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General trigger warnings for this story: Language, smut, mentions of rape, abuse, drug use/overdose, violence/death.
CHAPTER 20: RED, WHITE, AND BLUES
"Well don't you look like a slice of cherry pie." Gemma narrowed her eyes as she slid her glasses down the bridge of her nose to get a good look at the slender blonde standing in the doorway of the office.
"Good enough to eat, I hope." Sydney smirked.
"Uh… Ya." Gemma scoffed with wide eyes to emphasize her point. "Shut the door sweetheart."
Sydney's heart rage picked up at Gemma's request. The matriarch scared her almost as much as Clay did, but in a different way - she didn't so much worry about Gemma ripping her to shreds physically as much as she would verbally, which Sydney almost would've preferred because then she would at least have a way to defend herself.
She did as she was told, sliding off her sunglasses and sitting down on the couch with her eyes wide for dramatic effect, hoping humour and light-heartedness would get Gemma to ease up on whatever interrogation she had planned.
"What happened yesterday?"
Sydney tipped her head back, exhaling dramatically while she rolled her eyes. "What'd the prospect tell you happened yesterday?"
"Nothin, that's why I'm asking you." Gemma sassed playfully enough for her to know that this wasn't an interrogation. As nosey as Gemma was - she was genuinely concerned about the young girl that she had taken under her wing.
Sydney chuckled humorlessly, shocked that Kip had managed to keep his mouth shut - even if it was only because he didn't actually know what it was that had bothered her.
"Just had a moment, it was nothing."
"Well you might wanna tell Tig that." Gemma nodded towards the garage where Tig was sluggishly working, exhausted from the sleepless night.
"You talked to Tig?" Sydney's relaxed demeanour tightened up. "Gemma..." She whined.
"Well no one else was tellin me anything." She defended.
"I was just being stupid, its no big deal. I didn't want him thinking it's was something more than it was." She shrugged.
"You better go tell him that, cause I think he already does." Sydney fought off her irritation when Gemma advised her in her motherly tone. She knew that the communication issues were her fault but she still pulled a face, letting the older woman know that she was less than pleased with the situation as she pushed herself off of the couch. "Uh, where do you think you're going?"
"To talk to him?" Sydney looked to the older woman incredulously when she was questioned for trying to do the very thing that she had been told to do.
"Nah ah, you still haven't told me what happened." Sydney flopped back down onto the couch with a groan. "You really are my daughter." Gemma scoffed with a chuckle.
"Just getting into character, mom." Sydney chuckled back.
"You remember what I told you?" Sydney's mind drifted back to the conversation she'd had with Gemma the night that Tig officially asked her to be his girlfriend; when the wise woman told her that someone would end up hurt if they continued being too stubborn to communicate. "That doesn't just apply to Tig, it's everyone here. You can't be part of the brotherhood if they don't feel like they know you." She knew that Gemma was pulling out all the stops to get the information she desired - the woman didn't have a reputation as a master manipulator for nothing. "Look, I get being closed off - cold, mysterious, it makes you strong. But if you want a permanent spot at that table, and in his heart? You have to be okay with transparency."
Sydney heaved a heavy sigh, even if Gemma was just saying what she had to say to get what she wanted from her - it didn't mean that the words didn't hold true.
"It was stupid. That's why I didn't bother saying anything, I knew it was stupid, I knew it would make me look weak and irrational and insane and like im overthinking everything-" She sighed again when she noticed herself venting, avoiding Gemma's knowing smirk.
"I get that you need them to see you as a force to be reckoned with, but sweetheart, they are human too. If you get that kutte? You become their brother, and it is okay to be weak when it comes to family."
"That's not what they think about Jax. His weakness worries them." Gemma was taken aback by the way that Sydney boldly flipped the situation onto her son, but she couldn't help the smirk that found itself on her face - she liked the spunky little blonde.
"Jax's weakness is distraction, not good for the club."
"So you see it too?" Sydney looked for confirmation, ready to check the box that had been lingering on her to do list: Find out how much Gemma knows about Jax.
"Careful." Gemma narrowed her eyes.
"You wanna know my secrets, I wanna know yours." Sydney shrugged smugly.
"This is why mothers should drown baby girls." Gemma joked. "Jax found an old box of JT's things in storage just before Abel was born, since then he's been asking questions. Second guessing Clay, the club, the vision, everything."
"Could whatever he found potentially hurt the club?" Sydney asked cautiously, not wanting Gemma to think she was making assumptions where they shouldn't be made.
"I don't know, been tryin to find out but he's keeping it to himself. Clay's in denial."
"No he's not." Sydney shook her head with a hardened expression as she began rifling through all of the information in her mind, trying to sort it out like a rubik's cube.
"What?" Gemma scrunched up her face when the younger girl tried to tell her what her old man was thinking.
"I heard him talking to Tig. He sees it and he's worried about it, I don't think he wants you to worry. If he convinces you that everything is fine then maybe it'll go away." Her tone was stone cold, going into full business mode as she analyzed the situation. Gemma chewed her lip with a creased brow - she knew she hadn't been overreacting about this like Clay had tried to convince her she was.
