Happy Friday! I hope all my wonderful readers are having a great day! Today is my birthday! So leave me a present in the form of a review? I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

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Bella woke the next morning with the sun shining through the only window in the room, lighting up the faded wooden walls and the stains on the carpet. She didn't want to think too hard about them.

She was on her own, Happy nowhere in sight, still laid out on her front. Her back didn't hurt nearly as much as the night before. She blushed as she thought about what had happened. She couldn't believe how bold she'd felt or been, but it had given her a confidence boost and she had enjoyed it. Watching Happy like that, because of her, it made her feel sexy, something she had never felt before.

That had Bella thinking back to Georgia's Old Ladies rules. She still needed to talk that over with Happy. She was pretty sure that she couldn't be the perfect Old Lady.

Bella also remembered the meeting. She had been scared, sure, adrenaline had flooded her body, she felt guilty finding out that she had killed two people instead of one. The biggest thing though was the feeling of relief. She had been in a bad situation. But she had been in it with beings she could fight back against.

For two years she had lived in the supernatural world where she, a weak pathetic human, could do nothing to help herself or others. Nothing to fight back. Here, where it could be dangerous, she could learn to fight better, hit harder, shoot with better aim. Here she could hold her own if she needed to, could look out for and look after her family. Here she could be an equal, could hold her own. She wasn't powerless anymore. That more than anything made Bella realize she was exactly where she needed to be, where she belonged. She was always going to be a danger magnet, but here with the Sons of Anarchy, no one batted an eye. Just gave her a gun, a knife and the power to fight for herself.

With a smile that soon turned into a wince she got up to get ready for the day. Her back might not have been as bad as the night before but it was still sore. She took the antibiotics that had been brought into the room at some point then went to grab a cold shower.

When she finally left Happy's room, in one of his t-shirts and her last pair of clean jeans at the clubhouse, she found it a lot emptier than the day before. It looked like most of the women and all of the kids had gone, the men without kuttes were no longer there either.

She found her dad, Happy and Georgia sat at a table with Juice. Happy had a drawing pad in front of him and a cup of coffee, all four were sharing two joints.

"Morning dad," she said, kissing his cheek as she walked up, "morning Georgia," she smiled and kissed her stepmom's cheek too. "Morning babe," she kissed Happy's cheek as well, noticing it was much smoother that morning, he must have shaved. "Morning Juice."

"Don't I get a kiss?" Juice pretended to sulk as she sat in between him and Happy. Laughing, she kissed his cheek too.

"Babe?" Happy was looking at her.

"Don't like it?"

"Like it fine," Happy nodded with a little smirk. "How's your back?"

"Bit sore but not as bad as last night," Bella replied.

"What was wrong with your back honey?" Georgia asked with a small frown, passing the joint over to Bella. She took it knowing it would help with the small amount of pain she was feeling.

"Where I got shot got infected and I ripped a couple of stitches last night. Chibs fixed me up, I'm fine," Bella said with a shrug.

"Restitching an infected wound. Ouch. I don't envy you," Juice winced as she passed him the joint.

"Yeah, it wasn't fun," Bella said, trying not to think about the pain.

"What you think?" Happy asked her dad, passing him his sketch pad.

"Yeah, perfect," her dad nodded, looking happy with whatever was on the paper.

"What is it?" Bella asked, interested.

"New ink Hap's gonna do for me. What do you think?" Her dad said, passing over the sketch pad.

Bella bit her lip as her eyes travelled over the sketch. It was beautiful. She felt her eyes watering.

"Really?" She asked her dad, her voice coming out smaller than she would have liked.

"You like?" Her dad asked.

It was her name in beautiful calligraphy, a bird done in tribal print that she thought must be a phoenix flew around the letters. It's tail encircling the bottom. It was amazing. She couldn't believe her dad was getting a tattoo for her.

"It's amazing. Thank you," she said quietly, trying to hold back her happy tears. "You're really talented," she told Happy sincerely.

"Yeah, he is, he does most of ours when he's in town," Juice agreed, pulling up a sleeve so she could see a tattoo on his arm. It was a skull, very well done, even if it wasn't to her taste.

"That's amazing," she said sincerely.

"You got any ink?" Juice asked her.

