11/

A familiar commanding knock sounded out against my front door later that evening. I recognized it instantly as Happy's and glanced at the clock perplexed. It was still early. He wouldn't be here for a booty call yet. I sighed as I headed to the door, knowing that the club had probably determined that I needed a tail again after everything that had gone down with Salazar.

"Jax!" I exclaimed, surprised to find him standing on my doorstep beside Happy. Tig stood meekly behind them. "What are you all doing here?" I asked as I let them in.

"We've got a favor to ask you Kat." Jax answered me as he entered and sat down on my sofa.

"Okay." I answered hesitantly as I closed the door behind Tig. "What's that?"

"Kat there's something the club needs to ask of you. I mean I was going to ask Tara but ..."

"Wait is Tara okay? And the baby? Wait shit! She told you about the baby right?" I tumbled out biting my lip and hoping I hadn't just put my foot in it.

To my relief Jax smiled. "Yeah, she told me about the baby. And she's fine Kat, the baby too."

"And Abel? Where is he? I haven't even seen him yet."

"He's with Mom. He's fine Kat. Perfect in fact."

I breathed out a huge sigh of relief. "I'm guessing Salazar's old lady didn't survive?"

"Nah. And I'm counting my lucky stars that Tara did." Jax answered me.

"Salazar's dead too by the way." Tig intoned from beside him. I nodded, meeting his gaze, a little surprised at the relief I felt at those words. I didn't need to know how it all went down which was why I steered the conversation back in it's original direction. "So this favor?"

Jax glanced toward Happy and Tig before he answered me. I knew there was a conversation I wasn't privy too going on silently between the three men in my lounge room. "Let's just say we have something that we need transported and we need you and your car."

"It's not anything illegal is it?" I asked, knowing I wasn't likely to like their answer.

"Not exactly." My brother answered.

"Not exactly? What does that even mean Jax?" I asked casting my eyes around at the three of them.

"There's only so much that I wanna tell you Kat; for your own protection, but we'll be making a transfer from the club's van to your car at a meeting point then we need you to drive it straight to the lot."

I sighed. "Why me?" I asked.

"I don't want Tara involved and Tig mentioned that your driving was pretty impressive when you were catching up to us to help Mom escape."

I glanced at Tig and met the approval, almost pride in his eyes. "Okay. What do I need to do?"

I could sense the relief but also trepidation in each of them that I'd agreed to help out. "Happy will stay behind and fill you in." Jax said rising from the couch and over to where I stood beside the island bench in my kitchen.

"Thanks for doing this for us Kat." He said resting his hand on my shoulder briefly as he leaned in to kiss the top of my head.

"Sure Jax. Hey, when can I see Abel?"

"Tomorrow morning before we head out. Mom's got this whole welcome home shindig planned. She'll probably call you later to help out."

"Okay." I answered quietly.

I met his gaze as he pulled away and saw there the weight of this world on his shoulders. I couldn't help but wonder what else was going on. He quickly diverted his gaze, making the unsettled feeling I already had rise. He headed toward the door where Happy continued to stand. I tried to make eyes at him but he wouldn't meet my gaze as he conferred quietly with Jax and Tig before they left.

I watched as Happy wordlessly closed my front door and turned to make his way to the kitchen. I sighed and followed. I knew what they had asked me to do must have all sorts of potential ramifications. He had all sorts of serious, freaky vibes going on right now and I knew not to ask for any clarification until he offered it.

He opened my fridge and pulled out a bottle of water that he opened as he sat on a stool at the side of the counter. I glanced at him and tried to meet his gaze but he avoided it. I could usually read Happy and I hated it when I couldn't.

"I'm guessing tomorrow could be dangerous." I stated rather than asked.

"Yeah." was all he offered in return.

"So … what exactly should I expect?"

He let out a sigh before he answered. "The cops will be tracing our van and they can't find what we'll have inside it, so we need you to wait where we say and make the transfer like Jax said, then you drive as fast as you can back to the lot."

"Will someone be with me?" I asked, his seriousness and hard set expression beginning to scare me more.

"You'll have a prospect with you and Chuckie will be waiting at the lot."

"Chuckie will? Where will you guys all be?"

"Leading the cops away from your tail."

"All of you?"

He sighed and finally met my gaze. "We got a lot going on tomorrow. You just do your part."

I nodded and pushed myself away from the counter. I knew I wasn't going to get anything else out of him. "I'm gonna go take a shower, then I'm gonna call it a night okay?" I said half hoping he'd join me.

"Yeah. Okay." he said not moving from where he sat.

I sighed and headed toward my bedroom. I hadn't seen him so serious and edgy for a long time. Even when he was camped out in my lounge room having been tasked to watch me he was always less edgy than he was tonight. I didn't want to think about why that was. I knew whatever they had going on tomorrow must be dangerous and that they must be desperate to ask me to help.

I flicked the water on and stepped in, letting the heat of it turn my skin pink. I tried hard to rid my mind of all the things that were beginning to scare me about what they'd asked me to do.

