A/N: Hi all, sorry for the delay in updating! I'm madly in the middle of moving at the moment, and with two little boys at home, there's just not enough hours in the day. I am hoping to get right back into writing once everything is all settled again though. In the meantime, I've got a few chapters done and will continue to post them until I can catch up again. Please keep the reviews coming - I read every single one and it honestly motivates me to keep writing.

Chapter 11

Trouble in Tahoe

About halfway to Tahoe, we pulled into a petrol station. The group split up, some using the restrooms, others filling their bikes. I pulled off my helmet and climbed off the bike.

Happy turned around to look at me. "How you feeling?"

"Never better," I said. The ride was exactly what I needed, my head felt the clearest it had been all day.

"Another hour till Tahoe," he reminded me. "You right to keep going?"

"Absolutely," I replied. "Good luck getting me off now. Do you want a drink?"

"Sure."

"Drinks? Anyone?" I asked around to the others. A couple agreed, so as I headed inside, I thought I'd grab an assortment to choose from.

I hummed a tune as I walked through the shop, pulling drinks out of the fridge. I placed them on the counter, still humming. I couldn't pick the tune.

"Just the drinks?" the girl behind the counter asked.

"I'll pay for the gas, too," I said, pulling out my bank card.

The girl was eyeing the bikes outside. She looked wishfully after them as I paid. She handed me my receipt. I remembered being her age, and the thrill and desire of a bad boy on a bike. I smiled to myself as I scooped up the drinks off the counter and headed back to the guys.

I threw some drinks around, and leant against Happy's bike, handing him a cherry cola. He looked at the label for a minute.

"What, wrong flavor?" I asked, opening my drink.

His eyebrows furrowed. "No, right flavor. How did you know?"

"Lucky guess?" I suggested.

Happy shook his head. "You remembered. Did it at the garage earlier too."

"What do you mean?"

"Before we left," he explained. "You called me Lowman. Anyone told you my surname today?"

I paused, remembering. "I don't think so..."

"See? Riding's the magic cure."

I smiled, feeling a little smug. I did feel a lot more comfortable at the moment, but I just presumed I was getting used to everyone, but was it that I was remembering how much they all meant to me?

"Ready to go, Pres?" Tig called.

Jax shook his head. "Waiting on Clay."

"There he is," Phil said, as Clay came around from the side of the gas station, rubbing his hands.

I watched the men talking.

"What's wrong with Clay?" I asked Happy.

"Arthritis," he explained. "Been taking cordizone for a while now."

"Poor guy," I said. "Must be hard for him..."

"Clay gets what is coming to him," Happy muttered, his voice dark.

"What's that suppose to mean?" I asked, as Phil got on Clay's bike, while Clay walked back to the van with Juice.

Happy shook his head. "Nothing, don't worry about it." he closed the lid on his drink and threw it in the saddlebags for later. I did the same as he handed me my helmet. I strapped it on, pulling on my sunglasses. Happy kicked his bike to life, and we pulled onto the road after the others.

We pulled into Tahoe, and it wasn't long before we stopped outside the poker club. One of the Sons was leaning against his bike waiting. He started walking over when we arrived.

"Is that Quinn?" I asked, pulling off my helmet.

Happy nodded. "Quinn used to be President of the Nomads charter before it folded. He was my Pres before I joined SAMCRO."

"You used to be a Nomad?"

"Sure did." He pulled off his helmet and looked me in the eye. "We're going inside. You stay here. Understood?"

"Yeah, sure," I agreed. "I'll just babysit the bikes..."

He kissed my forehead. "Be right back." He pointed at Phil. "Stay with Georgia."

Phil nodded. He followed the guys to the door, and stood guard outside, his eyes still watching me.

I paced up and down the path. As I looked at the bikes all lined up, I noticed the van wasn't here. Actually, I hadn't seen them since the gas station. Jax must have sent them on an errand.

Before I knew what was happening, I heard banging and glass shattering inside. I looked at Phil. He turned to go inside, but before he could, people started pushing their way out the door. I had made my way over to him by the time the crowd had cleared.

"Happy told you to stay here," Phil said, looking torn.

"He told you to stay with me," I reminded him. "Now, I'm going inside. You coming?"

I pushed past him, pulling the door open as he followed.

I stopped when I walked in the door. Tables were broken, glass was shattered across the floor. It seemed as if the fight was over almost as quickly as it started. I scanned the room, and saw Happy picking himself up off a broken table. Jax and Bobby stood to the side, while Pirelli called his men off.

Phil went to help Tig, as I bent down next to Happy.

"Shit," he said when he saw me. "Don't you ever do as you're told?"

