Disclaimer: I do not own anything that doesn't have my name written next to it in pretty pink pen. I don't even own my horse Tig…that's how broke I am. I only claim ownership on Asher Hayden, Sarah Stevenson and anyone else that you do not recognise.
Summary: She went to the shut the door but paused, smiling slightly to herself despite the glare from the girl on her knees in front of the biker. "You do realise this is a twelve year olds birthday party?" It started at a twelve year olds birthday party in a Tacoma backyard ten years ago. Happy/OC
Set at the end of Service- thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. They're the reason why you're getting so many speedy updates..and I'm procrastinating writing two essays for school. Anyways enjoy!
Asher and Happys theme song is the title to this chapter- if you haven't heard it … well shame on you =D
Stylized Violence – choreographed violence used in film and television to portray the illusion of real violence.
Chapter Fifty-Four – Off to the Races
My Old man
Is a bad man
But I can't deny the way he holds my hand
And he grabs me
He has me by my heart
He doesn't mind I have a Las Vegas past
He doesn't mind I have a LA crass way about me
He loves me with every beat of his cocaine heart
-Lana Del Rey
Charming CA
April 2008
"You put the call into Lorca?" Clay asked Happy as he sat at the bar beside Juice.
"Yeah." He nodded, looking up at his President. Fifteen minutes ago, the man that he'd wanted to kill three days before, had told them all his wife had been raped. By white power no less. "Koz's on his way, Lorc was held up." He didn't miss the sneer on Clays face at the mention of Lorca.
"Good, how many?"
"Donut, Bowie, coupla Prospects and a couple of Nomads. Shit's been sideways since Spanner." He answered.
"Good." Happy nodded, this was his cue to tell his President the truth.
"Can I have a word?"
"It important?" Clay asked and Happy nodded.
"Yeah, kinda is." The President jerked his head towards the Church and Happy followed him in, taking the seat Tig usually sat in while Clay sat at the head of the table. "Whats up?"
"I brought Asher back with me." He replied and watched Clay shift uncomfortably. "She's gunna be livin' here in town. Just wanted to give you the heads up."
"You makin' her your Old Lady?"
"It is what it is." He answered and saw Clays jaw tighten.
"I don't like it." He growled and Happy remained passive. "You askin' permission?" Happy shook his head. Clay wasn't his President, Quinn the Nomad President was. And if push came to shove, Quinn would back Happy, he still remembered the favour Asher had done for Taylor years ago. "Guess I'll be seein' her here tomorrow then." Clay stood up and went to walk away but stopped and patted Happys shoulder. "It's aight brother." Happy nodded and watched Clay leave before getting up and heading back out to the bar.
Tig was just coming back with two duffles of guns and Happy took one from him following him down to the gym.
"Clay looked pissed."
"His niece is in town." Happy replied as he dropped the duffle and took a cigarette from his cut, and lighting it. He saw Tig get a grin on his face.
"Fuck me, Asher Hayden?" Happy nodded, inhaling from his cigarette and looking around the gym. "Bet she's got you all twisted up again don't she?" Happy knew Tig would be the only one beside Koz that would say it to him, but a lot of them thought it. He didn't like it, it made him vulnerable. And he didn't do vulnerable. "Don't worry brother, I won't tell." Tig smirked before heading out of the gym.
The sun had set as Happy walked into the house and leant against the kitchen doorway, watching Asher move easily around the kitchen, singing quietly to the music playing, her hips swinging to the beat as she stirred a pot on the stove. Crossing his arms across his chest he took a moment to take her in. Her tiny little shorts were riding high on her long legs, the blue SONS shirt folded up and tied in a knot at her back so that the word Tacoma could be seen on her hip. Her blonde hair was tied up in a bun at the top of her head, dark streaks contrasting with the light, almost silver strands.
The subtle changes over the years had turned her from a hot teenager into a beautiful young woman. He didn't mind though. They'd both changed so much over the years, it was hard to care anymore. Deep down they were the same people. She was just as tempting as she had been when she was off limits, even though now he knew nearly everything about her. Including that she was carrying their baby.
