AN: Thank you everyone! I'm really sorry this is short but the next chapter with be Maddie arriving in Charming which I really didn't want to put in this one. I really love you guys 3 If you can, I would really appreciate any amount of donation to Relay For Life which is an annual cancer walk I attend. Even a dollar is much appreciated. 3
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The plane had touched down and everyone went to gather their belongings. Madison kind of just shuffled through the airport, Gemma glued to her side. Everything was kind of numb, kind off like ghosting through life. She could feel Happy's eyes on her the whole time, along with Jax who hovered close by the entire time. Even on the car ride home with Gemma she was silent. The girls were at Villalobos when they finally arrived home and Madison instantly went to the kitchen and started pulling out cleaning supplies. Everything was scrubbed. Floors, walls, bathroom. Fabric deodorizer sprayed on every fabric surface. Couches, chairs, carpets, beds. Madison was now washing every dish in the house. She had yanked everything from the cupboards and began washing them.
"Mads?" She hardly turned to face Jax who was standing beside her with a worried look on his face. She didn't want his sympathy. "Hey." He tried again. When she made no indication of stopping he placed his hands on her wrists firmly. "Come on, we gotta talk to ya." She sighed and tossed the plastic bowl into the suds and glared at him.
"I'm not much in a talking mood right now." He rolled his eyes and tossed a dish rag at her.
"Figured but I don't care. Let's go." He stomped out of the kitchen leaving Madison drying her hands before shuffling along behind him. It wasn't much a surprise that everyone was already waiting for her; Tia and the girls included. It had been what, six hours since they got home? Without a word she sat down next to Tanya and gratefully took her hand. "So I'm sure we all know somethin's up. Tia, you, your girls and your boys, hell Villalobos is pretty much in danger. Maddie's brother's death was personal. Whoever did it isn't happy that you guys are involved with the Sons. We think it best if Maddie leaves New Orleans for a little while." Tia begins to make a noise of protest when Jax holds up his hand. "She'd be staying in Charming with us. She'd have a place at Gemma's and during the day be at the clubhouse where someone would always have an eye on her."
"So I need to be babysat from now until we fix this?" Madison asked. She was angry. She was devastated. She was struggling to take in the fact that these people wanted to take her away from her home and family to a new place. She fought back the tears welling in her eyes.
"Maddie, it's just until we catch the guys who targeted you." Jax spoke softly. She knew Jax wasn't trying to harm her but it was all the same. Shaking her head she pushed herself off the couch and went straight to her room. The second the door slammed shut behind her she broke into loud sobs.
Happy made to go after her but Gemma's hand shot out and stopped him. "Let her be for now Killer. She needs some time to process this." With a grunt of dissatisfaction he stormed out on to the porch. Tia and her family excused themselves and moved to the kitchen and started cooking. Two hours later a feast was prepared and covered the counter tops. Anything and everything you could think to eat was made.
"I'll go get her." Gemma began walking to Madison's room but this time it was Happy who stepped forward.
"Nah, let me. Gotta few things to say to her." He mumbled. Gemma narrowed her eyes at him and he knew damn well it was a warning. With a nod of her head she went to the kitchen.
Happy didn't even bother to knock and was surprised to find the door unlocked. Madison sat on the floor with her brother and ex finace's cuts in her lap. She didn't lift her head when he entered, barely even acknowledged him at all. Happy took a seat on the floor across from her and just watched her. Her fingers moved over the necklace she always wore and he finally noticed the ring on the end of it. He let out a sharp breath realizing why she never took it off. Slowly he laid his hand over hers. Her fingers stopped moving over the chain and her eyes lifted to his. The pain in her red, puffy eyes cut him to the core.
"Babe." She took a shuddering breath and Happy stopped the little speech he had prepared out on the porch. Instead he pulled her into his arms, the cuts landing on the floor as he cradled her against his chest. As if the contact set her off again Madison started crying, her fingers dropping the necklace and instead curling around the open part of his cut. The biker's hands and arms tightened around her frame and held her close. He could feel his heart aching knowing how much pain she was in and there was little he could do to help her. Instead he let her cry in to his shirt until it all subsided. When she was finished he pulled back and rubbed the pad of his thumb across her cheek wiping away any tears still there.
"I love you Happy." She whispered and he wasn't sure if he heard her right. Instead of saying anything he pressed his lips against her own. Madison gave into the salty kiss and when his tongue probed her lips she gave him access right away. Happy knew this couldn't get heated and pulled away soon after.
