The Return

Avoiding

The entire journey Elena said nothing, she just gazed out of the window, her mind going over her arguments with Happy and Jax. Half Sack didn't try to break the awkward silence that filled the car, and for that Elena was grateful.

Half Sack watched as she walked around the living room looking at the photos scattered throughout the room, but he could tell that she wasn't really taking in what she was seeing. He hated seeing her like this, seeing her so distant and sad it wasn't the Elena he had come to know.

So far he hadn't questioned her, or even spoke but he knew he had to break the silence. Placing her bag down that he had carried in, he made his way to her. Clearing his throat so he could gain her attention without scaring her, he waits for her to acknowledge him.

When she turned to face him, he swore he saw more tears forming, threatening to fall but again he didn't question. He tells her that he has to go back to the workshop. Tells her to help herself to anything she wanted, and informed her that there were fresh towels in the cupboard beside the bathroom if she wanted a bath or a shower.

As he slowly explained all this to her he could tell that she wasn't taking any of it in. It wasn't till he was at the door that she finally spoke.

Elena barley heard what he had said to her, but when she saw him heading for the door it registered that he was leaving. She struggled to form her sentences together, but when she finally managed to, she asked him how he was going to get back considering that they had driven to the house in her car. She wanted to know this for two reasons, reason one was she didn't want to have to take him back, she didn't want to be anywhere near the Clubhouse and secondly she didn't want him to take her car, not because she didn't trust him but because if someone saw him driving her car they would want answers and they would come looking for her. Thankfully he told her that he would get a cab, and would come back later, but it was his last words that eased her, 'I won't tell anyone your here.'

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Half Sack asked the cab driver to pull up just up the street from the Clubhouse, he thought it would raise a few eyebrows if he pulled into the parking lot in a cab.

He returns to his work. No one questioned where he had been which he was glad about. But as he carried out the work on the car he was fixing he silently observed the people across the parking lot from him.

He watched as Clay and Gemma stood buy the formation of bikes. Their conversation looked strained. Gemma seemed to be doing most of the talking, as Clay stood there with rubbing his hand across his forehead as if he was trying to rub away an oncoming headache. Half Sack tried to advert his gaze not wanting to intrude on their private argument, even if they were having it in the middle of the parking lot, but he couldn't he was intrigued and something was telling him that their little argument had something to do with Elena.

Half Sack was relieved when 5.30pm rolled around, his shift was over and he was free to go home. He just hoped he was not needed for prospect duties.

He walks into the office to say goodbye to Gemma, but instead of finding her he was met with Clay.

"Clay it okay if I head out?" He asks timidly he could tell by the look on Clay's hard face his was in a 'don't fuck with me' mood.

"What."

"Is there anything else you want me to do. It's just that I kinda want to head out."

"GO."

Half sack was out the door, before Clay could change his mind. He jogged to his bike, he wanted to get back to Elena as quickly as he could.

Clay was mulling over the days events. When his attention was forced onto something else. Half Sack was standing in the doorway, he was asking if he could go home. Any other day Clay would have come back with some sly comeback, but today he wasn't in the mood. But as he saw the prospect running to his bike, Clay got a strange feeling something wasn't right. Raising from the chair he had settled himself into a little over an hour ago, he walks to the door leaning against the wooden frame, his eyes focused on the prospect, the guilty looking prospect.

Half Sack felt Clays eyes boring into him, and he knew that when he looked at the president he looked guilty, and he was. He knew that shit had gone down today, wasn't sure what, but he could tell it wasn't good, and that some how it involved Elena. He knew he was being selfish hiding her from everyone but he couldn't help himself, this could be his chance to show her that could be the guy for her, that she could depend on him, trust him.

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A smile sneaks onto his face as he returned to his Mothers house. Her car was still parked in the drive way where he had left it, which meant she was still inside.

He makes his way inside. Walking further into the house it didn't take him long to locate her.

She was curled up on the couch, fast asleep. Moving towards her, he stops when his kicks something. Looking down at the floor he saw an empty bottle of wine. Picking up the bottle he places it on the coffee table in front of the couch where another half empty bottle of wine sat. He takes a seat on the coffee table and observes the girl in front of him.

She was out cold probably from the wine. Her eyes looked puffy and her cheeks were flushed and tear stained, it was obvious she had cried herself to sleep. Seeing her in this state was saddening to him, she always seemed so strong but right now she seemed broken.

He pushed himself off the coffee table and takes the old blanket his Mom had made off the back of the couch, placing it gently over her. He backs up and takes a seat in the recliner next to the couch where he could keep a watchful eye on her.

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Happy woke the next morning, as his eyes open and he lifts his head he was met with a pounding in his skull. Pulling himself up, so that his feet were now on the ground, his elbows resting on his knees, he cradled his head in the palm of his hands.