"Nope, I'm a blank canvas," Bella responded. Everyone in the Sons of Anarchy, and the women attached seemed to be covered in tattoos. She wondered how many of them Happy had done. "I'm going to grab a coffee. Anyone want anything?"

"You take your pills girly?" Happy asked her.

"Yeah."

"Get yourself some food too then. Need it with the meds," he said with a nod towards the kitchen.

"I could go for some coffee Bells," Juice said and Happy turned to stare at the younger man. "Or, I could just get it myself?" Happy nodded.

"I'll get you a coffee, I don't mind, I did offer," Bella smiled at Juice and ignored the look Happy sent her.

She went into the kitchen, which was empty for the first time in days, and poured two mugs of coffee. Searching through the cupboards she found a couple of cereal bars that would do for breakfast. She realised as she was walking back that she had a nice buzz and her back wasn't hurting half as badly as it had been.

Happy was wiping down the table with something that smelt like a hospital, a strong disinfectant she would guess. He had a bag next to him she hadn't noticed earlier.

"Thanks Bells," Juice said quietly as she put the coffee down in front of him.

Bella ate the cereal bars as she watched Happy prepare for the tattoo. Everything was sterile, he put on a new pair of gloves as he prepped Quinn who was having it on his neck apparently. Then a fresh pair of gloves as he made and put on the stencil or whatever it was called. She realized how serious he was about this.

"How long will it take to do?" Bella asked inquisitively. She had never seen anyone get tattooed before.

"Are we there yet?" Happy said, sending her a smirk.

"So not the same thing," Bella disagreed with a laugh. "I just wondered how long something like that took."

"Why you want one?" Happy asked, raising a brow at her.

"I wouldn't even know what to get," Bella said honestly. She wouldn't or where to get it.

"You could always get a crow," Juice said quietly, blushing as everyone turned to look at him. He probably hadn't meant to be heard. "Or whatever."

"Somethin' this size, takes about an hour," Happy said, not very subtly changing the subject. She noticed her dad still looked angry though.

"Does it hurt?" Bella asked.

"Yeah," Happy replied.

"Eloquent."

"Smart ass."

"It's not a bad pain. If you can handle getting stitched up in an infected wound, you can handle a tattoo," Juice said.

"I didn't handle that very well," Bella admitted. She'd been in tears at the end after all.

"Did good girly, didn't scream or anything," Happy disagreed before starting up the tattoo gun.

"You didn't?" Her dad asked in surprise. She guessed he had experience with something similar.

"No, there were kids asleep. Besides, it wasn't as bad as being bitten by a -" Bella stopped herself as she realised not only was Georgia at the table but so was Juice. She was going to have to be more careful. She had never almost slipped before. Never.

"Bit? What bit you? A dog? Or Happy," Juice chuckled.

"Her ex," Happy said firmly. It worked, there was no way to pass her scar off as a dog bite, it was distinctly human if you didn't know about the supernatural.

"Kinky," Juice said with a smirk.

Bella shook her head. She still remembered the searing pain of the venom and the almost worse pain of it being sucked out. She hadn't realised she was tracing her scar until Juice took her wrist with a frown.

"Shit. That's not kinky. Damn. Who is this guy? Where's he at?" Juice said his face hardening.

"It's fine. It's over now, it was over a long time ago," Bella said, taking her wrist back. She didn't want to talk about Edward, talking about him led to thinking about Charlie and how bad she had screwed up there. She focused on watching Happy bring the tattoo on her dad's neck to life.

"Good reflexes last night Bells," Juice said after ten minutes of silence, it was like he couldn't just enjoy the quiet. "Taking those wheels out was pretty cool too."

"Thanks," Bella said, not sure what else to say.

"What? You just said everything went fine Rane!" Georgia whipped her head around to stare at Quinn.

"Thanks Juicy," her dad groaned.

"I think I'm going to see if there's anything I can do in T.M," Juice said, getting up from the table quickly.

"Good idea," her dad muttered.

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Bella set the table as the sauce simmered. She had left the clubhouse to go home after Happy had finished her dad's tattoo. Issuing an invite to her dad, Georgia and Happy for dinner. There was to be a party before most of the Nomads and the guys from Tacoma left the next day, but it would be well after dinner. Bella smiled as she remembered Happy's 'invite' to that.

