A/N: Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to update, but I have had genuine writers block these past few days. I have been having a hard time trying to bridge what has happened with what is going to happen, I can see where I want it to go I just have to get it there. So with that being said, stick with me! Disclaimer time: I do not own SOA or any of the SOA characters, this is fictitious creation made simply for my enjoyment! Happy reading!

Chapter 12

Surprises

Ara woke the next morning bright and chipper, never asking again about what she had saw the evening before about the blood or how the blood came to be all over Happy. She was even more relieved after she saw Bree later that morning and, Bree was reluctant to share to many details about the encounter between her and Bud, just that it was a 'fun one' and everything was fine. Bud on the other hand Ara had caught staring at Bree for most of the morning often watching her walk around the area, giving Ara the sinking feeling that something more happened than Bree lead on. She never got to ask Bree about what happened after she and Happy left, she figured that would be a good phone conversation after she was home and bored one day. Bree promised to come visit her in Charming very soon and with her goodbye she went to her car only to have Bud follow her a few minutes later. Questions were left looming in Ara's mind about what had truly transpired between the two during last nights encounter and what Bud true intentions with Bree left her curious.

Ara was put on a plane by Happy and was told that one of the prospects would be waiting at the terminal for her when she got off and she had better be there, he also informed her that she would be staying at the clubhouse till Happy returned to Charming. Ara attempted to argue that she wanted to get back to the house but Happy told her that he had a nurse covering and he wasn't going to risk her being in Charming without him around, Ara eventually left Happy have his was and she promised that she would wait for him at the clubhouse.

It had been a long two days but Happy was very relieved when they finally pulled into the lot of the clubhouse and shop. Ara had kept her word and he found her asleep in his room. As he crawled in behind her wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in tighter to his embrace he was Happy that the trip had turned out the way that he had intended.

HAPPY POV~

"Hey." He kissed the side of her mouth.

"Your back, I've missed you." She replied in a sleepy tone as she turned her head for a better kiss.

"Let's go home."

"I would like that very much." She smiled and sat up. Happy was glad to see her in one of his t-shirts. He watched as she slipped into one of her sweaters and put on her tennis shoes. "Ok lets go!" She had a smile on her face.

As they rode home Happy enjoyed the feeling of her arms around his chest with her small hands holding onto him tight with her chin on his back.

Maria was very glad to see that they both had returned from New Orleans, Ara immediatley took over the role as caregiver to his mother once again, quickly thanking and dismissing the covering nurse. Once they got Maria squared away Ara went down the hallway to the room they both shared when she sucked in her breath in took in the surroundings…

The room was competely repainted in a warm buttery color with a mauve back wall versus the hard blue and white walls it was before. There was a new bed frame with her previous bedding on it and off to the right on her side of the bed was a baby basinette.

ARA POV~

Oh my god! It looks so beautiful!

She turned and Happy was standing there looking at her reaction of surprise to the room.

"When did you do this?!" She turned to take in the room again.

"While we were gone, thought you would like it. I didn't pick the colors though, definitely not something I would of picked. I wanted to wait till I was here so I could see your face." He gave a small shoulder shrug that followed with a dissaproving look around the room clearly hating the colors that were chosen, the prospect was clearly going to get it for this one.

"It's beautiful! It's perfect!" She turned and threw her arms around Happy's neck and laid a kiss on him.

"The bed is brand new, what do you say we break it in?"

"Of course I want to, but I have to get your mom squared away and see how she has been these past couple of days, she said she wasn't feeling well today." Ara started to leave the room when he grabbed and brought her into anotehr kiss and he let her go to watch her walk down the hallway.

The rest of the day was spent getting situated in their home environment, Ara took Maria out back and they sat out there for most of the afternoon and early evening. Ara made supper with the night ending with Maria going to bed early due to not feeling well, it caused her some concern this lack of stamina, Maria appeared to be thinner and more pale and fragile looking. She had been fighting her cancer for so long and she had only been given months to live before her arrival. Making it almost two months since Ara had arrived, she thought the worst when she saw her frail appearance. Tommorrow she would take her to the clinic to get a check up.