I just smiled at him, and held my hand out. He shook his head as he got up, wiping a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. I placed myself behind Happy as we stood.

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?" Pirelli asked. "Somebody sneezes, you throw a fist? How do you get any business done?"

"Johnny Goombah put up hands first," Tig said, pointing to the bald guy behind Pirelli.

"Aw, screw this," he said, advancing on Tig. Everyone moved forward insincitvely, ready to go again, but Pirelli held his man back.

"Hey, hey! Enough," he ordered. He turned to Jax. "Okay, so you got my attention.

"Frankie Diamonds," Jax said. Pirelli just shrugged indifferently. "Leo, we know you're helping him get out of the States."

"You don't know shit."

Jax sighed, and stepped closer to Pirelli. "You know, Frankie Diamonds stole half a million dollars from me and my associates," Jax explained, his voice low. "He's using our cash to bankroll his exit. If you think we're noisy, wait till the cartel and the IRA come knocking."

"Machetes and grenade launchers? They can spill a few stacks of chips," Bobby said.

"We just want Frankie," Quinn explained.

"You can even keep the cash," Jax offered.

"Make a call," Pirelli said to his guy, before turning back to Jax. "Follow us. But if you're telling me a story, kid, this ain't gonna be such a beautiful, sunshiny day here in the splendor of the lakes. You understand?"

"Not exactly," Jax said as we walked out, "but I think I get the point."

We followed Pirelli and his guys out of town. We were headed towards Lake Cascade, where Frankie was supposedly held up in a fishing cabin. We were 5 minutes away, driving up into the mountains, when we heard an explosion, and a large black cloud of smoke rose above the mountains.

Jax and Chibs accelerated and flew around Pirelli's SUV. I held tighter to Happy as he followed. We flew up the mountain, and it didn't take long until we arrived at the fishing cabin. The back wall of the cabin was blown apart, the van all but destroyed amongst the rubble. That explained where Juice and Clay went.

Everyone flew off the bikes, guns being pulled. Pirelli and his guys pulled up behind us.

"Stay behind me," Happy said, gun drawn, and I nodded. We followed Jax into the room, and saw Juice and Clay already there, Clay holding a shotgun to Frankie's chest.

"No! Not yet!" Jax yelled as he entererd, his gun pointed at Frankie and Clay.

I stepped out from behind Happy, my eyes fixed on the bastard who left me for dead twice. "Frankie." I suddenly remembered laying in a pile of glass, alone and broken. Happy reached up and put his hand on my shoulder, pulling me back to him.

"Lower the shotgun," Jax told Clay. He looked at Frankie, before slowly lowering it.

Pirelli stepped around us, his eyes sweeping the room. They landed on the lounge off to the side. A dead body full of fresh gunshot wounds sat there.

"You piece of shit," Pirelli snarled, before he shot Frankie in the head. He look a step forward, and fired another eight shots into him.

The cabin was quiet, and I looked around. Jax wiped his face in disbelief, while Clay looked almost smug. As I was watching Clay, his eyes turned to me, and I got a chill down my spine. Happy grabbed my arm, and lead me out of the room.

When we were outside and far enough away from the cabin, I put my hands on my knees, and took a few deep breaths. Happy knelt down so his face was level with mine. I looked up and met his eyes.

"What does Clay have to do with all this?" I asked. "I know he's involved in all this somehow, I just don't remember how."

"Come on," Happy said, taking my hand and leading me away from the cabin.

He sat me down on a log once we were safely out of earshot. "Clay was the behind the home invasions, calling the shots the whole time. He wants the gavel back, and will do anything to get it."

"So he told the Nomads to come after me? I remember the night they attacked me, Happy." I shuddered. "Why is he still at the table?"

"Jax needs proof to make a move. Frankie was that proof," Happy explained.

"So what now?" I said. "Frankie clearly isn't giving anyone shit."

Happy shrugged. "We get proof another way."

I scoffed, and Happy put his hand under my chin.

"Hey," he said, lifting my face. "Clay will pay for this. I swear."

He was so close now. His hand gently moved from my chin to my cheek, his fingers lightly brushing it. He slowly moved closer, until he was right in front of me. His eyes were locked on mine, full of an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. I knew in that moment that everything Happy had told me was right. I found it hard to believe that in only 2 weeks, I would have felt so strongly about someone. But it was true - I loved this man.

I leant forward, closing the gap until our lips met. I felt as if my heart exploded when they did, and a strange calm settled in me. Yes, this was right. Happy had summed it up perfectly when he said we were amazing together. Something told me I could loose Happy a thousand times, and my heart would always find him. Even when my mind forgot, my heart knew when it was home.