Hey everyone! Long time no see… sorry I make lame jokes when I'm nervous. I'm honestly so sorry about how long it's taken me to update. I've had severe writer's block.

Even this chapter is not what I wanted it to be fully but I needed to share something with you all for being so wonderful.

Thank you so much for your kind words and support. It literally means so much to me!

As always please excuse the editing and any weird flow things.

On we go!

Chapter Twenty-Five – Sunset to Dawn

"…If I can stay strong
From sunset to dawn
Tomorrow might be alright…"

– The Sadies

Rosie clicked her tongue against her teeth.

This was not how she had expected her night to be going.

Right now it seemed like she was just trying to torture herself.

The young woman let her head fall back against the wall behind her. She was sitting crossed legged on the floor next to her night table. The soft light from the lamp on the table above her was casting a comforting glow.

She could hear the faint sound of the TV through the wall behind her.

Rosie peeked around the edge of her night stand to see Maise's little frame roll over on the bed.

The five year old had miraculously stayed asleep.

When Jax had given her address to whoever was on the phone, Rosie had all but ripped his head off.

She was in a rage and he had the nerve to say it had to be done and he had to take care of some business.

He hadn't even bothered explaining himself beyond that.

'Bastard.'

She clenched at the little flicker of her own behaviour. It wasn't as though she was doing much explaining herself.

'Not like you didn't try.'

She thought of the boxes she'd grabbed out of the attic. She had gotten so fed up with waiting while she'd been panic cleaning the house.

She come into her bedroom only to catch a glimpse of Jax and Maise asleep and that had sent her over the edge.

He had to know. She didn't want to keep anymore secrets. But when the box fell and she'd knelt to pick up some of the photos that had fallen out, Rosie felt her heart sink.

It gave her pause. If she told him just how connected they were, then what? She didn't even know how connected they may have been. Who knew how that manuscript had wound up in her father's house.

Who knew what can of worms she'd be opening?

What was she doing? As her hands had gripped those tattered photos she wondered not for the first time what she had gotten herself into. And not for the first time she wondered if she should not go through with this crazy course of action.

Her career was just starting, her life was just coming together and new life was something that wouldn't fit.

She had slumped even more her eyes had been confronted with the image of her pregnant mother. Smiling and swollen… ready for the task before her.

That was how it should be. She thought of Maise and she knew despite how much more difficult or hard her life had been since her birth, Rosie as grateful to have her baby in her life. She wouldn't trade her for the world. She was pregnant again, under less than desirable circumstances.

Her hazel eyes flicked to her mattress.

Along where it met the bedframe.

She wasn't sure why she did it.

Maybe she just wanted to make herself feel like even more of screw up than she already did.

In her lap she had the results of her urge to pour salt into her own wounds.

Instead of doing something useful to pull herself back on track like putting 'well done' stickers on her students alphabet colouring pages or working on her lesson plans for the week she had detoured.

Taking in a deep breath to steady her nerves, Rosie picked up the first letter on the pile in front of her.

Her hands shook as she traced the cut she had made in the envelope. She remembered all of the other times she had attempted to be brave. She had opened each envelope with every intention of making herself look at what was inside. But every time she never made it any further than slicing the envelopes open.

Tonight she needed to do something.

She was restless with herself and she couldn't clean out in the house because that man Jax had called was still there and she couldn't clean in her room because Maise was asleep.

So this was it.

She was getting off her ass.

Her fingers dipped into the envelope, like ripping off a band-aid, she pulled out the letter and tore it open. Her ears filled with static. She didn't have to read past the first few words before she was drawn back.

Back to where he would whisper along the back her neck. Where his words were enough to make her unravel.

She shivered. Without any control she had gone back. She could see his dark floppy hair, his grey eyes, his gentle face and that cute way he'd brush the end of nose when he was nervous.

He had a pull on her that she could still feel in her stomach. Even after all this time and distance.

'Even with another man's…' she raised her hands to her swollen stomach.

She felt guilt ripple through her body.

Another set of lips free from stubble scraped against the curve of her hips.

Ezra.

She hadn't meant to read them all, but she couldn't help it.

The music he loved to strum so much seemed to seep into his writing, taking her back to where he would rock her to sleep or hum her a song he'd been working on.

The first few letters had been angry sloppy threats.

'I need my daughter… can't do this… You bitch. You'll regret it… I'm sorry forgive me baby, come home… I love you… Bet she's not even mine. Keep her you whore… Baby, I promise… Fuck you and your fucking Uncles…'

As she skimmed the initial pages Rosie felt relief. She could smell the liquor on his breath, she knew it was the right thing to have left him.

But soon enough these gave way to calmer words.

The more recent letters from later months had more to do with understanding and obviously had a sober mind behind them.

'… I know why… thank you for the wakeup call… I'm working a program… I need you… I need her back Rose… you don't have to be scared… the band's getting back together… you can't keep ignoring me… I don't want to go to the police…Rose?'

The last letter frightened her most.

He wasn't being erratic, at least if he was irrational she would know he wouldn't follow through. But his logical and clear thought process scared her because it pointed to one thing.

Ezra was sober, which meant he would do everything he could think of to find them and not only that, but he'd be effective.

"Momma…"

"Hmmm…?" Rosie's brow furrowed at the kink in her neck. Her lower back was on fire.

"There's a man in the house."