Ara went into the kitchen and started to do the dishes when Happy came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her body.

"Hey."

"Hey." He kissed the side of her neck.

"I think I am going to take your mom in tomorrow. She isn't looking so good."

Happy tensed at the thought and came around her to look at her with his full gaze.

"What do you mean she doesn't look good?"

"She just looks more pale and she doesn't have as much stamina, I just want to get her into her doctor and have her looked over. Make sure that we are ready for when things….aren't so great." Ara looked at her hands and than shifted her eyes to him to judge his reaction. When he didn't say anything Ara started to talk again.

"Happy we knew this day was going to come, it's time to face that it might be starting."

Happy's gaze locked on hers and that was when he spoke "What is starting?"

Ara took a deep breath and let it out "The dying process."

Happy tensed and backed away from her, not wanting to hear the information that she was telling him.

"Happy…"

That was when he turned and left her standing at the counter and she could hear his motorcycle start up and leave. She was not prepared for his reaction and turned to the sink with a sinking sensation in her abdomen, this was not going to go well.

HAPPY POV~

Dying, she's dying.

Happy was consumed with thoughts of his mother and the facts the Ara had laid in front of him, his mother was possibly starting the remainder of her days and Ara had told him like it was the weather. He wanted to be mad, hate someone, anyone. To prevent from taking it out on Ara he did the only thing that he could do, leave. He arrived at the clubhouse grabbed a drink next to Tig and Opie.

"Hey brother, what brings you here?" Tig sat next to Happy holding his own drink with a crow eater under the other arm.

Happy shook his head and turned to look around the room, leaving Opie and Tig to continue their conversation. He needed something to take his mind off of what had and is happening.

He spent the rest of the night drinking with the guys, playing pool, unable to enjoy the company of crow eaters, all because of her, Ara.

ARA POV~

It had been four days since Happy left the house when Ara told him her concerns about his mother, and to have those fears confirmed the next day was even harder. The cancer that had been slowly eating away at Maria had moved to her bones and her brain, she was failing and it was moving faster than she expected. She had spent the next couple of days getting things in order. She sent updates on Maria through the prospect that showed up everyday but still no word let alone appearance of Happy.

Maria's stamina was waining and Ara could see it everyday, she tried to be strong but she could only make it sitting up for short amounts of time. She kept her comfortable and spent as much time as she could with her before she slept for most of the day. Her appetite started to dwindle, and still no Happy, this had surprised Ara considering how protective he had been of his mother in the begining.

Where the hell is he? Why won't he come see her?

On the fifth day of this new routine, Ara had had enough, she walked out to the prospect and looked him in the eye.

"You tell him, he needs to come back here and see his mother." She walked back into the house before he could say anything back to her. A few minutes later she heard the motorcycle start up and leave the driveway, Ara turned to a now tired Maria and picked up a book and began to read.

HAPPY POV~

Happy sat at the bar when the prospect that was supposed to be guarding his house came in and walked straight up to him.

"I have a message from Ara." Happy turned his full gaze on the fidgeting prospect.

"Well speak up prospect."

"She said you need to go home and see your mother." Again he started to fidget with his gloves and feet clearly nervous around the club enforcer.

"That it?"

"Yes."

"Than get back to the fucking house." Happy turned back to the bar and the prospect rushed back out of the clubhouse to return back to the house. Still Happy sat at the bar not moving, a half hour, an hour, than two had passed. He knew he should go home, see his mother but yet he continued to sit. Three hours, four.

He sighed to himself as he got up and walked out of the clubhouse, he was going to see his mother knowing her days were numbered, he could no longer avoid what was happening. She was dying.

