THREE WEEKS LATER ...

"Hey Jacky boy. You need anything?"

"No I'm good." Jax answered his newly appointed VP. "You ready?" He asked jumping down from the cab of the truck he sat on.

"Nah. Your Sergeant at Arms is still getting his dick sucked." Tig commented like it was nothing.

"In this skank hole?" Jax asked.

"Oh come on. There's nothing wrong with the occasional skank." Tig defended his brother.

"How does Hailey feel about that?" Jax asked.

"As long as he doesn't put his dick in another pussy she's good from what I hear." Tig explained what he knew of the agreement Happy and Hailey had about what happened on the road.

Jax laughed. "Tell him to pull out man. I wanna head home." He said as he began walking away.

Hailey pulled her car to a stop behind the line of Harleys parked alongside the green lawn of Charming Cemetery.

"You ready to do this?" She said placing her hand in the lap of her niece who sat next to her in the passenger seat and looking back to her nephew who sat behind her.

Kenny didn't say anything just nodded.

"I'm okay Aunt Hailey. What about you?" Ellie asked.

"I'll be fine." She answered the young girl. Ellie had grown in wisdom beyond her years since losing her mother. Where Hailey had become a rebellious teenager, Ellie had grown to be a studious and responsible young girl, albeit quiet and withdrawn at times. She was so like her mother that Hailey could swear Donna's soul inhabited her at times. Always so concerned about others before herself. Donna would be proud.

Hailey looked back at her nephew. Kenny had become quiet and withdrawn at home but acted out at school. She or Opie had been called in many a time in the last few years to find Kenny in the principal's office yet again. Lyla and Piper had been good for him though. The stability of having a family unit again was beginning to settle him.

"C'mon." Hailey said, a sad smile on her face. "Let's go."

She stepped out of the car and looked across the lawn, her eyes resting upon the small gathering of patches standing a little ways away from the plot that had been dug out for her father's ashes. Opie and Jax stood nearby in conversation. She could feel Happy's eyes upon her as she approached. She knew they'd only gotten back that morning from a run.

Hailey walked across the lawn toward Samcro a hand on the shoulder of both Kenny and Ellie.

"Hey Princess." Happy greeted her as they drew closer.

"Hey." She greeted him back as she continued past him. She'd been very withdrawn emotionally from him since the night Clay was shot and the club had found out about Piney's death. Talking about emotions was not his strong point but he had tried. At every opportunity Hailey had shut him out. He could count on one hand the number of times they'd had sex in the two weeks prior to the run they'd just returned from and afterwards she'd rolled away from him. She hadn't slept curled at his side for weeks and most nights he slept on the couch rather than having her so close knowing she didn't want him to touch her. He knew she wasn't coping since losing her father and he hoped that this memorial service would help.

He watched as she led Kenny and Ellie over to Ope, kissed his cheek, then moved across to talk to Jax as Opie folded both his kids into his embrace. That was another thing Happy had noticed. Hailey had seemingly been spending a lot of time with the Samcro president in hushed conversation. He knew she only thought of him as a brother but he couldn't help the suspicion and jealousy that clouded his mind. Especially now as the blonde biker pulled her toward him, whispering in her ear, and letting a kiss linger a little too long on her forehead. Happy's fists balled at his sides.

Jax led Hailey away from Opie and the kids, his arm around her shoulders.

"How much longer Jax?" Hailey asked quietly.

"Soon Hailey."

"Jax I can't keep lying to Happy. He knows something's going on."

"You can't tell him yet Hailey."

"The last three weeks, this memorial today, everything is all a lie Jax."

"The truth will come out Hailey, but it can't be now. Too many people will get hurt."

Hailey sighed. "I'm hurting Jax! The longer I have to keep this from him the more I'm pushing him away!" Happy noted Hailey's rising agitation as she conversed with his president.

"I'll make sure it's not much longer Hailz. I promise."

"Shit Jax. I love you like a brother but Happy is my Old Man. I can't keep this up. I don't want to keep lying to him!"

"I know Hailey. Just a little longer though okay? I promise." He said pulling her towards him in a one armed embraced.

"You've been sayin' that weeks Jackson." She protested.

"This time I mean it."

"Okay fine. Let me know when." Hailey sighed.

"You know I will. C'mon let's do this." He said turning her back toward Opie and the gravesite. She saw Happy looking their way, a cloud of suspicion surrounding him. He glared holes through her no doubt wondering what was going on between her and Jax.

She shrugged Jax's arm off her shoulders and moved to stand next to Opie, and placed her hand on Ellie's shoulders. She knew Happy would have something to say to her afterward.

He caught up to her after the service just as she knew he would. "You a 'right Princess?" He asked placing his hand on her arm.

"Yeah Hap. I'm fine. I gotta get Kenny and Ellie home." She said brushing his arm aside. "Go ahead to the car you two. I'll be right behind you." She said to the kids.

"What's goin' on with you and Jax?" Happy asked.

"Nothing Hap. It's not what you think."

"Then what the hell is it?"

"It doesn't matter."

"You gotta stop pushing me away Hailey. Talk to me." He said placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I can't Hap. Okay? I just can't." She said placing her hand upon his at her shoulder, but she didn't push it away. He heard her voice begin to crack as she pushed back the tears he could see at the corners of her eyes. He could see how hard she was trying to hold herself together. He wanted nothing more than to be able to help her and he knew that whatever it was that was eating away at her had messed that little mind of hers up beyond belief.

"What is it Hailey? What can't you tell me?" He pressed.

"Happy please. Don't make this harder."

He sighed in defeat not wanting to cause a scene. He knew his brothers eyes were on them and he knew they'd noticed the growing rift between them. "Come past the lot after. I don't want you alone at the house." He said gathering her hand that was upon his and bringing it to his lips.

"I'll be fine Hap." She protested.

"Home invasions Princess." He said, "Besides we need to talk."

She sighed. 'Sure, whatever Hap. I'll be there later." She said finally pulling her hand away as she turned toward her car where Kenny and Ellie were waiting for her.

Talk. She was done talking. She couldn't talk to him. Everything she wanted to tell him she couldn't. She knew that he just thought she wasn't coping with the loss of her father. He had no idea of everything that had gone on that night. She wanted nothing more than to be able to tell him that Clay had killed her father, that Opie had shot Clay but she couldn't. Jax had told her not to and she understood why. She knew that the time she'd been spending with Jax bothered him also.

"Is everything okay Aunt Hailey?" Ellie asked as she approached.

"Yeah fine sweetie."

"How come you and Happy are fighting?"

"We're not honey. Well actually I guess we are. But it doesn't matter okay?"

"Yeah okay." The young girl answered looking concerned as she slid into her Aunt's car.

Hailey looked back before getting in herself to find Happy's eyes still on her an unmistakable look of longing and concern in them. She hated pushing him away but right now she could see no other way.

A/N: thanks for all your thoughts and feedback on the last chapter. While a few of you commented that Hailey shouldn't be doing as Jax asked and should be leaning on Happy right now please trust me when I say I know where this story is headed. The way things are panning out are exactly the way i feel Hailey would deal with the situation she has been put in. Her father has just been killed and the man who tried to kill him has been shot by her brother. She is living the same lie that Jax forced Opie to live through. And Happy knows her well enough to know that her mind is grappling with something big that she is struggling to deal with. ~Rach