Letting the water cascade through my hair and melt away my fears, I closed my eyes and tipped my head back to let the water run over my face and let out a sigh as I switched the water off and stepped out to wrap a towel around myself. I ran my fingers through my wet hair and squeezed the excess water from it as I reached for my hair dryer. My ears pricked up as I heard the front door open and then close again. I stuck my head out the bathroom door. "Hap? Is someone here?" I called.

I frowned when I got no answer and placed the hair dryer aside letting my hair fall wet down my back as I made my way out to the lounge room.

I screamed with surprise when I got there. "Tig! What the hell? Where's Happy gone?" I said frantically readjusting my towel.

"Jax needed him back at the clubhouse."

"What and you volunteered to watch me?"

"Jax doesn't want you alone Kitty Kat." he offered.

I sighed wanting once again to tell him to stop calling me that but the words wouldn't come to my lips and I knew that once again I was having trouble keeping him from creeping back into my heart.

I swallowed back the lump in my throat as I watched him lean into the back of my sofa as his eyes unashamedly looked me up and down where I stood before him wrapped only in a towel. I was completely unsure of his intentions and how the rest of the night would unfold. I think I knew being left alone with him in my own house I'd be unable to keep my guard up and continue to resist him.

I bit my lip as silence descended between us; both of us unsure of how to continue.

It was him who broke the silence. "It's been a while since I've seen you dressed in so little." he said with a smirk.

I tried to scowl at him but couldn't help the smile that came to my lips seeing that smirk. "I'm gonna go put some clothes on, then maybe we could talk seeing as your here."

He nodded and watched me leave the room, I knew once again looking me up and down with approval for what he saw.

He was sitting on the sofa flicking through channels when I returned. I bit my lip at how comfortable and familiar it felt seeing him there. I took a deep breath before I sat down beside him. To my surprise he switched the TV off and turned to me.

"Are you okay Kitty Kat?" He asked sincerely.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I answered not sure where his line of questioning was going to go.

"Salazar. You sure he didn't hurt you at all?" He asked with the utmost sincerity.

"No Tig. He didn't do anything." I answered turning toward him and meeting his gaze. I was surprised at what I found there. The blue of his eyes was softer than I recalled seeing it for sometime.

"And tomorrow, what we've asked you to do? Are you okay with that?" he asked I could tell wanting to touch me by taking my hand in his.

"Yeah. I guess. I mean it scares me a little." I admitted.

"You'll be safe Kitty Kat. I won't let anything happen to you."

I saw the sincerity in his eyes and I knew he meant what he'd said. I'd seen that look there many times before and I knew that I could trust it. I bit my lip knowing even in that moment that I was ready to let him back in.

I nodded slowly. "I trust you Tig." I said quietly.

"I really am sorry for everything that went down between us doll." He said suddenly.

"Everything?" I asked.

"Yeah everything. All the sweet butts, all the other girls, even Amelia."

"You don't have to apologize for anything that you did after we'd split Tig."

"But I do Kat. I saw the hurt in your eyes when you were patching me up."

I met his gaze. I'd been hoping he hadn't noticed how much that had affected me.

"And what about the baby?" I asked quietly letting my gaze fall to my lap.

"There are no words for how sorry I am about how I treated you then Kitty Kat." he said placing his hand against mine. I allowed him to take it into his as I met his gaze. I knew his words were sincere.

"You pushed me away Tiggy; refused to acknowledge it as yours." I said, a tear sliding down my cheek.

"I was stupid to do that baby. I had my own shit going on that had nothing to do with you and our baby."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah I remember you said that."

"I should have supported you baby. I shouldn't have pushed you away and I shouldn't have slept with Ima."

I bit my lip and met his gaze. "When I lost that baby Tiggy all I wanted was for you to hold me and tell me we were going to be okay even after everything you'd said, but instead I found you in bed with her." I said, no longer able to choke back my tears.

"I'm so sorry baby. I handled everything wrong."

"Yeah. We both did." I said glancing at him briefly before dropping my gaze again. "I shouldn't have slept with Kozik."

"I know why you did Kitty Kat. I deserved every bit of pain you cast my way after that."

"I said some horrible stuff Tiggy."

"We both did Kat."

I nodded slowly. "You know why I couldn't let you back in Tig?"

"I know Kitty Kat. I know." he said hanging his head.

I took my free hand and chipped his chin up tom make him meet my gaze again. "Despite it all, I think I'm ready to forgive you."

"I never stopped loving you Kitty Kat." He said placing his hand at my cheek and wiping my tears away with his thumb.

Despite my better judgment I leaned toward him and placed my lips cautiously against his. He let his hand slide to the back of my neck as he pressed his lips harder against mine. I drew away and met his gaze briefly before I leaned back in to kiss him once more. As his lips molded to mine I felt my body begin to burn for him in the same way it used to when I was teenager. He pulled me up from the sofa and ran his hands down across my hips and pulled me closer, closing any space between us as his lips continued to pillage my own.

I knew we had left it too long to address everything that had gone on between us. I also knew that I was ready to let him back in as I allowed him to lead me to my bedroom.

A/N: So we have a little more of Tig and Kat's past revealed in this chapter and in the chapters to come there will be further clarification on most things that they have referred to. There is still more for them to work through but for now I guess you could say they are exploring old paths.