He felt rough, there were no other ways to explain it. The bottle Jack he'd drained, the bottle that helped ease his fury last night was now taking it's revenge. His head was pounding, his mouth dry as sand, he could still taste the Whisky and his body ached. He was sore from his fight with Jax, he put everything behind the blows he'd thrown, and now his arms were paying the price, plus spending the night on an old lumpy couch didn't really help.

Rubbing his hands over his tired face he got to his feet. Stretching his arms over his head he lets out a yawn. He needed a shower, yes that was defiantly the answer.

Arriving at the top of his stairs his eyes fall onto Elena's bedroom door. He hadn't heard her come in last night, but then again he was wasted and she could have sneaked in. He debated with himself whether he should go inside see if she would talk to him, but when he gets another shooting pain in his skull his mind was made up. He needed a shower needed to clear his head before he talked to her.

After his shower he dries himself off and walks into his room. Changing into a pair of blue baggy jeans and a white t-shirt he goes to her room. He knocks on the door but receives nothing, he wasn't surprised, if she was still pissed at him she would certainly be giving him the silent treatment. He opens the door and walks inside, only to be met with an empty room. Her bed still made from the day before, she really hadn't come home. Backing out of her room he storms downstairs, grabs his leather cut off the back of the sofa and storms out the house. Straddling his Harley he places on his helmet and shades and pulls away, to the one place he knew Elena would be, the Clubhouse.

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Dismounting his Harley, he stalks towards the clubhouse. Walking inside he was greeted by, Clay, Opie, Bobby, Tig and Juice. They were spread out around the leather sofas. Happy didn't fail to notice how they all fell silent upon his entrance, no doubt in his mind that they had been discussing his action yesterday and that kind of irritated him, he didn't like people talking about his business.

Tig was the first to acknowledge him, by nodding his head in his direction. Happy returns the gesture. But it was Clay who made the first move towards him. Clay moves from his seat and places himself in Happy's path.

"Hey."

"Where is he?" Happy questions, Clay didn't need to ask who he was talking about.

Clay answers by tilting his head towards the dorms. Happy goes to move around him but Clay steps back into his path. Happy lifts his dark eyes to meet his presidents cautious gaze. They stand staring at one another. The rest of guys silently watch the stand off.

"Look." Clay spoke breaking the silence. "I understand the shit that went down yesterday. But that's it."

"Not here to go another round with him."

"Good." Clay steps out of his path as Happy vanishes down the hall. Clay looks back at the other guys, letting out a sigh of relief. He was glad his little warning to Happy had gone well.

Happy bangs his fist hard against Jax's door. He waited for him to answer but he was taking to long so he bangs his fist on the door again.

Jax was flat on his back lying on his bed. He had tried sleeping last night but it just kept evading him. He couldn't stop thinking about Elena and Rachel. He hated how everything had gone down yesterday. Hated the fact that Rachel had found out the way she had, she didn't deserve that no one deserved that. He knew he would have to go and see her today, and apologise, well that's if she would let him. And then there was Elena. When his eyes closed all he could was the hurt in her eyes, hurt that had been caused by him, by his past.

As he lay there mulling over what he was going to do and how he was going to fix all of it, he heard a bang on his door. His eyes linger on the wooden door, but he didn't attempt to get up he wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone, but with a second bang on his door, a harder more urgent bang he figures the person wasn't going to give in so he drags himself off his bed and heads for the door.

When he opened the door, he was shocked to see Happy standing in front of him. His face was expressionless but his eyes were cold and dark and they were zeroed in on him.

Jax didn't cower away from the death stare, in fact he straightens up rising to his full height.

Happy saw Jax's jaw clench when he opened the door when he saw him standing on the other side. Happy couldn't help but take in his appearance, his eye and lower lip were swollen, he had various bruises covering his face. Happy had really done a number on the kid, but he deserved it.

"Elena here?" Happy questions his deeper than normal.

"No, I thought she was with." Happy saw the worry take over Jax expression.

"NO. She packed her stuff, came here. She didn't come home I thought she was here." He to was now starting to worry.

"She was but she left."

"What did you say to her." Happy voice raising in volume.

"Me, I never said shit, it was you."

"What."

"Your the one who told her about the other girls, your the one who made her think that she was just another lay. Your the one who made her feel like she wasn't special." Jax ranted.

Happy wanted to punch the guy, how dare he speak to him like that. But as he listened to Jax's words, he realised that his was kind of making sense this was his fault and he knew the moment the words spilled from his mouth, Elena was hurt.

"Then where the fuck is she?"

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Elena woke the next morning, she shot up realising that she was in a weird place, but as he eyes fell onto Half Sack who was sleeping soundly in the recliner that was facing her she realised where she was and instantly relaxed.

Pulling the blanket, that he had obviously placed over her last night, she steps up from the sofa. She returns the favour and places the patch work blanket over Half Sack. She smiles to herself as she looked over his sleeping form, he looked so damn cute.