"Come on. Your fam made quite a meal for us." Happy stood up, pulling Madison with him. He took her hand in his and laced his fingers between hers and led her to the kitchen. Much to their credit, instead of rushing over and babying her she was handed a plate and left to get her own food. Happy stayed close behind her as they both dished food on to their plates. Once it was full of food the girls asked Madison to come eat with them on the porch. Happy made to follow them but Madison stopped him with a kiss on the cheek. He grumbled something under his breath and plopped down next to Chibs who was laughing.
Madison sat on the top step, plate in her lap. The sisters sat on either side of her and for a while they were silent as they filled the silence with chewing. It wasn't an easy silence. It was tense, full of questions and too many emotions. Madison sighed and put her plate down.
"Go ahead."
"Are you really going to Charming?" Tanya was the first to voice the question.
"Doesn't seem like I have much of a choice." She answered. Her eyes were on the bikes and cars sitting in front of the house. It didn't take her more than a minute to spot Happy's.
"Do you want to go?" Mariah scooted closer to wrap an arm around her friend.
"If it will keep you and everyone else safe then yes. I couldn't live with myself knowing something happened to you guys and that it was my fault. My brother is already dead, I can't lose my family here too." Tears had begun to well in her eyes as she knew she may not be returning to New Orleans for quite some time. "It's something I have to do to keep you safe." Both girls had their arms around Madison, holding tightly. Once their sad moment was over and silence had filled them once again Madison picked up her plate and started pushing food around on it. "So um…I told Happy that I love him." She said in something barely above a whisper. The sisters' heads turned and Mariah started smiling.
"No you didn't!" Madison nodded.
"Don't get too excited he didn't say anything. He acted like I hadn't even said it." She shrugged. "It's fine though right? It's better that he act like I hadn't said it then lie and say it back."
"Maybe he does but doesn't know how to say it. You said yourself he's not the kind of person that does this whole caring thing. Isn't that what Jax's wife Tara said?" Tanya brought up what Madison had told the sisters after Tara had gone home.
"She did and I think she knows him better than I do."
"Oh I wouldn't say that." Mariah laughed. Madison knocked her shoulder against Mariah's and smiled.
"Despite what you think we haven't slept together." Both girls stared at her with open mouths.
"Are you kidding me?" Tanya gasped.
"What about you and Tig?"
"Honey, we didn't even make it to the bed." The two girls groaned and Madison covered her ears.
"Yuck!"
Happy sat between Chibs and Jax shoveling food into his mouth.
"Aye boy, slow down before ya choke." Chibs laughed. Happy grunted and continued eating.
"So you think this is a good idea? Taking Maddie to Charming?" Jax asked softly, not wanting the other Sons to know they were still questioning all of this.
"Yea I do. If they killed her brother they could easily kill her family here." Happy answered. "What's going on between you two?" Jax put his plate and fork down on the coffee table in front of them and sat back.
"I care about her. She's a lot like how I would hope my sister would be if I had one. No worries Hap, she's your Old Lady. I respect that. Like I said she's like a sibling."
"She ain't my Old Lady." Chibs and Jax both laughed which angered Happy. "She told me she loved me."
"She did aye?" Chibs lost interest in his food and set his attention on Happy.
"Yea. Earlier when I went to get her for dinner."
"Well congrats mam." Jax slapped him on the back.
"I didn't say it back. I just kinda acted like I didn't hear her." Chibs groaned and Jax suppressed a grimace.
"That's gonna be a hard one to fix brother." Jax shook his head.
"I know. I just…I don't know if I love her."
"Hap, if you didn't love that girl would you be sitting here right now with us telling us it's a good idea to take us back to Charming? Would you have even stayed in New Orleans if it hadn't been for her?" Happy knew Jax was right. Without a word he put his plate down and headed for the door. Stopping he listened quietly as the girls talked. It wasn't until half way through the conversation that he realized they were talking about him.
"So um…I told Happy that I love him."
"No you didn't!"
"Don't get too excited he didn't say anything. He acted like I hadn't even said it. It's fine though right? It's better that he act like I hadn't said it then lie and say it back."
"Maybe he does but doesn't know how to say it. You said yourself he's not the kind of person that does this whole caring thing. Isn't that what Jax's wife Tara said?" Happy stopped listening and headed away from the door. He knew he should have said something back, even if it was "I know." To just kiss her had been a mistake and he wished he could change it. Could Jax and Tig be right? Did he really love Madison?