away from the group. Bobby was chatting Happy's ear off as other brothers crowded around. But Happy's eyes still followed Molly's tight little body as she scurried across the lot and back to the clubhouse. She was skinnier than when he'd last seen her, but still beautiful.

For now, though, he had to let her go. She was with Kyle and he was hovering like a bad smell. And Happy had a party to attend. He may have decided that he wanted Molly but right now he needed to get his dick sucked, at least, and the club had already pushed a bevy of available beauties in his direction. Molly was taken and Happy was very much available... in theory. Molly still owned his mind as much now as she did 6 months ago.

xxx xxx

A couple of hours later and Happy had satisfied his baser urges and decided to resurface for some more of the party. Happy wasn't usually much for talking, he didn't like giving any information about his personal life, and rarely even shared it with his brothers. It just wasn't in his nature. Then after a while it formed part of his club persona, the cold Tacoma Killer. But that suited Happy fine. It meant he was never expected to make small talk or mingle with his brothers. He was this kind of untouchable legend, people knew of him but didn't know him. The only people that he would consider proper friends were probably Tig, Kozik, and Quinn. And that was because they all did similar jobs to him, they had that same mindset and so he felt easier in their company. The rest of his brothers were just that, brothers. He walked among them but not with them if that made sense.

And then there was Molly. In the time they'd got to know each other he knew the potential was there. She wouldn't judge him. She would understand his pain when it came to their parents and upbringing, and he knew if he was honest with her she wouldn't judge his role within the club. And he needed that.

Happy walked among the crowd, having brief, mostly one sided conversations, accepting drinks and hugs, he wasn't looking for her, but he was. He almost gave up to go back to a crow eater when he saw Kyle leaning against the bar. A crow eater rubbing against him and doing nothing to push her off.

Instead of storming over and smashing Kyle's face off the bar like he wanted to, Happy moved outside into the lot to see what else was happening, or if he could find Molly. Though he figured she was probably home if Kyle was entertaining a crow eater. There weren't too many people outside. Gemma and Clay had long since left, as had Piney, leaving the young ones to their fun. He spotted Molly and then noticed Juice was leaning against the boxing ring, eyes darting to Molly every so often, with a crow eater palming his crotch. There were a few other smaller groups milling around but the party was mostly inside as it was very cold outside.

Molly was sitting on a picnic bench, back to the party, facing out towards the lot, puffing on a joint occasionally. No doubt Juice's.

Happy met Juice's eyes briefly and Juice nodded as Happy walked over to the bench. He sat on the table next to Molly and she jumped.

"Shit, gave me a fright." She murmured with her hand over her heart.

Happy just shrugged. "What you doin out here?"

"Didn't want to be in there any more. Contemplating walking home. Kyle drove me today." She said monotonously.

"Have anything to do with him letting that bitch rub up all over him?" Molly's body tensed next to him and he wanted to touch her so bad. But he restrained himself.

"Not an Old Lady so it doesn't matter." She eventually shrugged.

"You're his girl aren't you? Course it fuckin matters." Happy's voice was rough and commanding.

"Happy, I'm not going over this again, let alone with you of all people. Just... go back inside. Leave me alone." She was wanting the peace again to really contemplate Gemma and Juice's words. She knew she would need to break up with Kyle. But she was scared. Scared of his reaction, of being alone again, everything.

"Just let me say one thing." He commanded and Molly turned to look at him. "I'm sorry with what happened before I went inside. I've thought about that night a lot and... I dunno. It was nice." He wasn't good with words and already felt like the biggest pussy so he decided to leave it at that. He squeezed Molly's knee with his hand as he stood up, only briefly but he felt her react all the same. Happy didn't look back as he stalked back inside to the bar, drawing in a breath when he realised Kyle was already at the door as he entered. Kyle just watched him walk away, and Happy was ok with that. He knew he could kick Kyle's ass any day of the week so the fuck could stare all he wanted, it wouldn't get a rise out of Happy.