His baby.
None of this would have happened if he hadn't been there that day to save her from enduring a fate like Gemmas. It was bad enough Sarah got hurt, if Asher had gotten hurt, he wouldn't have been able to live with himself. He would have ended up just like her old man.
He didn't know where her head was since Spanner was dead. He'd lost brothers before, but Asher, she'd never lost anyone she cared that much about. Most men would have been jealous, but he just had to grit his teeth and bare it because he didn't have a right to question her on her grief, he'd put her through enough pain in the past, she could have this.
He dropped his arms and pushed himself away from the doorway to walk over and slide an arm around her waist, causing her to jump before relaxing into him.
"Hey." She said, leaning into his chest and looking up at him with bright blue eyes. It had been a long time since he'd seen them rimmed with black eyeliner like he loved them, but he didn't mind, it made her look all innocent with her freckles and long lashes. Tig was right, she had him all twisted up again.
"You cookin'?" he asked, his lips finding the skin on her neck and nipping gently at the skin.
"I hope you're hungry." She laughed, her head falling to the side as he poked his tongue out to soothe the bite.
"I want dessert first." He growled into her neck, wrapping his other arm around her waist and pulling her into him, he ground his hips into her ass.
"Hap." She laughed, reaching up behind her and pulling his head down to her lips. Once she'd laid a quick kiss on his lips she shoved him away. "I've been slaving away …" She said stirring the pot again and sticking her finger in the sauce, licking it off. Happy watched on, feeling his pants tighten at the sight. How the fuck did she make the most simple tasks so fucking sexy? "And…" She trailed off and looked around his shoulder.
"Well isn't this all cosy." Happy turned around to see Sarah Stevenson leaning against the doorframe, her long thin arms crossed across her chest, her short black dress over the top of torn white tights and brown roper boots. Her dark hair was falling straight around her shoulders and she tucked a strand behind her ear, flashing the ink on her wrist, similar to Ashers.
"Surprise." Asher said sheepishly and he turned back to look at her. "I honestly didn't know she was coming so soon." She added in a hushed tone.
"Well Uncle Hap, don't I get a hug?" She asked, walking into the kitchen and holding her arms out wide. Sighing Happy stepped back from Asher, letting her go and hugging the teenager.
"How you doin' kid?"
"Well, I just spent the last however many hours on a bike with Kozik, how do you think I'm doin?" She laughed, pulling back and shrugging. Stepping past Happy, Sarah walked over to the pot and looked in. "Watcha cooking mama?"
"Spaghetti."
"I'm a vegetarian." Sarah said, stirring the pot and Asher rolled her eyes.
"Well you can just eat the pasta then. Not my fault Donut killed a deer in front of you." Asher replied, shoving the girl out of the way and resuming stirring the pasta sauce.
"Fine, I'm going to go and call Mum stop her stressing before dinner."
"Ten minutes Sare." Asher warned when she saw the teenager grab her phone from the kitchen bench and walk out, waving it in recognition. Turning back to Happy Asher bit her lip. "You okay with this?"
"Fine, Asher , least you'll have someone here with you." He said as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her again, rubbing his hand over her stomach. "With both of you." He growled into her ear before he stepped back and smacked her on the ass, making her jump and heading to the fridge for beer.
"You planning on going somewhere Killer?" She asked quietly and he turned around to see her leaning against the stove, watching him.
"Just some stuff we gotta sort out. I'll be out a bit." Happy took a long sip of his beer, trying to avoid the eyes that were on him. She was watching with so much worry it unnerved him a little bit. Besides his mother he hadn't ever seen it from another woman.
"How long?"
"Until its sorted." She nodded.
"Okay." Her voice was raspy and she turned around to go back to stirring the sauce.
"You're going to be staying at the Clubhouse until it's over." She didn't answer him, just kept stirring the pot. "You listening to me, bitch?" He almost yelled but she didn't jump. She was never afraid of him unless he had his hands up against her throat, threatening to kill her. Until then she didn't entertain his threats. She was a tough bitch and he loved that about her.