ARA POV~

Maria had fallen asleep after 15 minutes of Ara reading and she was resting peacefully. Ara cleaned the house, started supper for the evening, and was sitting in the living room reading a book when she heard the familiar sounds of pipes pull up. Her eyes looked up to the door just as Happy walked in through the front door.

Finally, he has come back.

"She has been sleeping for about three and a half hours now, you should wake her up. She would really like to see you Happy." Her voice was short and to the point, she could get that he was starting his grieving stages, even if he wouldn't acknowledge it, but he had wasted five days he could have had with his mother and frankly she was pissed at him. He didn't deserve sympathy tones, he had been an idiot. She looked back at her book and ignored him completely.

HAPPY POV~

He nodded his head and went to the room that his mother was resting in. Ara had gotten a different bed for her, moved out some of the dressers and clutter to make more room for visitors and movement, and of course machines that he had no idea were used for.

His mother lied in the bed, she looked thinner. More fragile than she had when they returned from New Orleans. He knew that this day was coming, and when finally faced with it he left. He was no stranger to causing pain and death, yet this was something different. She was in pain and dying from something he had no control over, something he could not retaliate against and this did not sit well with him. He moved to the side of the bed, and sat in the chair that he was positive Ara had sat in often and grabbed his mothers hand.

"My son…" she turned her head to look at him "where have you been my boy?"

Happy looked down at their hands, he had no words, no explanations why he had not been there. Why he left her in the care of Ara and a prospect.

"It is ok my son, I know you work and you have your club." Her frail hand moved to his forearm and she gave him a reassuring smile.

Happy looked at her smiling dark brown eyes that were exactly like his and than back at their hands.

ARA POV~

It had been over an hour since he went into the room, he closed the door behind him and she had no idea what they talked about. If she was even awake to enjoy his presence.

Shouldn't of waited so long.

Ara was still upset over how long Happy had taken to come see his mother, but at least he was here now. She was making herself a cup of tea when she turned and he was standing behind her startling her she had spilt some of her tea on the floor. She gave a subtle gasp and set her cup on the counter reaching for a towel to clean up the mess.

"Jesus Happy, you scared the shit out of me!" She cleaned up the mess and stood back up to face him.

"How long does she have?" He continued to look into her eyes waiting for her to answer.

"I don't know Happy, everyone is different, goes through the process differently. She could have days, she could have a couple of weeks. But it is to the point where you need to be with her now." She folded her arms over her chest and looked directly back at him.

He moved closer to her, their chests scant inches apart.

"Where have you been Happy?" She made it a little to accusingly and he responded to it.

"Around." His jaw showed the slightest of clench but he continued to look at her.

"I see. Well I have taken care of everything for your mother to finish out her days here unless you want to send her to a facility instead, I have that ready to go as well, I just need to know what you want to do." If he wanted to be like this, than so could she.

Happy looked into her gaze for a second longer "She stays here."

They stood for another minute and Happy moved closer yet into her space. She looked into his eyes and waited for him to ask her something. He moved closer bringing his face so close to hers she could feel his breath on her.

Than nothing, he turned and left the room as quietly as he entered it. Ara stood confused about the man, seeing a new side of him she was not prepared for.

HAPPY POV~

Happy moved through the house to the back yard and sat in the chair his mother often sat in, looking at the yard with it flowers and semblance of peace that it gave to those within its confines.

He pulled out a ciagrette and lit it. He had spoke with Clay and Jax before leaving, letting them know that he had to be home for awhile, they knew his mother was dying and said they wouldn't call unless it couldn't be handled by another member or Tig specifically. Now he was here and he had nothing to do but sit and wait, wait for her to fail, wait for her to leave this world. He rarely was indecisive and yet he couldn't decide if he should stay or should he leave.

To many surprsises this month.

If there was one thing that he did not like it was surprises and the unkown, and these next few days were going to be filled with just that. Happy continued to pull on his cigarette and look out at the back yard.