She needed a shower, but before she did that she had to clean up the mess she had made. Grabbing the one empty bottle of wine and the other half empty one with one hand she grabbed the glass with the other. She felt bad, rude even that she had helped herself to the wine, but she was in dire need of it.

Stepping out the shower she felt more refreshed more human. Towel drying her hair she changes into a pair of dark ripped skinny jeans that were so tight they were like a second layer of skin. She teams her jeans with a grey t-shirt with the reaper logo across the chest, it was one of Happy's.

Making her way downstairs she was met the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, it was like heaven. Walking into the kitchen, she saw Half Sack standing in the kitchen, a big grin forming on his face when he noticed her.

"Morning."

"Morning." Elena rests against the kitchen counter, wrapping her arms around herself as she looked at him.

"Thanks Kip."

"What for?"

"Letting me crash here last night, and for not telling anyone that I'm here. But most of all thanks for not hassling me, making me talk."

"It's okay, the house was empty, Mom's on holiday. And as for questioning you figured if you wanted to talk, you would." I smile sweetly at him, god he was just so lovely.

"So what are your plans for the day?"

"I have to work later, but until then I have no plans."

"Well I was thinking, if your hungry there's this little deli down the street, we could maybe grab some breakfast...but only if you..."

"I'd love to."

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Happy storms back inside the Clubhouse, everyone's eyes falling onto to him.

"Anything?" Tig asks his brother.

"Nah, Jake said he hasn't seen her since yesterday."

"Believe him?"

"Would you lie to me?"

"Fair point." Tig lip curled with the thought of Jake squirming under Happy's questioning.

Jax was the next person to come crashing through the clubhouse door.

"Anything." Jax shakes his head to answer Happy, who obviously didn't like the answer because he suddenly kicked the chair he had been leaning on, sending it flying across the Clubhouse.

"Where the fuck is she." Happy seethed.

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Walking back to his Mom's house, Elena couldn't stop laughing and smiling. During their breakfast that was all they had done. She felt at ease with, he was so easy to talk to, talking to him, laughing with him was finally taking her mind off her current drama.

Half Sack was glad to see her smile and loved hearing her laugh, she had the sweetest laugh, it was so honest nothing fake about it all. And he was happy that he was the one to make her smile, make her laugh. But as they got closer to his Mom's house he noticed her de-meaner change, she was starting to clam up again.

"So, what else do you fancy doing today?"

"Well as much as I would love to continue hiding out here, with you I think it's time I went home."

"You know you can stay here as long as you want."

"Your a great guy Kip."

He felt himself blush, her comment had caught him off guard.

"Come on I'll follow you back." He throws his arm over her shoulder as they walk up to the house.

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Happy was pacing the wooden floor beneath him. He slams his cell shut, he had been calling Elena since he got back and all he got was her voicemail. God when he found her he was going to shake that girl to death.

Most of the guys were giving him a wide birth, everyone except Jax. Clay thought that Elena going missing would add fuel to the fire, that they'd be at each others throats, both of them blaming the other, but it was the complete opposite their feud was pushed aside as they found some common ground, finding Elena.

Elena pulled her car into Teller/Morrow Half Sack right behind her. Stepping out of her car, she saw Happy's bike, her assumptions were right he was exactly where she thought he would be.

"You ready?" She jumps slightly, she had been so involved in her own thoughts that she hadn't even heard Half Sack come up behind her.

"As I'll ever be."

She slowly walks towards the door to the Clubhouse, she knew he was going to mad, but the question was on a scale of 1-10 where would he fall.

As she walks in and his eyes fall onto her, she saw the darkness in his eyes, his shoulders hunched and the his jaw clenched as he looked over her shoulder at Half Sack. He was defiantly 10 on the scale.

His head immediately fell to the door. It was Elena finally. He let out the breath that he had been holding in since he found out she was gone. He gave her a once over his eyes doing a quick scan, she was okay no injures, that was good because now he was going to tear her a new one for being so stupid and making him worry like hell. He was slightly confused however when he saw Half Sack standing behind her.

Jax comes from the kitchen, he stops dead when he sees Elena standing in front of him. Their eyes lock, but she didn't keep the contact for long before her eyes fell to the floor. It killed hi that she couldn't look at him.

The Clubhouse was deadly silent, the only conversations were silent ones. Peoples eyes meeting one another, furrowing brows, half smiles, small shakes and tilts of the heads, but no one spoke. This was Happy business, so everyone was waiting for him to make the first move, let him deal with it how he saw fit and he didn't disappoint.

"You and me need to talk NOW." He points to Elena.

Hearing the dominant tone in his voice she knew not argue with him, so she follows him into the Chapel where he had stormed into.

Making her way to her brother, she felt everyone eyes lingering on her but she kept hers glued to the floor, even when she passed Jax she didn't look at him, couldn't she wasn't ready. Entering the Chapel she closes the doors behind her. It was time for round two.