"I'm fucking listening to you asshole." Asher bit back, spinning around to face him. "Don't treat me like a child." He wanted to tell her she was acting like a child but he didn't have the energy. He just wanted her to be safe.
"Clubhouse, tomorrow." He ordered and she sighed.
"You're not going to tell me why?" She asked, turning around to face the stove again.
"No." It then fell into a silent lull, Happy drinking his beer, Asher stirring the spaghetti sauce.
"So, my mum says Thomas…" Sarah looked between the silent couple in the kitchen, Asher with her back to them and Happy paying more attention to his beer than his woman, "Oh great, what did you do this time?" Sarah snapped, directing her dark eyed glare at the biker.
"Sarah…" Asher sighed.
"I got some shit to sort out at the Clubhouse, I'll get something to eat there." Swallowing the rest of his beer, Happy chucked the bottle in the bin, trying to ignore the heartbroken look Asher was giving him over her shoulder.
"Will you be back later?" She asked quietly and he shrugged.
"Don't know." He answered without any commitment before heading towards the door and letting it slam behind him.
"Oh fuck him!" Sarah practically yelled and Asher shook her head.
"Leave it Sarah."
"No!" Sarah stormed out of the kitchen, letting the door slam behind her as well as she jogged down the path to catch up with Happy. "What the fuck is your problem?" She shouted after him and he stopped and turned around.
"What do you want kid?"
"What do I want?" She practically screamed at him, "I want you to grow the fuck up and act like there's more than one person in your little pitiful life."
"You don't know what you're talking about." He growled turning his back on her.
"No, no I don't. I just listened to Ash cry herself to sleep every night after you told her you wished she was dead." Sarah yelled.
"I never-" he growled, spinning around to face the teenager and jab a finger in her direction.
"I was there Happy. I was in the car when you told her to never come back, I was there dammit!" She stomped her foot involuntarily as she tried to stop the tears trailing down her cheeks as the one man that she could rely on glared down at her, "It's not my fault that she wouldn't move back to Tacoma in the first place. I wanted to! You said if she went I went, I wanted a real family Happy, you can't blame me for her choosing not to."
"Sarah-" he started, his voice sounding like he was trying to calm a frightened animal.
"No! You listen to me for once!" She knew she was being rude and disrespectful, but she didn't care anymore, she was over having to pick up the pieces of Asher's broken heart after Happy stomped all over them. "Ash didn't want to move back with you because she didn't think that she could handle being your Old Lady because she'd have to put up with the cheating and the secrets. She always told me loving a Son was hard work but she does love you, so much that the tiny moments you get together are better than the fights you'd have if she were with you Tacoma. She couldn't stand the idea of hating you or you resenting her because she couldn't handle the life. She loves your stupid ass and she wouldn't have kept the kid if she didn't." She didn't know when Happy had slumped his shoulders and stopped to listen to her, all she knew was he was finally listening, and it was time he knew the truth. "I know she gave you a choice when it came to the baby, Hap. Don't shut her out now, not only will you lose her, you'll lose your kid too and then you'll have no one to come home to. I think it's not too much to ask you to give up the sweetbutts and the whores so you can come back to someone that can fuck you better than any other bitch around." Sarah said knowingly and Happy rose an eyebrow. "Kozik has a big mouth."
"Sarah!" Asher's voice came from the house and Sarah looked over her shoulder to see the woman standing at the door, framed by the light. "Come on!"
"I know I'm a brat, but don't blame me for your scaredy cat issues. Go tell the one person that gives a shit and won't judge you." She said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder and starting off down the street.
"Sarah! Where the fuck are you going?" Asher yelled from the house, running down the pavement to watch the teenager light a cigarette and saunter away.
"Gunna go find some fun, later." She called and kept walking.
"Jesus Christ." Asher sighed, before realising she was standing next to Happy, looking up at him briefly. "Guess she's outstayed her welcome already." She muttered and Happy shrugged.