"What about Tara... You think it could be her?" Sydney didn't necessarily think that Tara herself was the problem - she hadn't experienced anything but politeness and aid to the club from the brunette doctor - but she wondered if perhaps the old flame had reminded Jax of the hole that she left his heart and that was what had him second guessing everything he'd stood for in the time that he'd managed to plaster over it.
"That little bitch isn't any good for him, but this started before he started dipping into that again."
"You worried she's gonna make it worse?"
"Not if I can help it… Now enough about me!" Sydney giggled, deciding that Gemma had a point and had proven it by opening up to her about her fears.
"After we saw Donna I just got a little too in my head. I would've had her exiled for disrespecting the club in front of me, but you…" Sydney spoke with admiration. "You're able to put that aside and see the bigger picture and continue to extend the olive branch even after she takes a chainsaw to it. You do what good old ladies should. I just worried that I might not be able to do the same."
Gemma smiled, walking over to the couch and sitting next to Sydney, taking the younger woman's hands in hers. "Your heart is in the right place baby. If you're protective of them, that is what's best for the club." She nodded reassuringly. "You think I haven't had my days? Look at me and Tara." Sydney snorted when Gemma referred to the undying vendetta she had against Jax's high school sweetheart.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sydney smiled. She wished she would've thought to talk to Gemma yesterday before she blew things out of proportion. She should've known that the matriarch would have experienced the same doubt and would be able to offer her some sound advice in a way that she knew she would understand.
"I know I am, now you go talk to Tigger." Gemma nodded, kissing her on the cheek and pulling her up from the couch.
Tig had retired to the clubhouse after finishing his first car of the day, feeling that he deserved a much needed break after a long forty-five minutes of work. He sat at the tall table with his head down and a glass of whiskey in his hand, deep in the darkness of his thoughts.
"What's the matter? Kicked out of The Jelly Bean again?" Opie joked in his typical monotone as he entered the clubhouse, earning laughs from Piney, Half-Sack and Chibs who were all scattered amongst the empty bar. Tig chuckled along with them to avoid suspicion before returning to his previous position, being pulled from his thoughts yet again when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his neck.
"You need some cheerin up Tiggy?" Tig scowled, recoiling immediately when he realized it wasn't Sydney's voice, turning to see Cheryl standing behind him with a smirk on her face - clearly pleased with herself that she managed to catch him off guard.
"What the hell is wrong with you." Tig seethed, his already tainted state of mind allowing him to get angry even quicker than usual.
"Mary mother o' Christ." The confrontation with the croweater was interrupted by Chibs' outburst.
Tig's eyes followed the Scotsman's out the door where they watched Sydney walk up, looking like five and a half feet of pure American dream. His eyes widened and his jaw went slack, a steady buzz beginning to ripple under his skin as he took her in. He didn't give a shit about their issues anymore, he needed to chase this high as long as he could. Cheryl scoffed in defeat when Tig's attention drifted from her, taking off down the hallway in search of a willing body.
Sydney felt every ounce of her doubt wash away when she saw Tig looking at her like that - her confidence instantly restored. She bit her lip and continued her strut over to him, letting him bask in the glory of everyone staring at his girl before he got to show them yet again that she was his.
"Hey Sergeant." Sydney grinned once she approached. He reached out and stroked her arm, tracing all the way down to her hand and then snaking his arm around her waist, completely entranced by her beauty.
"Hi baby." If Tig thought he was confused before, he was as good as brain dead now as his lips found hers before he could even comprehend what he was doing.
Sydney sighed when they made contact, beyond thrilled that her outfit had the desired effect as she melted in his arms, revelling in how right everything felt when they were together - wondering if she would even have to address the issue with how well this was going. She reached up, holding the sides of his face and gripping the back of his neck. After some time she pulled away, looking up at him with those angelic green eyes that had the power to destroy him in seconds.
"Gemma said I could come see you for a minute, I have to get back to work." She whispered innocently, apologetically - letting him know just how much she wished she could stay to enjoy the moment.
"That's okay." He said a little too quickly, shaking his head and picking her up before reattaching his lips to hers.
She giggled against his mouth and wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing her body completely against his - addicted to the way his closeness erased her fears. He set her down on the pool table with one hand clutching her waist and the other sliding over her shirt with no regard for the fact that they had an audience. She dug her nails into his skin more aggressively as the kiss heated up - the public display only turning her on more.
Tig was thrilled when she pulled him closer instead of pushing him away. He grinned and pulled her down off of the table, wanting his body as close to hers if all he was going to get for now was a little dry humping. He gripped her ass with both hands, pulling her against his crotch while his hands slid under the little shorts she was wearing, going for as much as he could get in their short rendezvous.
He abruptly pulled away when a crashing sound from behind the bar interrupted them - seeing Half-Sack stumbling while trying to lean over the bar.
"Eh!" Tig snapped his fingers and scolded the prospect, the wild look coming to his eye when he caught the younger man trying to get a look at his woman.