Her hazel eyes popped open at that, "What!"

Rosie sat up for a moment she forgot what had happened. She had finally drifted off to sleep. The letters in her lap had shifted, she looked at them in confusion. Oddly, for once she hadn't been plagued by dreams of Abel being taken away and Maise getting hurt.

"I gotta go potty." The five year old by the bedroom's door drew her attention back.

Rosie saw that the door to her bedroom was slightly ajar, the sound of the TV was still coming from the living room. Maise must have poked her head out expecting Jax and found whoever it was that Jax had called instead.

"Wait here baby." Rosie stood up with a wince allowing the pages to fall to the floor. She brushed by her baby girl, trying to maintain her composure.

"Looks like Uncey Tito." Maise ignored her mother, choosing to grasp the older woman's hand as she ventured out into the hall.

"Hello." A gentle yet gruff voice called from the living room.

Gathering her courage Rosie stepped out in to the arch between the living room and hallway.

The first thing that came into her head was that he did look like Uncle Tito.

A much younger and slimmer version of Tito but very familiar just the same.

"Are you Jackie's friend?" Maise asked from behind Rosie in a surprisingly accusatory yet frightened tone, before her mother could say anything.

"I am. I'm actually his best friend." He gave the girl a small smile from behind a very bushy beard. "Opie." He glanced at Rosie with guarded dark eyes.

'Best friend…Rosie's mind flashed back to the first time Jax had dropped Abel off at the house and she had comforted him. 'My best friend's wife…' his words echoed in her head. 'My best friend's wife…'

Rosie opened her mouth unsure of what to say. Thankfully Maise had enough to say for the both of them.

"Nah uh!" She stepped forward a bit, though not letting go of Rosie's hand. "I'm Jackie's best friend!"

"Hmm. I think I remember saying something about that." He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Either way, it's nice to meet you. Both."

He stood up.

Both mother and daughter shrunk a step back into the hall.

He may have looked like Tito but he was about a foot and a half taller.

Even his gait was intimidating as he moved towards them.

"What's the time?" Rosie suddenly blurted out.

"It's..." Glancing at the watch on his wrist Opie responded, "a little after 11:30."

"Ok well… that's great. I think we're all good here now. You can probably go now."

The tall bearded man shot her an incredulous look.

"I'm not sure Jax would agree."

Rosie bristled and was about to reply with exactly what she thought about that when Maise pulled on her hand, "Momma the potty."

Turning to look down at her daughter, Rosie nodded her head. "You go ahead. Mommy will be fine."

Maise bit her lips, her light gaze travelling between the two. "You're Jackie's friend?" She directed at Opie.

As soon as he had nodded, Maise dashed off to the bathroom, leaving the door slightly open when she did.

Whipping back around, Rosie wasted no time. "Look. I'm sure Jax told you that you needed to be here, but we're ok now. You really can leave."

"I really can't. I promised Jax."

"We don't need this." She pointed at him, "We're fine."

Something about the man in front of her changed. His expression grew cold, "Lady, that might be what you say, but I'm here for my brother. Until he tells me different, I'm not leaving."

Frustrated, Rosie bit out angrily, "Do you always just do what he tells you? Are you his dog or something?"

The man expression hardened, any remaining softness in it was gone.

Rosie felt her own fierce stature wilt.

"I don't have to explain to you. I know who you are. I know you aren't a part of our world, but you should know talking that way could get you in a world of trouble."

Scanning his severe face, Rosie swallowed thickly. "What did he tell you?"

He took a moment to glance over Rosie's form, "Not much actually."

A tense quiet fell as they regarded each other.

"I'm sorry." She eventually broke.

Rosie watched the man before her. She didn't know him but she recognized him completely. Though his eyes were distant there was an innate sort of warmth in them. He could have been any one of her Uncles. So much so that she felt a strange urge to run over to hug him.

'You seriously have a problem Rosalyn…' She heard Molly's voice in her head.

Ignoring Molly's nagging, she spoke again "I'm sorry about the dog thing I shouldn't have said that…"

He gave her a tight nod.

"… and for you being pulled away from your family so late." Rosie finished.

"Jax is my brother. I'll be there whenever he needs me." Opie stated simply, he looked past her shoulder as the sound of the toilet flushing came from behind Rosie. "Plus the kids were already asleep."

"Still…"

"Listen, Jax has his reasons for wanting you to be protected. You're both important to him. And that's good enough for me."

Though his voice hadn't changed in volume Rosie felt hit by the conviction in it.

"Mommy…" Maise had crept up behind her, she rubbed her little eyes, clearly her tiredness hitting her very hard. "I'm sleepy."

"Ok baby." Rosie bent to lift her daughter up into her arms. She looked to Opie once more. "I'll come back in a minute."

"We should probably talk." He gave her another nod.

Rosie wondered what that meant for a breath before responding, "Ok."

And Rosie had every intention of coming back to speak to Opie but her body had other ideas, especially once she lay down next to Maise on the sheets that smelt so comforting for some reason.

The next morning Rosie was met with a vacant couch and the slow terrifying realization that the box she had lifted out of the attic with the best intentions the night before was short a particular manuscript.

Hi again!

Once again so sorry about the amount of time and editing.

Like I said sort of a filler chapter. Hopefully writer's block goes away soon.

Thank you so much for all your support.

Please let me know what you think! LOVE hearing back from you! :)