"Whatever." Ignoring her he strode over to his bike and swung his leg over the seat, trying to pretend the heartbroken woman wasn't standing there watching him with her arms crossed across her chest and a scowl on her face.
"You stay there the night or come back smelling like a hooker you can kiss that fuck you were aiming for goodbye." She said quietly as he leant down to start the bike. He paused momentarily, letting the words sink in. He knew she wasn't just talking about sex, she was talking about anything to do with them. He wasn't stupid. She was drawing the line before she got too invested in him. Without a word he started up the bike and kicked it into gear before pulling out of the driveway and heading down the road in the opposite direction to Sarah.
Sarah was standing in front of the Charming High School nearly half an hour after walking away from Happy and Asher. Cocking her head she admired the sign before looking up at the huge building. If her and Asher ended up staying here, she'd be going to school there by Monday. It didn't look a thing like her school in Seattle but that was probably a good thing. Inhaling another drag of her third cigarette she blew out the smoke as she heard a motorbike coming down the dark street. Maybe Happy and Asher had made up and she'd sent him looking for her? Exhaling the smoke, she didn't think so. Asher knew she'd be okay and the chances of a happy reunion between the couple so soon was slim to none after that blow up.
The bike got closer and Sarah dropped her cigarette on the ground and stepped on it, extinguishing it and turning to see the Harley Dyna pull in beside the footpath. Sarah smiled when she saw the Sons of Anarchy cut shining under the streetlight above them.
"Hey." He called out but Sarah didn't move. "What're you doing out here?"
"Walking." Sarah replied coolly.
"Its not safe out at alone at night." He told her. "There's some pretty creepy dudes hanging around." Sarah shrugged, looking off down the street before turning back to him, his face hidden by the shadow from his helmet, but she could tell that he was young. A lot younger than Happy or Kozik, but he was in shape and from her appraisal of his body- definitely hot.
"So far you're the only creepy dude that's bothered me." She replied, poker face still in place.
"I'm not creepy." He replied and Sarah rose a dark eyebrow. "And I ain't bothering you."
"I was just out enjoying a relaxing walk and you're getting all in my face about it. That bothers me." He seemed a bit taken back by that and she smirked. Sons- so used to getting everything they wanted.
Whatever he was about to say was drowned out when a big black truck came along the street, music pumping loudly from the speakers. The passengers spotted them and the windows came down, two guys Sarah's age hanging out, checking her out.
"Hey Hottie! We're goin' to a party, wanna come?" Sarah cocked her head to the side as they pulled into park in front of the motorbike. "Come on baby." They called and Sarah smiled, stepping towards them.
"Okay." She shrugged, heading towards the truck, only stopped when a hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her up short. Spinning around on her heel Sarah gaped at the biker, who had removed his helmet on the rush over. "What're you doing?" She snapped, looking up at his worried face, a very cute face, she mused. And she was always a sucker for a Mohawk, even if he had tattoos on his head.
"Stopping you from going off with creepy dudes." He practically yelled.
"Come on man, she wants to come with us." The red head teenage boy said, as he leaned out the window. Sarah looked up at the biker, biting her lip before stepping forward and pressing herself up against him, noticing how rigid he went at the contact and her free hand swept across his cut before going around his neck and pulling his head down to her, he didn't resist, even when she pressed her lips to his and sucked gently before pulling back and licking her lips. He let her wrist go and Sarah gave him a coy smile.
"Cute." Then without another word she spun around on her heel and climbed into the truck with the teenagers and drove off into the night, leaving the biker standing on the footpath wondering what the fuck had just happened.
Happy turned the knob of the front door, surprised when it popped open and realised Sarah mustn't be home yet. Walking into the house that was completely dark except for the blue light coming from the television, he looked around. The pot was still on the stove, probably hadn't been touched since he left. He strode over to the pot and looked in at the cold bolognaise sauce. His stomach let out an involuntary growl. Eating hadn't been high on his priority list when he'd found himself sitting drinking quietly at the clubhouse, kicking off any croweater that came near him. He was pissed off at Asher, her and her stupid rules had fucked up every plan to throw himself into pussy and whiskey instead of dealing with the fact that he was going back to jail and leaving her to raise his kid by herself. And he had wanted to drown himself in both those things, but everytime he reached for the wispy little blonde near the end of the couch, he could hear her words in his head.