Sydney chuckled, taking this as a sign that their mid-morning quarrel was over for now. She leaned up, licking her lips and attaching them to his neck, grazing her teeth along the vein. She hadn't missed Cheryl lurking in the shadows when she'd entered the clubhouse, so she was sure to mark her territory with a bright red lip print - grinning in satisfaction when she heard him whimper in pleasure before looking down at her with desperate eyes.
"I'll see you later." She said seductively and winked as she pulled away, walking past the spectators and smiling innocently at them before returning to the office to continue with the day's work before her and Gemma would be starting the cooking for tonight's big celebration. As soon as she crossed the threshold, a giant grin formed, mission accomplished.
After working through lunch break, Gemma and Sydney made the trek across the lot to the clubhouse kitchen to begin prepping for the massive Fourth of July feast that would be taking place in just a few short hours.
"You get things smoothed over with Tigger?" Gemma asked as she was mixing hamburger meat with her hands.
"You could say that." Sydney stated cryptically with her back to the older woman as she chopped away at the never ending mountain of vegetables, impressed that the notoriously nosey Queen was able to hold off on questioning her about it for a whole four hours, even if it had only been because she was busy on the phone.
Gemma raised a brow but said nothing more, knowing that it would be more work than it was worth - she would find out from a more willing source.
6:00 P.M. rolled around and the clubhouse was bustling as the SAMCRO women got everything in order for the hoards of bikers they would be hosting tonight. The lot was filling up quickly as members from other states began trickling in to celebrate the independence of their country with the mother chapter.
When Sydney was finally relieved of her duties in the kitchen, she made her way outside - her face lighting up as she took in the scene before her. Like many parties before, there were leather covered men and scantily clad women everywhere, but the long performance tracks, huge bonfires, and heavily crowded fighting ring set this party far apart from the others.
Tig sat quietly sipping a beer with Clay, Bobby, Piney and Jax at a picnic table as they discussed the details of the rebuild while watching a couple of Vegas guys going at it in the ring. Tig was exhausted and truthfully would much rather be in bed, but knew it was important to make his presence known in support for the club on such an important day. He remained brooding, still recovering from the toll that his self loathing had taken the night before, coupled with the fact that he still didn't know what was wrong with Sydney - if anything even was wrong.
"What would happen if we didn't rebuild?" The time to approach Elliot Oswald with the blackmail was nearing and the closer it got, the more uncomfortable Jax became.
Tig scowled while Bobby and Piney acted as if they were too engrossed in the fight to have heard the bogus words coming from the younger man's mouth. Clay tried to keep his expression as casual as possible but the disapproval was blatant behind his eyes.
"Wadda ya mean?" He sounded genuinely interested in the opinion of his VP, but Tig knew it was bullshit.
"Take the land profit and put it in somethin else." Jax shrugged, seeing Clay looking more and more unamused by the second. "Hey, I'm just thinkin about what's best long term. We got heat with the Mayans, Nords. Hale crawlin up our ass, might be time to look at other ways to earn."
"Yeah, well there's a lot of shit up in the air right now, we'll figure out what the next move is." Clay dismissed his VP, wanting to avoid a fight on the celebratory evening - but it wasn't easy to keep himself from smacking the smug look off his stepson's face.
So far, Sydney had spent most of the evening with Half-Sack by her side. She had to admit, she had grown extremely fond of the young prospect; he was easy to talk to and she hadn't realized at first but the two had more in common than she thought - both working towards a seat at the table and learning how to navigate SAMCRO.
Tig was surprisingly thankful that the prospect got along with his girlfriend so well - letting the exhausted Sergeant off the hook for the evening, after getting a warning about getting too close, of course - there was no way that he was going to allow her to stand alone in the middle of a crowded party, when she didn't wear his crow, looking like that.
"I bet I could do that." Half-Sack feigned smugness as they watched a Rogue River member burning rubber as he rode his Harley in a wheelie down the entire length of the performance track.
Sydney smirked discerningly and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah… I'm sure." She teased, wishing she had ridden her bike so she could participate in the stunting. "Do you even have a real bike?" She scowled.
"Well… I've ridden one before." The blonde girl stared at him blankly for a solid ten seconds before they both laughed. "Get me another drink prospect, I need to keep this buzz going." She playfully punched him in the arm.
Half-Sack scurried away in search of something stronger than the beer that Sydney had been drinking, while she walked over to the food tables where Gemma was topping up the buffet.
"No Ope?" She asked, not surprised that Donna hadn't let up on her stance against the club.
"Nope, thank god Bobby can handle the fireworks or Opie would be in trouble with a lot more than just Donna." Sydney felt arms around her before she could respond, the warmth under her skin from the buzz of the alcohol intensified the contrast of the cold rings on the hands that had snaked around her waist.
"Hey baby." Tig said distantly in his gravelly voice, now stewing with the doubts about his relationship and the bullshit from Jax - he didn't have the energy to try and sound chipper.
"Hi Tiggy, where've you been?" Sydney pouted, the intoxication loosening her up a bit and allowing her not to be taking his distance so seriously.