"You're coming tonight, yeah?" He asked her as she was packing her bag in his room.

"I don't know…" Bella said, she still wasn't keen on parties and SAMCRO parties were wilder than anything she had been to before. She always felt like she stood out like a sore thumb during the parties. Though the guys were always nice and welcoming. Even if they were sometimes a little too welcoming.

"Nah girly, you are coming. Got to show my Spitfire off," he smirked at her, stepping closer, his eyes darkening in a way that was becoming familiar. Her stomach flipped and her heart hammered.

"What if I don't want to?" Bella asked with a smirk as Happy's fingers found her waist.

"Then I'll have to persuade you," Happy said, leaning down to kiss her.

The kiss got heated quickly and soon Bella was moaning into his mouth as his hands were on her ass pulling her flush against him.

"I might go," Bella said, biting her lip as she pulled away, a teasing smile on her face. Her knees felt weak as a slow burn had started in her stomach.

"Nah, you will," Happy grinned back before pulling her in for another kiss.

It took ten minutes before she agreed, by which point his hands were on her breasts, under her top and he was kissing the length of her throat.

She had no idea what she was going to wear to the party and realised, with some distaste, that she may have to go shopping soon for date clothes and party clothes. Happy was going to want her at the Friday night parties and she was going to want clothes that made her comfortable when they went out. Wearing jeans and a top would make her feel out of place.

Bella wondered for a moment if she gave Georgia some money if her stepmom would go shopping for her. She quickly forgot that idea though. The clothes Georgia would pick would not be what Bella would choose for herself without a doubt.

She had just put on the rice for her Grandma Swan's Beef Stroganoff recipe when her front door opened. "Just us!" Her dad's voice called out as she went to grab the gun that she kept in the kitchen.

"Smells great honey," Georgia said walking through to the kitchen, her dad and Happy behind her.

"Thanks, should only be about twenty minutes," Bella said, stepping away from the stove. "I set up the spare room for you guys if you want to stay."

"Yeah, I think we'll stay at the clubhouse this time, Bells," her dad said, looking uncomfortable while Happy smirked and Georgia giggled. Bella blushed as she realised what her dad was so uncomfortable about.

"Drinks?" Bella asked, changing the subject.

"Beer please," her dad said.

"Not old enough to buy it and you drank the last beers when you were here last," Bella pointed out. She had contemplated asking one of the guys to get her some, she knew they would, but it felt wrong.

"Here girly," Happy said, lifting a case of beers onto her counter. Or she could have just asked Happy.

"Thank you," Bella smiled at him and leant over to peck him on the lips. She loved the fact she could do that. Just kiss him. He didn't move away from her, didn't push her back or reject her. He answered her kisses and asked for more. Happy didn't make her feel bad for having wants and needs of her own. In fact she thought he enjoyed them and played on them.

"Beer," her dad demanded, interrupting the chaste kiss making Bella laugh.

She handed out the beers and went to put the remaining ones in the fridge. She took one for herself as well before stirring her dishes and getting the plates out.

Soon they all awkwardly sat around the table with plates of food in front of them.

"Todge, is passing through, going to come hang out tonight too," her dad said as they started eating.

"Really?" Georgia groaned unhappily.

"He's a brother," her dad said, raising his eyebrows at his wife.

"And I am always nice, he just freaks me out," Georgia said with a sigh, picking up her beer and taking it to the label.

"He freaks you out?" Happy asked with a frown. It was as though he couldn't possibly fathom anyone freaking the ballsy Old Lady out. Bella agreed, she wasn't sure she wanted to meet this guy if he freaked Georgia out. She was one of the strongest women Bella knew.

"Yeah, he got a hard on when I cut that guy's balls," Georgia said with a shudder.

Bella wondered what the story behind that was. She thought that might not be dinner talk though.

"Can't blame him, a woman that takes care of business is hot," Quinn winked at Georgia and laughed.

"True," Happy nodded, sending a smile at Bella, making her stomach leap. "This is good. Didn't know you could cook this good girly."

"Thanks, I taught myself when I was little. It was either learn to cook or live off peanut butter sandwiches," Bella laughed, scooping up some more of her dinner. She missed the looks exchanged by her guests.

