All characters, etc from Sons of Anarchy belong to Kurt Sutter.

Ashleigh Carter is my own small piece of warped imagination.

Any mistakes are my own. Feel free to point them out but please be nice.

CHAPTER 34:

Their convoy roared into the Teller-Morrow garage lot. When the doors to the van were opened Ashleigh blinked in the bright light before she saw Gemma, Tara and Lyla waiting anxiously for them.

She jumped out of the back of the van and carefully took her rucksack off and placed it on the ground before stretching. It wouldn't do for one of the toys inside to go off by accident. She looked around. It appeared that they'd been lucky. She figured someone must have been smiling down on them since the damage was limited. Tara needed to stitch a few serious cuts and gashes where bullets had only just missed their targets, but no one needed to go to hospital.

Happy hadn't spoken to her on the ride back, and now he'd just stalked off into the clubhouse with everyone else. She debated just getting in her car and leaving and then decided, fuck that, she wanted a beer.

She picked up her bag and wandered in. Gemma was waiting for her near the door and she paused to give her mother a one-armed hug. They stayed like that for a moment and didn't need to say anything.

Inside all the boys had drinks and were mostly laughing about their narrow escape. They were taking the piss out of Chibs for allowing himself to get kidnapped. Chibs was taking it in good humour. No one was making fun of Happy, he was obviously angry, building like a thunder storm.

Ashleigh got herself a beer from the bar. She sank down into a chair and downed half of the bottle in one. She felt like she'd swallowed half the desert floor.

"Woman are you fuckin' crazy?" Happy demanded towering over her.

She blinked up at him. Her eyes were itchy with dust. "It was my pleasure sweetie." She gave him a saccharine smile.

Happy thought about knocking her out of the seat and across the club house, but his momma hadn't raised him to act like that. Of course she hadn't raised him to be a killer either but no one was perfect.

Happy folded his arms to keep from slapping her and stood glaring at her.

Everyone else was silent and tense wondering whether one of them was going to walk out or if a vicious fight was going to take off.

Ashleigh sighed deeply. She put her bottle down and rubbed the back of her neck before shaking her hair out of the tight bun it was wrapped up in. She was playing for time really. She didn't have a clue what to say that wasn't going to wind Happy up anymore because right then and there she just wanted him to tell him to say thank you like the ungrateful bastard he was and to fuck off.

Her movement acted as some sort of signal for Happy. He grabbed her shoulders and hauled her out of the chair. "Don't you ever do somethin' so fuckin' stupid again." He growled before he kissed her.

It crossed Ashleigh's mind to tell him to shove his attitude, but damnit she'd been though the seven circles of hell since their argument last night and she was just thankful that they were going to get another chance. She couldn't get close to him because he was her still holding her by her shoulders, so she put all of her heart and soul into the kiss.

"I just want you to be safe." He murmured.

"I want me to be safe too. I don't like getting hurt." Ashleigh replied quietly.

"Couldn't you just," he took a deep breath, "slow down or choose your jobs better or somethin'?"

Ashleigh considered the possibilities and the implications of her decision. She reflected on how much he'd changed for her, the freedoms he'd given up so that they could work as a family. She thought about the life he was offering her.

"OK. You're right. I shouldn't be reckless for Rose's sake if nothing else. I'll make sure I've got protection when I need it and I'll stay out of the line of fire. Unless, of course, you get your ass kidnapped again." She added with a cheeky grin.

Before he could get irritated with her she stretched up and kissed him again, steadying herself with her hands on his hips. He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her tightly against him and she let herself melt against his body. She basked in his strength as she ran her palms up his back and they lost themselves in each other.

"I don't deserve you." Ashleigh whispered against his lips.

"Hush." He whispered back.

As Happy hugged her to him, the room erupted in applause and catcalls. The couple broke apart startled. They'd forgotten they had an audience. Ashleigh knew she was blushing and ducked her head as Happy, with his arm round her shoulders, lead her to the bar where Bobby was setting up celebratory shots. She peeked up at him. Outwardly he looked completely calm and collected, the bastard.

After a second round of shots Happy only released his hold on Ashleigh because she wanted to talk to Gemma. He was leaning against the bar watching her when Tig asked quietly; "Does she stop working when she's pregnant?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'm sorry brother, but there's only one thing for it. You better get started on that soccer team." Tig grinned mischievously. Privately Happy thought Tig might be onto something. He went over to Ashleigh and put his arm round her waist. Just at this moment he didn't ever want to let her go. God alone knew what trouble she'd get into if he did.

Opie was leaning against the bar fiddling with the label on his bottle of beer. "It's a shame we didn't get a couple of Niners to work on, find out who set us up." He said looking directly at Jax.

Jax knew that Opie had worked it out. His friend wasn't stupid. He knew that Jax had set up the same team as the previous Galindo run. The only other person who had known what was happening was Clay, since he was the contact with Galaan. Jax wasn't about to announce to the world that it was Clay selling out the club in order to get him killed and regain the presidency. They'd want Clay's head, he would take it himself if it wasn't for the need to protect the Irish deal. Ashleigh wasn't dumb either. If she hadn't been so pre-occupied she'd have worked it out herself already. When she did it would be unlikely that Clay would ever see another dawn. He'd have to tell her tonight and try and persuade her to wait until after the meeting with Galaan. He was not looking forward to that.

He was going to have to play dumb on this one for a little longer until he could figure out how to disable Clay or until he knew if the club could keep their deal with the Irish without him.

"Yeah, it's a damn shame." Jax replied looking Opie directly in the eyes.