"Not really in a party mood." He refused to look her in the eye, choosing to stare out into the crowd instead.
"Are you gonna stay for the fireworks." She looked up at him hopefully.
So much for not fucking looking her in the eye, Tig thought as his gaze was immediately pulled down to her eyes; dark green from the low light but flickering with specks of jade as they reflected the flames scattered amongst the compound. As much as he wanted to call it an early night, he knew how much she loved fireworks, and he was no match for that angelic face...
"Yeah… Yeah of course I am doll." He nodded, ironing out the crease in his brow as his expression softened and he kissed her on the forehead.
"Okay." She grinned up at him as Half-Sack returned with a bottle of coconut rum.
"This is all I could find to bring out here, you know, other than beer. I could get the whiskey but I thought you're a girl and all so…" Sydney grinned at the painfully shy kid, pulling him into a hug as she hung off his shoulders much longer than usual, playing it off as just being drunk.
Half-Sack nearly pissed himself when he saw it: the look everyone talked about. The crazy, murderous look that inhabited Tig's eyes as he watched his girlfriend hanging off of another man - a man that he had already warned about getting too close...
"Let's go over there." The prospect grabbed her arms and pulled her along as he ran to the picnic table where Jessica and Juice were sitting with Jax, looking for any excuse to get away from the crazy eyed Sergeant at Arms.
"He's gonna kill me." Half-Sack gulped once they began to approach the table, looking over his shoulder to see Tig snarled before returning to his post near Clay, surveilling the party.
"Nah, I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you." Sydney laughed. "Too badly…" She finished with a shrug, cackling as the prospect's eyes went wide when he heard the last bit of her sentence.
"Why you gotta do this shit." He whined, knowing by the smirk on her face that she did it on purpose. "This because of what happened yesterday?"
Sydney raised a brow as an amused look formed on her face. "You're gettin real bold around here prospect." She said by way of an answer before joining the younger group at the picnic table.
After about an hour of passing multiple bottles around the table, Sydney realized she desperately had to pee. She got up from the picnic table, wobbling and falling right back into her seat, laughing as she hadn't realized how drunk she was. Her group at the table, as well as some stragglers that had joined throughout the night, all laughed - watching in anticipation as she tried again, steadying herself once she got to her feet.
"I'm good." She put a hand up and laughed.
Half-Sack sat nervously as Sydney got up to make her way to the bathroom, but his uncertainty didn't last long as he caught Tig's narrowing eyes across the compound, nodding frantically and getting up to follow.
"I'll come with you." Half-Sack attempted to say casually but as usual, failed. Sydney scowled dramatically, her facial expressions a little more enhanced thanks to her intoxication.
"You know the rule only applies to girls going to the bathroom together… Right?"
"Well… I need to pee too." He drawled his words out before he landed on the poor excuse.
Sydney rolled her eyes at his inability to lie even half decent, getting an idea or two about why he had been attached to her hip all night. As much as she wanted to press him for the truth - her bladder apparently hadn't scheduled any time for that.
"Come on then." She said impatiently, taking off towards the clubhouse and making him run after her. She came to a screeching halt once they entered the main room, Half-Sack almost running into her.
"What?" He asked, confused.
"You can wait here for me."
"Um… But like what if somethin happens, you know."
Sydney scoffed. "I'm gonna give you one chance to try and come up with an excuse as to why you're following me now, and not at every other party before, and why you suddenly seem to think I need a guard dog to take a piss. Come on, let me hear what ya got." He stared at her with wide eyes, looking as if he could shit his pants right then and there as she called his bluff. "That's what I thought." She scoffed again. "I know Tig put you up to this, so consider yourself lucky that I let you follow me in here and look like a good little errand boy for the big bad Sergeant." She mocked before slowly walking up and pressing her body against his, making him wince uncomfortably. "Keep shit like this from me again, and you'll be seeing firsthand that I don't need a protector." She whispered in his ear with gritted teeth, the adrenaline and anger effectively tabling her buzz.
She turned dramatically and took off once again towards her destination, nodding to Clay and Happy who were talking at the bar with a tall, broad man who had spiked blonde hair and blue eyes - sporting Tacoma patches. The man looked like he was plucked straight off the beaches of Malibu, but the hollows of his face and the tattoo on his neck proved that he was pure outlaw.
Herman Kozik had been invited down from Tacoma to participate in the SAMCRO Fourth of July celebration by his longtime friend, Happy Lowman. The two had been Tacoma brothers before Happy went Nomad, but he had managed to earn himself a spot on the exclusive roster of people that the Tacoma Killer actually kept in contact with.
The Tacoma resident was more than familiar with SAMCRO - being a former member of the mother chapter. He had served in the marines alongside Tig when the two were young and the dark haired man was the one who had convinced him to join the Sons in the first place to help kick the drug habit that was taking him down the path to an early grave as a result of the damage that combat had caused him, The two had a falling out a few years later, leading to his decision to transfer to Tacoma, where he met Happy.