No fucking
No one to come home to
No baby
No Asher.
Little croweater didn't stand a chance after that. He had a hot blonde with kick ass curves and more stamina than any of those hoes sitting on the couch waiting for him to come home. And the whole time he couldn't help but think that what happened to Gemma could have happened to Asher. Hell, it had happened to Sarah. And that's what had him on the bike and going home.
Home
Picking up a discarded bowl on the bench he threw some of the cold, almost congealed spaghetti into it and spooned sauce over the top before dumping it in the microwave and hitting buttons until the light came on and it started whirring.
"Do you have to be so fucking loud?" A tired voice came from the doorway and he looked over his shoulder to see her standing there in the same clothes she'd been wearing earlier, rubbing her eyes.
"Sorry baby girl." He laughed, watching her stumble towards him, and he took the bowl out of the microwave and sat it on the bench as she reached him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and waited for her to say something.
"I worry."
"I know."
"I'd miss your stupid ass if something happened." She said into the leather of his cut, her hot breath soaking through the thin t-shirt he was wearing.
"I know, baby girl." He said tiredly, walking with her still wrapped around his middle until he was near a stool and he sat down, pulling her up to sit on his lap and wrap her arms around his neck as she swung her legs over his thighs. "Gemma got raped, Asher."
"What?" Her head popped up and he shook his head. He knew she'd freak out. Rape was far too close for home for her.
"Hey, hey, cool it." He ordered and he could tell she was forcing herself to stay still. "We're gunna sort it, promise." She nodded and curled back up on his lap.
"Is Gemma alright?"
"She's tough." Asher nodded and he knew Gemma and Asher had a few similar traits, but he knew she would kill him if he told her that.
"They said that about Sarah too." She muttered and he nodded. "Sorry I flipped out." He smirked and took a forkful of food. She shouldn't be apologising, but he let her go anyway. He knew she wouldn't appreciate him fighting with her now.
They sat in silence as he ate with her face pressed into his neck. Sarah had said Asher loved the little moments with him. And he did too. He liked that she didn't feel the need to talk, she just liked to sit there with him. By the time he was finished she was fast asleep against his chest and he carried her into the bedroom and tucked her in before brushing his teeth and taking off his cut and holster and crawling in with her, otherwise fully dressed, too tired to think about it. "I'm gunna miss you too."
The surprisingly hot red head, Jake or Steve or whatever, had had his hands all over Sarah all night. And she'd just let him. She was too drunk to care and she liked the attention. In the end it was her that had dragged him by the hand up to a spare bedroom in whoevers house it was and push him back onto the bed, jumping up to straddle his lap. As she kissed him, the last thing on her mind was Asher, or Happy or even the cute biker she'd assaulted outside the High School. She was in such a drunken haze that she was letting her hormones lead the way.
"You're so fucking hot." Tim or Brett or whatever said as she slid his t-shirt off. Ignoring his poor attempt of flattery she pressed her lips down to his again trying to shut him up. And she did a good job of it, until she felt his hand dip into her panties and she shot up straight, the pleasant spinning in her head coming to a slamming halt as she stared down at the redhead. The redhead without a name.
It hadn't happened for a long time. The short drop and sudden stop that left her crying on the floor as an eight year old and staring up at the huge man leering down at her, his heavy breathing in her ear made her throat go dry and the familiar prickling of fear down her back.
I ain't gunna hurt you princess.
The redhead without a name didn't stop though, his hand kept trying to get in underneath the lace of her panties and she shoved his hand back quickly.
"Stop." She ordered and he looked up at her with surprise.
"What?" He asked, his hands sliding up and down her thighs making her skin crawl and she scrambled off the bed, searching for her boots. "Where are you going?"
"I gotta go." She said, trying to remain calm.