"So Christmas is coming up fast honey," Georgia said.

"Yeah," Bella acknowledged. She wasn't very big on Christmas. Looking at the lights and decorations always filled her with warmth, but other than that, it was just another day. One in which she usually had to work harder preparing an elaborate meal that she was then too tired to enjoy.

"Well Sonny wanted to know if we want to join her for Christmas this year," her dad said. Sonny was her aunt that she still had yet to meet. Her dad had told her they were quite a lot alike.

"That's great, I'm sure you'll have a good time," she smiled back, knowing her dad didn't get to see his sister as much as he liked.

"She's inviting you as well Bells," her dad said.

"Oh. Really, me?" Bella said, surprised.

"Yes, you," Georgia said with a soft smile. "Only if you want to though. We didn't know if you had made other plans yet."

"No, I haven't made any plans. I just thought I'd be on my own this year," Bella said. The thought had made her feel a little lonely but hadn't upset her. She would have got takeaway and watched Christmas movies.

"Not happening kid, if you don't want to go to Sonny's Georgia and me'll be here," her dad said.

Bella smiled and went back to eating her meal, not sure what to say. It was hard sometimes for her, accepting the fact that her dad and Georgia seemed to want her around. Seemed to actually enjoy her company. It was the same with the Sons at T.M. the fact they actually came across as wanting her company was strange. Comforting mostly, but it was at times still hard for her to actually believe.

When the meal was over and Bella had served the apple pie she had made - earning her a hug from her dad- she went to clean up.

"Nah girly, you cooked. I got this. Go get ready," Happy said, shooing her out of the kitchen.

"You're a guest you shouldn't have to clean up," Bella argued. She didn't invite him around so he could clean up. She wanted to treat him to a home cooked meal and some time to just relax.

"I got this, go, get," Happy insisted with that smile again, one that seemed to get wider by the day. It was a real smile now, not just a twitch of his lips. He smacked her butt as she sighed and she couldn't stop her squeal of shock before she started laughing.

"Alright, alright I'm going. Thank you," she said. Since that first kiss he'd been there helping her in little ways. She was fine with that, as long as he let her help him when she could, as long as they could be equals.

She had the quickest shower she could, making sure to take care of any body hair that was trying to make a comeback. Standing in front of her closet in her towel she started taking items out, studying them and then throwing them to the floor. A terrible idea, seeing as she was going to have to pick them up, but she was frustrated. She had nothing for the evening. Bella wanted to impress Happy, she wanted to look sexy for him, she didn't want to embarrass him, having a dowdy, plain 'girly'.

Finally, she settled on a red halter top, which looked nice but also wouldn't rest on her still aching back. Going through the rest of her closet she came across three pairs of shorts and one skirt. She thought the denim skirt would do. It wasn't really short, like the ones the girls who usually hung around the clubhouse wore, but it was short enough that she felt self conscious in it.

She put on more makeup than she would usually wear and straightened her wavy hair.

Finished she went back to find Happy. He was laid back on her couch watching cartoons on tv, a grin on his face as Tom and Jerry fought their unending battle. Bella smiled, her heart leaping, when he first had mentioned he liked cartoons she thought he was joking, but watching him like this she could finally see the little boy he once had been. He must have felt her watching him because he sat up and turned off the TV before turning to look at her.

"Damn, you looking fucking hot girly," he said getting to his feet and stalking over to her. His strut predatory, his gaze heated. He was the only man who had ever made her feel like he was telling her the truth when he said she was hot. He made her comfortable in her own skin for the first time in her life.

He placed his large hands on her waist, his fingers digging into her skirt. Bella bit her lip as he pulled her flush against him.

"Maybe we shouldn't go tonight girly. Stay home instead, yeah?" He said his hands going around to her ass.

"I thought you wanted to go?" Bella asked with a giggle. She was more than happy staying in for the night with him. The thought made her tingly in all the right places.

"That was till I saw you. If we go, I could be fighting a lot of my brothers off," he smirked as he cupped and kneaded her ass. "Tomorrow night girly."

"Tomorrow night?" She questioned, his lips were near her ear making her feel a bit fuzzy.

"I'm taking you out tomorrow night," Happy explained. Bella's heart flipped as butterflies exploded in her belly. She thought she knew what that meant.