Kozik was enjoying the conversation with his California brothers and even more so enjoying the fact that he had successfully been able to stay out of Tig's path thus far, when a gorgeous blonde girl strutted past him - nodding to Clay. His small eyes widened, craning his neck to stare as she walked away from him, wondering what the hell was in the water if their club whores looked like that. He was startled when his action earned him a hard punch from Happy, who was glaring at him and looking more than displeased.
"What! She one of your favorites or somethin?" Kozik was confused as to why his bald brother cared who he was checking out. The young girl was every ounce Happy's type - blonde, slim, and a great rack, he wondered briefly if someone had actually gotten the Tacoma Killer to settle down.
"It aint what you're thinkin." Happy rasped with an upturned lip before turning to order another beer, signifying that he wouldn't be answering any more questions.
"So she's single?" Kozik surmised with a shit eating grin.
"Trust me." Clay snorted. "She's very taken." He widened his eyes, warning the Tacoma Sergeant.
Kozik scowled in confusion. He didn't see a crow on the little blonde, and she was walking through the clubhouse alone dressed like a sweetbutt. He decided not to question any further - he would find out for himself. Besides, there was plenty of pussy to go around tonight.
Sydney giggled as she heard Happy shove the man who had been gawking at her. Blondes weren't usually her type, but had she been single she might've actually given the burly man a chance, maybe it was just the Sergeant patch…
After taking her time in the bathroom and marinating in the buzz she managed to gain back, Sydney sauntered back out to the party, on her way across the bar to meet back up with her security guard when she heard a familiar voice.
"Well if it aint my Cali Queen." Sydney lit up as she turned around to see her godfather, Les Packer.
"Uncle Les!" She squealed before jumping into his arms, not expecting that anyone from home had made the trip for the holiday.
"Woah woah woah." The San Bernardino President huffed. "Careful now, I am an old man these days." He chuckled as he lowered her to the ground.
"You? No way." She joked.
"Hey Syd." Yates nodded cautiously. Sydney's excitement turned to disappointment as her lip turned up at the black haired man.
"Why couldn't you have brought Tank?" She pouted to her godfather with those wide doe eyes that had caused him so much trouble over the last twenty-two years, making him laugh.
"Nice to see you too." Yates deadpanned before making off to the bar.
Les put an arm around his goddaughter's shoulders. "So, Clay tells me someone's managed to steal the heart of my Princess." He lowered his voice as if the conversation was top secret, making Sydney giggle. His statement came out like more of a question, hardly being able to believe that Sydney had actually let someone in. "Tacoma Killer?" He asked, figuring it had to be the only viable option.
"Redwood Sergeant." She replied bashfully, looking to the ground as her cheeks began to pinken. Packer raised his eyebrows, he was familiar with Tig, the Northern Cali Sergeant was ruthless, loud and a little insane… Just like Sydney. "Yeah, yeah." She groaned at his reaction.
"How you doin here? You haven't called." He steered the conversation elsewhere.
"I love it, it feels like home." Sydney gushed with bright eyes. She felt mildly guilty for not reaching out to anyone back home, but she knew they all understood.
"I'm glad to hear that sweetheart, your daddy would be real happy."
"He would." Sydney nodded with a genuine smile, knowing how proud her dad would be that all of his hard work had paid off and that she was doing okay without him. She realized in the moment that it was probably part of the reason that Les had helped set up SAMCRO for her, he knew she would thrive in Charming without the reminder of her dad's death at every turn she took.
"Les?" He had begun to pull away, leaving her to mingle with her new family, but was stopped by her inquisition. He turned back to face her with soft, caring eyes. Sydney smiled, the amount of attention he paid to her wasn't lost on her, he'd always made her feel like her words had such purpose. Truth be told, the SAMDINO President would've patched his goddaughter in a second, but he knew that his crew didn't feel the same way, and the hardly outlaw Southern Cali M.C. slapping their rocker on her back would've been an insult to her capabilities.
"Do you really think they'd let me patch?" She asked quietly, feeling more comfortable with her vulnerability around the man she'd known for the entirety of her life.
"I wouldn't have chosen here for you to go if I didn't think they would." He stated reassuringly with a nod.
She nodded back with a smile, letting him get back to socializing before she tossed a glance at Half-Sack, letting him know she would be going back outside now but she made no move to speak to him. She found an empty picnic table by the garage and sat down, sparking up a cigarette. Even though the conversation with Packer had been reassuring in some areas, it gave her a lot to think about in others. Weakness was never something she handled well - it was something she'd managed to chase out of most areas for her life. But like Happy had said the day prior, between her dad's death, her transfer to Charming and her new relationship - her unspent emotions were putting her through the ringer.
She watched Tig longingly across the lot as he chatted with Bobby, unsure about whether or not she should address the shit from yesterday - especially after things had seemed so great this morning, but then there was the issue of him having the prospect spy on her… Wondering if it was because he didn't trust her, or had simply just been looking out for her in the crowded party - even then wasn't that his job as her old man? She racked her brain for the right answer, the right move - something she could always come up with on the fly but for some reason came up empty handed when it came to him.