"What the fuck? I've got a boner and you're going to leave me like this?" He shouted after her but she didn't care, she just walked out the door, letting it slam behind her as she carried her boots through the crowded house and out the front door, stopping at the end of the garden path and pulling her boots on and wiping the tears that were cascading down her face.
Taking a deep breath she started to make her way back to Asher's. Whichever way that was.
It felt like hours later and she had no idea where she was when she heard the motorbike behind her. Keeping her head down she kept walking, hoping they wouldn't pay her any attention as she swiped at her running nose.
"Hey." Sarah kept walking, ignoring the voice of the guy that had stopped her earlier outside the school. "You alright?" She didn't say anything, just kept her head down. When she heard the revving of the bike she thought he had left but instead he popped it over the gutter and parked the bike in front of her, looking her dead in the eye.
"What are you like stalking me now?" Sarah snapped.
"Ah…no. Why would you think that?" He asked and she just glared at him, popping her hip and resting her hand on it. Her mood change dramatically going from scared to pissed off. Sons always had that effect on her. "Look, I was just seeing if you're alright."
"I'm fine."
"You look it." He laughed.
"You done asshole?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. "I already got an uncle that does that, I don't need another one."
"Let me take you home then." He said kindly and she knew he was just trying to help her but she didn't care. How dare he come and act like he cared when he didn't even know her.
"I ain't no sweetbutt." She sneered.
"I never said that." He retorted, looking more confused than angry. "Look I'm offering you a lift home to your house, where I will drop your spoilt ass off at the front gate and leave it there."
"And they say chivalry is dead."
"Keeping it alive darlin'" He replied, smiling now that he was sure she'd psyched down a little bit. "You want a ride?"
"Fine." She sighed and he unclipped his helmet and held it out to her. Sarah knew the drill, Koz had done it with her a hundred times so she took the helmet and clipped it up, sliding on behind him and fisting the front of his cut tightly in her hands.
"Where do you live?" He asked, before he started the bike.
"Three blocks west of Teller Morrow." She replied and he nodded, starting the bike and pulling off the footpath and back onto the street.
When they pulled up outside Ashers house her eyes were distracted by Happys bike in the drive, a different spot as it had been before she left, but it was there. Sliding off the bike she undid her helmet and handed it over to him.
"Who's bike?" The guy said, probably unable to recognise the details of the Dyna in the darkness.
"My guardians asshole boyfriend." She muttered as he took the helmet and stuck it on his head and sat there watching her. "You angling for a tip?" She asked.
"Don't even get a thank-you?" he asked and she shook her head.
"Nope."
"Alright." He didn't push it, leaning down and starting the bike again, "I'm Juice by the way." He said and she stared at him blankly. "What was your name again?"
"I never gave it to you." She said turning on her heel and heading up the footpath, noticing that the bike idled on the curb until she was inside before revving up and speeding off down the street. Once she was alone in the dark house, she couldn't hide from her thoughts. The tears started again and she kicked off her boots and headed down the hall to Asher's room walking in quietly.
The curtain was open and she could see Asher curled up in the sheets while Happy lay on top of them, completely dressed with his arm slung over Ashers waist, his hand resting on the skin of her stomach, his tattoos glowing in the moonlight. She leant on Asher's side and saw Asher's eyes flutter open and look up at her.
"Did I hear a bike?" She asked quietly and Sarah nodded, wiping at her face quickly. "Oh baby." She said softly, scooting back closer to Happy and lifting the covers so Sarah could get in. When she was lying with her back to Asher, Asher wrapped her arm around her and hugged her tightly. "We're going to be okay Sare." She said quietly and Sarah nodded. "I promise."
"I'm sorry for fighting with Hap."
"I'm sorry for being such a pushover." She sighed and squeezed Sarah again, letting her know this was the end of the conversation and it was time to sleep. "Goodnight baby."
"Night, Ash." Sarah, finally at ease closed her eyes and snuggled into the blankets and eventually dozed off.
A/N: So? What did you all think? Let me know! =D