"I better cancel my plans then," she teased, not having made any for this week knowing he was coming.

"Yeah you had," he said before kissing her. His lips were demanding against hers, almost bruising in their intensity and she grabbed onto his kutte, pulling him closer. One of his hands went to her hair and he took a handful of it pulling it slightly so she tilted her head back. It sent shivers down her spine and lust coursed through her.

Happy's phone started buzzing in his pocket and he sighed as he answered it.

"What?" The word uttered in a sharp bark. "And? Ten minutes."

"You've got to go?" She guessed. She had seen it happen to Crow Eaters before and Gemma with Clay, she had never been through it though. A man having to leave just as it started getting interesting. She didn't mind as much as she thought she would. She had read his tattoo. She knew it meant the club as much as it meant his biological family. She had known what she was getting into when she had kissed him. And she loved the Sons of Anarchy, they had been there for her, had been a real family for her when all she'd known before was taking care of things herself. Sure Charlie and in her own way Renee, loved her, but they weren't so big on showing it. Unlike the Sons, who hugged her, kissed her. So she harboured no ill feelings at all if he had to leave for the club.

"We have. Your pops is checking up," Happy said unhappily.

"Tomorrow night babe," Bella said, placing a chaste kiss to his lips before going in search of her keys.

The party was in full swing when they got to the clubhouse on Happy's bike. The ring was set up, men were grilling, women wearing hardly anything were strutting around.

After he hung up his helmet that he had made her wear once more Happy slung an arm around her shoulders and guided her towards the party.

He was greeted by everyone as they made their way to the clubhouse. She noticed more than one sweetbutt raised their eyebrows at her and Happy.

"Happy!" A voice shouted out from behind them making Happy turn his head. On seeing who the person was he let go of her and went to hug a member she had never seen before. Bella moved out of the way of the door and stood waiting. Watching as the two men man hugged it out. The new guy was almost as tall as Happy with long blonde hair, longer than Quinn's even and had a full, long beard.

"Don't wait on him sweetheart, we got some catching up to do," the new guy said to her, looking her up and down.

Bella raised her eyebrows at this and glanced at Happy. This was new to her, she wasn't sure what to do. Georgia had said to always listen to the patched members but ultimately to your man. She hated those rules. And she still needed to talk to Happy about them.

"She's cool. This my girly," Happy said, reaching out a hand to her. Bella went to hold his hand and found herself tugged into his side, his arm back around her.

"You? You got a girl? Shit! No kidding! I can see why, hello there beautiful," the guy said with his eyebrows almost in his hairline. "Didn't think I'd ever see the day, the Tamoca Killer settling down, damn. I'm Todge."

"Bella, nice to meet you," Bella said to the exuberant man, the one Georgia had mentioned she assumed.

"Beautiful, yeah, that name certainly suits. Heard about Utah Happy man. Good work man. Scary shit from what I heard, but got results," Todge said, focusing on Happy again. Bella wondered about his nickname and this new information about Utah. It didn't take her more than a second to work it out. He was a hit man for the club. The man who had been so gentle with her, who was patient with her -most of the time anyway- was a killer. She assumed he'd taken less lives than her ex though and she had worked past that. Wasn't she a killer now too? She had killed two people, one in cold blood, even if it had been in defence of Tig and herself. She couldn't and wouldn't judge him, not when she didn't know the full story, not when he'd been so kind to her, not when he made her feel the way he did. With Happy she felt safe, she felt desired, she laughed and didn't have to watch what she said and did. No, she wouldn't condemn him. She wondered if that made her a bad person? The only men she had dated had been murderers, which she too was now.

"Thanks," Happy said tightly. As always a man of few words.

"Todge!" Her dad's unmistakable voice rang out.

"Quinn! And the beautiful Georgia. Hey!" Todge said as her dad and Georgia walked through the crowd and joined them. Both looked happy and relaxed, though she noticed how her dad eyed Happy's arm that was around her. "Did you hear? Happy has an Old Lady!"

"An Old Lady?" Her dad asked in a tight voice.

"Well, he said girl, but for Hap that's pretty much the same thing yeah?" Todge said with enthusiasm. He was practically bouncing on his feet. Bella wondered if he was on drugs. "Did you know?"