"Get the fuck outta your head." She was shaken from her thoughts by a raspy voice, whirling around to see Happy stepping up onto the picnic table and taking a seat beside her.
She chortled at his bluntness and ability to know what she was thinking. "You didn't tell me Packer was coming." She changed the subject.
"Figured you could use a surprise."
"I'm not wounded Hap." She rolled her eyes but kept her tone light enough to know that she wasn't deeply offended.
"Never said you were." He challenged, initiating a staredown which she was the first to break, turning her attention back to her cigarette. "Got a smoke?" She snorted, laughing before handing him her pack out of her back pocket, trying her hardest to refrain from making a cheapskate joke.
"Is D coming?" She asked with deflated hope in her tone - knowing that she would've seen Donut with the other Tacoma Sons if he was coming tonight, but not wanting the conversation to revert back to its origin.
"Nah, Lee's got him on a run."
"Well, fuck Lee." She pouted as she spoke of the SAMTAC President.
"Watch your mouth." Happy warned her disrespect of his former President, but the smirk on his lips showed he was being facetious.
"He can send Malibu barbie down but not my Donut?" She whined at the narrowly missed opportunity to see one of the only other people on the planet that she genuinely loved to be around.
Happy chuckled at her description of Kozik. "Yates is here." He hadn't been sure that she had seen the other familiar SAMDINO face yet.
"Yates is a bitch." She scoffed with a grimace, shaking her head at the face that he thought she would be exicted to see Yates.
Happy chuckled - she wasn't wrong. "You'll see him again soon." He nodded formally before ashing out his cigarette on the table, sticking the roach in his pocket, and pushing himself to his feet.
Sydney laughed loudly when he stored the cigarette butt in his pocket for later. "Okay I was really trying not to make cheap jokes but Hap, you make it so hard. There's like 3 puffs left on that!" She spoke incredulously, waving her hands about.
Happy just smirked, glad that his tactic had worked in cheering her up. "You see Kozik?"
Sydney became intrigued when she realized who the Tacoma Sergeant was. Happy hadn't spoken extensively of Kozik, but he'd let on enough for her to know that the two were good friends and had good history together.
"I always knew you liked blondes." She grinned, nudging him with her foot.
"Fuck off." Happy grunted before striding back towards the clubhouse.
Sydney was feeling uplifted after her conversation with Happy, albeit a short one where he mainly swore at her. She dragged Half-Sack to the bar for a couple shots, heightening her level of intoxication that had begun to fade before she finally returned to the drunken group at the picnic table.
About an hour later, music was blaring from every corner of the compound after the fights and stunt track had wrapped up. Sydney found herself on top of a picnic table, dancing with Jessica, Juice, Jax, enjoying putting on a show for the spectators. The group danced until the music was cut off in preparation for the fireworks, everyone beginning to pair off for the evening. Sydney began scanning the crowd for Tig as she still stood on the picnic table, a shock running through her as she picked him out of the crowd by his blue eyes as he walked towards her.
A smile spread across Tig's face as he watched her light up when she saw him. He reached up, grabbing her waist to bring her to the ground the second that he approached but she wrapped her legs around his waist, quickly nixing that plan. He chuckled, nuzzling in the crook of her neck and breathing in her familiar scent that had been mixed with alcohol. He was surprised to be relatively sober, especially on such a big party night for the club, especially when he was dealing with demons. He usually turned to alcohol when his mind was weighing on him, but something had given him the belief that he possessed the strength to combat them on his own.
"You have fun dancin with your boyfriends?" He teased as he turned around, sitting on the picnic table with her in his lap
"Mhmm." Sydney hummed with an amused smile in response to the playful banter. "I sure did." She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, exhausted from the day's events.
After a couple minutes of resting in his arms and inhaling his cologne, she pried herself off of him and turned to look towards the sky where the fireworks were beginning. She watched the exploding lights in the sky in awe with a grin plastered on her face - she'd loved fireworks since she was a little girl, and the SAMCRO Fourth of July display was anything but disappointing.
Tig knew he needed to ask the question, it would eat him alive if he didn't. He figured now while she was drunk and in a good mood was a good time to get the truth out of her.
"Hey, what was goin on yesterday?" He nudged her arm, asking as gently and casually as possible - giving her a chance to clear the air.
Sydney's joyful expression fell before she could catch it. She contemplated telling him the truth for a split second, but she figured why ruin the mood? She was far past what the issue itself was and the only thing that kept nagging her about it was the way that she'd handled it. She knew what she needed to do in the future to ensure that didn't happen again, so she'd deemed it pointless to talk about.
"Oh nothing!" She perked up. "I was just tired, Gemma dragged me to the grocery store with her to get shit for tonight so I'm sure you know how that can be."
Tig had to give it to her… She was a good liar, if it wasn't for the alcohol providing a slight delay in her reaction, he might've believed her. He nodded, pulling her out of his lap and guiding her onto the table next to him as he got up, grabbing her elbow lightly once he was on his feet, turning his body to face her and leaning down to whisper in her ear. "I know you're lyin to me." He said coldly before kissing her temple and pulling away. "Prospect'll take you home." He stated before nodding to Half-Sack and walking off to his dorm.