"Yeah. I knew," her dad said with a sigh. "Todge, this is my daughter, Bella. Bella, Todge is here down from Reno passing through," her dad said, his arms wrapping around Georgia who looked like she was trying not to laugh.

"Shit! No way! Way to keep it in the fam Hap man," Todge said, still almost bouncing on his toes, his smile wide, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses despite the fact it was dark out. "Man, I need a beer. I'll catch up with you guys later. Georgia, always a pleasure beautiful. Bella it was nice meeting you. You take care of our guys, yeah?"

"I'll try," Bella replied with a short nod. She didn't think she liked Todge too much.

"Shit heads using again," her dad sighed when Todge had left.

"You want me to call Geppo, Prez?" Happy asked, his hand tightening slightly on her hip where it had laid gently.

"Nah, I've got this," her dad sighed.

"Why don't we get the guys a beer honey?" Georgia suggested pointedly. Bella nodded and followed her stepmom.

Lyla was working the bar in the clubhouse so Georgia took the beers out to them while Lyla and her caught up. The blonde offered to go shopping with Bella the next day after Bella bemoaned her lack of suitable wardrobe.

"Okay, but nothing too-"

"Like that," Lyla interrupted, nodding over Bella's shoulder. She watched as a pack of Crow Eaters strutted inside wearing varying styles of pretty much nothing.

"Exactly," Bella agreed with a giggle.

"Gotcha," Lyla winked. "Now what are you drinking tonight beautiful?"

"Soda?" Bella said, still being nineteen put her on a limited menu.

"Soda with a shot of vodka?" Lyla asked with a cute little smirk.

"Nineteen, remember?"

"Beer it is then," Lyla nodded, putting an open one in front of her. When she went to protest Lyla just smiled, shook her head and walked away to serve a Crow Eater.

"New girl?" A woman she had never met asked Bella, making her turn on her bar stool. She looked to be in her late twenties, had black hair that was curled with an excessive amount of product and heavy makeup. A sweetbutt. "Oh, shit, you're the mechanic. Sorry sweetheart. Normally see less skin from you is all."

"It's okay," Bella smiled politely. She didn't have anything against the Crow Eaters or sweetbutts at all. It was their life to live and Lyla was one of them, her best friend in Charming.

"I'm sorry Bella, I'll tell 'em," Lyla said, making Bella and the Crow Eater look at what she could be talking about.

Happy had walked in and been swarmed by women.

"It's okay," Bella said with a shrug despite the bitter sting of jealousy.

"Oh, you're with him?" The Crow Eater asked with wide eyes. "Really? But you're so nice… and he's kind of… scary."

"Yeah, I'm with him. He's not scary, not to me anyway," Bella disagreed, she didn't get why everyone thought he was so bad. Even the first time she had met him, even discounting the instant attraction she'd had to him, she hadn't been scared of Happy.

"Sweetheart, you need to go stake your claim," the sweetbutt said.

"No," Bella replied, watching and drinking her beer. She wasn't going to play games like other old ladies. She either trusted Happy or she didn't. That's what it had to come down to. He could either push these women away or he could carry on letting them hang over him. Bella wouldn't let another man touch her, she had to trust him.

"They'll keep trying it," the sweetbutt pointed out.

Happy moved, none too gently through the pack of women. Pushing the blonde who was trying to cling to him away, he wasn't gentle with her she noticed, in fact the woman almost face planted the floor.

Happy strode over to Bella and kissed her, before waving his hand to Lyla signalling he wanted a drink.

Lyla got the drink in front of Happy quickly, with a smile on her face and fear in her eyes. Bella rolled her eyes, leaning into Happy's side.

"I'm going to see if any of these fine gentlemen want company. Happy, nice to see you. Nice to meet you properly, Mechanic," the sweetbutt said, giving Bella a shrewd look.

"Nice to meet you as well, Sweetbutt," Bella said with a smirk.

"Names Kat."

"Bella."

With that the sweetbutt, Kat, was off and Happy was giving her a questioning look.

"She thought I was a new girl," Bella told him, shaking her head as Happy chuckled. "I didn't think I looked that bad."

"Fucking gorgeous, not like one of those sluts. C'mon," Happy said, taking her hand and leading her back outside where the majority of the club still was.