Half-Sack approached cautiously after getting the signal from Tig as he noticed Sydney sitting frozen with a pained look on her face, noting that she looked more angry than anything.
"Syd." He said softly, reaching out to brush his fingers over her forearm.
"Don't touch me." She snapped, smacking his hand away and pushing off the table, making a beeline for the van.
"Uh… We- We're taking the truck!" He awkwardly tried to call after her. "Come on..." He mumbled with a grimace as he took off after her - fully aware that he was playing with fire at this point.
Sydney's chest heaved as she held back tears of frustration. Frustration over being caught off guard, over being weak, over Tig degrading her, over Half-Sack spying on her for him, but most of all: over her inability to properly open up, which is what started this mess in the first place. She stood with her back against the van as she waited for Half-Sack, praying for both of their sakes that he didn't ask any questions.
Half-Sack almost tripped over his own feet when he found Sydney at the van. "Uh we have to go in the tow." She noticed he was keeping his distance which she couldn't help but smirk at, turning to follow him to the other side of the lot where she climbed into the truck without a word, crossing her arms and looking out the window at the dwindling party.
"Do you want to come up and make sure I get tucked into bed okay so you can report back to him?" Sydney asked sarcastically when they pulled up after a short and silent drive, slamming the door before he could answer.
Half-Sack threw his fears out the window, jumping out of the truck and running after her. "Syd it wasn't like that!" He couldn't let his friend think that he had just been spending time with her because he was told to, or that her confidence in him was misplaced.
"Then what was it like?" She screamed, whipping around to face him as she stood on the stoop, her chest heaving again as the panic filled her lungs.
The horrified look on the poor kid's face who was only doing what he was told was what finally sent her over the edge in her inebriated state, tears started falling and she began choking on sobs.
To say that Half-Sack was shocked to see her breaking down in front of him was an understatement, but he'd seen enough out of her tonight to know that whatever was going on wouldn't be helped by him emphasizing this weakness that she was clearly unhappy about showing. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, trying to calm her down. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief when she hugged back rather than laying him out, guiding her to sit when he felt her shaking, holding her until she eventually calmed down.
"I wasn't spying on you."
"I know you were just doing what you were told-" Sydney began by way of an apology for lashing out at him, shaking her head before she was cut off.
"No. I mean like, he didn't want me to spy on you. Look they don't really give a lot of details when they tell me to do shit, but said that he had shit to take care of and he didn't want you to be alone tonight." Sydney smiled lightly when Tig's true intentions were revealed - finding it sweet even when he was mad at her, he wanted her to have a good time.
Tig was finally in the comfort of his own dorm and away from the crowd when he heard an angry knock at the door. He groaned, rolling out of bed when he recognized the incessant rapping on the door, wishing that there was a way to pretend that he wasn't home.
"What?" He groaned like a teenager, opening the door for Gemma.
"Where's Sydney?" He stiffened up when he heard the tone in her voice, realizing that she was properly pissed.
"Prospect took her home."
"Without saying goodbye?" The Queen crinkled her brows in confusion at the out of character action from the social young woman. "I thought you two worked your shit out today?"
"Wasn't any shit to work out. She won't talk to me." He responded bitterly.
"Did you give her a chance to?"
He shook his head at Gemma jumping to conclusions, assuming he was the one fucking things up. "Yep." He kept his answers short, hoping that if he didn't give her the information she wanted, she would leave him alone so that maybe he wouldn't feel like such an asshole
Gemma sighed and sat down on his bed, feeling bad for placing the blame on him once she realized how bothered he was by the situation.
"She's struggling baby..." She started gently. "Doesn't know how to deal with these feelings she has for you."
"She wouldn't have to if she would just tell me what the fuck I did so I can fix it."
His friend smirked as she caught the way he referred to himself fixing the problem - rather than her getting over it, a quality she hadn't seen from Tig Trager in decades.
"You really love her, don't you?"
"I do." He sighed with a shake of his head.
"It wasn't anything you did." He looked to Gemma in surprise and a little resentment over the fact that Sydney had no problem telling her, but couldn't tell him. Gemma held her hand to silence him, shutting down the thoughts he was about to voice. "I had to rip that shit out of her, took time and telling her some secrets of my own. That girl is one tough cookie." She nodded. "We ran into Donna yesterday at the store, she saw how I handled it and got spooked, didn't think she'd be able to rise to the task of being a proper old lady."
"But I don't want a-" Tig shook his head incredulously.
"Believe me." Gemma cut him off again. "I know, I tried to tell her. She's just stuck in her head sweetheart, you are doing fantastic. I think that's why she didn't want to say anything - knows it's her own shit." She advised the confused Sergeant in her comforting, motherly tone.
Tig took in what she was saying and as much as he wanted to listen to the demons in the back of his mind saying it was because he was no good and didn't deserve something as pure as the love Sydney made him feel - Gemma's words made sense. He nodded, deciding he would wait for the prospect to return from dropping Sydney off before he would go to her house to plead his case.
"Thanks Gem."
Gemma stood and brought Tig in for a hug, kissing him on the cheek. "You're welcome baby." She nodded approvingly before slipping out the door.
Within thirty seconds of Gemma leaving, Tig was being summoned by a knock again. As much as he wanted to cuss out whoever it was for dragging him out of bed for a second time, he was anticipating Half-Sack's return. What he wasn't anticipating however, was for Sydney to be standing before him.
"You were right."
"What?" He stared at her with his eyes glossed over. He'd heard what she said and knew what she meant but the surprise over her being there had made him unable to utter anything else.
"You were right. I was lying earlier and I shouldn't have-" Sydney was cut off by his lips crashing hard into hers, her mind going completely blank. When he pulled away she looked up at him flustered, dizzy and with pink cheeks - unable to pick up where she left off as she was overwhelmed by desire while he stared at her with that needy gaze.
She reached up, grabbing his neck and pulling him back down to her lips. He reacted instantly, grabbing her thighs to lift her up and kicking the door shut behind him before backing over to the bed, sitting with her in his lap as they bit each other's lips and began to hastily rid each other of clothing. If there was anything to be said about their relationship - it was that they were much better at showing how much they cared rather than explaining it, worshipping each other physically rather than with words.
Once Tig had gotten her top off and she had pushed his kutte off of his shoulders, his lips found her neck. She tipped her head back to give him as much access as possible, pressing her chest against him and grinding her hips against his as he sucked greedily at her sensitive skin - leaving fresh marks over the ones that had faded. He got her bra undone, ravishing her chest the same way he did her neck before flipping them over so that she was on her back and he was kneeling between her legs.
She leaned up and began working on his belt buckle while he ripped his shirt off, finding her lips again while her hands were at work. As soon as his pants were undone, he leaned down, forcing her onto her back again as their lips remained connected, pulling away to unbutton her shorts and pull them off. Once the denim left her legs, his hand was cupping her between her thighs, over her panties, massaging her slowly. She leaned up again, desperate for his lips, pulling him down on top of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist to keep him close and somehow managed to drag his pants down his knees, reaching down to stroke him over his boxers.
The air around them was electric and their movements were greedy. Sydney finally knew what people meant when they said that make up sex was the best kind of sex - never having stuck around any of her conquests long enough to ever have something to make up for.
Tig whimpered when she grabbed his dick, not realizing just how badly he had been needing the contact with their tangle this morning and their scuffle this evening. He quickly pulled the red lace thong she was wearing to the side, running his fingers through her folds a few times before sliding a finger into her dripping wet slit. She whimpered against his lips now in response to the intrusion of his thick finger, but the whimpers quickly turned to moans as he added another and began pumping them into her in his perfectly mastered way, his thumb rubbing her clit. She pulled away from his lips, moaning whilelooking into his eyes with an erotic haze in hers - making him even harder than he already was.
"You're so fucking sexy." The moment made him realize why he loved foreplay with her so much: being able to physically see and feel her getting more and more turned on by him and him alone.
"For you." She kissed him again, stroking his tongue with her own as the bliss of proper foreplay after a few days without it took her to a whole new level of horny. She let her hand travel inside of his boxers, moaning even louder when she felt how hard he was in her grasp, gripping the curls at the back of his neck with her other hand. She felt a shiver run through her, her senses heightened to the max as her body begged for him.
Tig ripped his fingers from her when he felt her inner muscles massaging them, knowing what she was asking for. He pulled away from her mouth once again, his dick twitching when he heard her whimper at the loss of contact. Sliding her panties down her legs as quickly as possible, he returned to her mouth as he hovered over her with one hand propping him up while the other grasped his cock and slowly slid into her.
"Oh god!" The prolonged sensation of overwhelming pleasure had Sydney crying out and clutching to him.
Tig let her adjust, taking the few seconds to marinate in his own pleasure as she gripped down on his dick like a vice. Once he felt her inner muscles relax, he began thrusting slow and deep - watching her eyes roll back each time he retracted just enough so that she would feel every inch when pushed back in.
Even though he was literally inside her, Tig needed more contact after the emotionally trying couple of days their relationship had faced. He scooped her up into his arms, bringing him into his lap to face him, his cock never leaving her. Sydney gasped at the new angle before sighing, pressing her body against him - the two thrusting against each other while his lips alternated between her mouth, jaw and neck.
After climaxing together, Sydney laid on Tig's chest - the pair tangled in the sheets as they soaked up the afterglow. He was holding her tightly against his chest with his lips against her forehead and her hand in his, glad that his doubts about their relationship had been temporarily silenced.
"I'm not good at this." Sydney whispered.
"I'm not either. We'll learn together." He assured her before bringing her fingers to his lips.
Songs for this chapter:
Cherry Pie - Warrant (of course lol)
Country Girl - Luke Bryan
The Dark - Jocelyn Alice